Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Electronic and Metallurgical Waste Recycling
MSE 662A; Semester II 2022-23
Lectures: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (9:00-10:00 AM)
Venue: T105

Instructor in-charge: Dr. Arunabh Meshram

Address: 409, Faculty Building, IIT Kanpur, Email: arunabhm@iitk.ac.in; Ph: (2269)
Objectives
This course explores the recycling of various electronic and metallurgical wastes. It elucidates the
utilization of modern urban ores like Waste Printed Circuit Boards (WPCBs), Integrated Circuits,
batteries, and other electronic components and metallurgical wastes like dross, slag and scraps. These
urban ores are rich source of base metal (like copper, aluminum etc.) and important precious metals (Ag,
Au, Pt, Pd) and the recycling of these wastes is crucial for metal recovery. The fundamentals of recycling
process will be described with emphasis on application of modern unit processes for efficient metal
recovery and understanding material cycles with inherent energy transfer. The metal content in these
urban ores and relative ease of extraction dictate the recycling process.
Prerequisites: None
Course Content (40 Lectures)
S. No. Broad Title Topics Lectures
1. Introduction to Recycling Understanding the 5 R’s (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, 1
Repurpose and Recycle) in the modern scenario
2. Classification of Types of electronic and industrial wastes. 3
Electronic and Appreciating the importance of classification and
Metallurgical wastes how it impacts the method of recycling.
Categorization of types of wastes. Examples of
battery sorting and separation from bulk electronic
waste.
3. Understanding the Unit operations required for pre-treatment of 10
conventional unit electronic and industrial wastes. Importance of (2+4+4)
processes employed for comminution in recovering valuable materials
metal recovery from industrial wastes. Examples of the material
separation and enrichment of raw materials.
Application of pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy
and electrometallurgy for the recycling of
metallurgical wastes. Fusion of these methods for
efficient metal recovery. Metal recovery from
leach liquor by electrowinning, solvent extraction,
coprecipitation, ion exchange
Understanding methods of metal refining: fire
refining, zone refining and electrolytic refining.
Utilization of recovered materials for conventional
 applications, like casting of metals, production of
refractories etc.

4. Application of recycling Case studies on Waste Printed Circuit Boards and 10

methods for electronic Integrated Circuits. Delamination of the WPCBs (5+5)
wastes by dissolution of epoxy resin, separation of the
copper matrix from glass fiber, leaching of the
powdered WPCBs for extraction of metallic
values like Cu, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd. Solder mask
recovery from WPCBs. Numerical insight on
recovery of metallic values from the leach liquor
by solvent extraction, cementation.
Case study on waste battery recycling:
Significance and application of various batteries-
Ni-Cd type batteries, Li-ion batteries, and other
batteries. Separation of anodes, cathodes, and
binders. Recovery of metals from battery shells.
Utilization of spent electrodes for development of
fresh batteries. Numerical insight on efficient
recovery of metallic values from the electrode
waste.
5. Case studies of recycling Aluminium industry wastes: dross, red mud, spent 16
of Metallurgical wastes pot linings, Salt Slag (4+3+3+3
Copper industry wastes: Smelter slags, Raffinate +3)
after leaching and solvent extraction, spent
electrolyte after winning
Zinc industry wastes: Zinc ash, dross, flue dust
and scraps
Iron and Steel industry waste: Ironmaking slag,
steelmaking slag, wastewater treatment
Energy recycling, Environmental impact of
recycling and Economics involved in recycling
Total Lectures 40

Guidelines on the Instruction and Evaluation

A. Instruction
• The lectures will be delivered as per the schedule mentioned in the timetable in the designated
class venue: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (9:00-10:00 AM), at T105. Each lecture’s
duration is 50 minutes.

B. Grading
• Less than 30% marks shall attract ‘F’ Grade.
• Passing grade (D onwards) shall be awarded starting from 30% score. Grading policy will be
governed by the DOAA office directives.
• Outstanding performance shall be awarded with A*
 C. Evaluation

S. No. Item Credit Remarks

1. Assessment through 20% Two Term Paper Assignments shall be given to the
Term Paper students individually, one before the Mid Semester
Assignments Exams and second one after it. The assignments shall
be submitted to the instructor before the specified
deadline.
2. Mid Semester 30% The Mid Semester examination shall be conducted as
Examination per the schedule by the DOAA office.
3. End Semester 50% The End Semester Examination shall be held as per the
Examination directions of the DOAA office.

D. Course Policy
• The course aims at imparting the knowledge of materials recycling to the students. It is expected
that the students attend the classes and take the examinations sincerely.
• The students having doubts related to the course can contact the instructor or the TA through
mail.

Recommended Books:
A. Resource Recovery and Recycling from Metallurgical Wastes, Ed: S. Ramachandra Rao, waste
Management Series, 7, Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2006, ISBN: 978-0-08-045131-
2
B. Electronic Waste Recycling Techniques, Hugo Marcelo Veit and Andrea Moura Bernardes, Topics
in Mining, Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Springer International Publishing Switzerland,
2015, ISBN 978-3-319-15714-6
C. Electronic Waste Management, R. E. Heister and R. M. Harrison, Issues in Environmental Science
and Technology, 27, RSC Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2009, ISBN 978-0-85404-112-1

Reference Books
Other research and review articles related to the course shall be shared to the students