Critical review on secondary zinc resources and their recycling technologies

In a race to save the earth of its rapidly depleting natural resources, the use of Secondary Raw Materials (SMRs) as alternative replacements in several processes is currently intensively pursued. The valorization of SMRs is consistent with the sustainable circular economy, where resource efficiency is maximized for the benefit of both the economy and green environment. In line with this mandate, this article focuses on investigating recent studies on secondary zinc (Zn) resources and describing state-of-art Zn recycling technologies. Globally, some of the main Zn-containing secondary raw materials are mine/concentrator/smelter tailings, wastes, slags, scraps, dust, etc. Although the pyrometallurgical process has been dominant in the secondary metal recycling processes, there has been growing interest and pressure to achieve sustainable and greener recycling methods to remediate the environmental problems caused by emissions of toxic heavy metals and sulfur oxides in the traditional smelting process. In the last decades, many sustainable and environmentally friendly novel hydrometallurgical processes for Zn extraction were developed to overcome tougher legislation and meet cost competitiveness. Secondary Zn recycling focuses on the development of selective Zn-rich but Pb, Fe, As-lean recovery processes.