METAL RECOVERY PROCESS IN ELECTRONICS AND COMPLEX INDUSTRIAL WASTE

Description

24 METAL RECOVERY PROCESS IN ELECTRONICS AND COMPLEX INDUSTRIAL WASTE Field of invention

[001] The present technology, named by the inventing team as “process for recovering metals from electronics and complex industrial waste”, acronym PREMELin, is an innovation originating from scientific and experimental research, applied to technological development, situated in the technical field of metallurgical, biometallurgical and environmental sustainability processes.

[002] Specifically, it is a technology related to the recovery and extraction of metals from a variety of materials such as electric car propulsion batteries (or EV batteries), steelmaking slag, mining waste and in components of electronic equipment, especially motherboards, PCI, PCB, audio boards, microprocessors and CPUs, as well as memory modules.

[003] In particular, PREMELin can be used to recover remaining metal content from any type of metal-based waste.

[004] This is a comprehensive process, composed of a set of sub-processes, integrating them into a reverse industrialization line for waste, directed, in its integrated application, to the recovery of metals in general, whether heavy and / or valuable metals, as well as those essential to the execution of the manufacture of component parts, machines, utilities, non-natural substances and materials, consumer or capital goods, vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft, boats and ships, submarines, buildings and their structures.

[005] The types of waste with remaining metallic content that can be recycled by PREMELin come from various sources, including electronic waste, printed circuit boards, electronic boards in general, scrap metal, solid and wet waste, sludge, ore, rare earths, slag, Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 5 / 35 / 24 catalysts, electroplating waste, semiconductors, sludge from treatment plants, ceramics, medical equipment, automotive industry waste, solar panels, small, medium and large batteries, batteries for electronic equipment, batteries for electric vehicles, batteries regardless of their chemical or ionic composition and proportion.

[006] This invention by RECICLI, the PREMELin technology, aims to optimize efficiency and sustainability in the integration of actions, or subprocess, of metal recovery, applying innovative methods of biometallurgy and its predecessor processes.

[007] This approach, by enabling the recovery of minerals present in industrial waste, carries out urban mining, reducing the pressure on natural deposits from which minerals are extracted that allow us to obtain the metals we need in our industrial processes. It thus promotes the efficient use of natural resources and aligns with the principles of the circular economy.

[008] PREMELin makes it possible to implement an integrated process through industrial processing stages, which takes care of recycling urban solid waste (USW), industrial solid waste (ISW) and rural solid waste (RSW), of electronic origin, or EV batteries and other waste containing trace metal residues, class II, non-hazardous, as defined in the law establishing the National Solid Waste Policy, Law 12.305 of 2010, enabling the extraction of a high percentage, exceeding 80%, of the metal and alloy content present in this type of solid waste, as well as its separation from plastic and / or polymeric matrices or substrates, and metallic parts in steel or iron derivatives.

[009] PREMELin, employing integrated subprocesses in a single industrial system for recycling e-waste, EV batteries, solar panels, blast furnace slag, or mining tailings, enables the integration of physical-mechanical, electrophysical, biometallurgical, and physicochemical processes, transforming these residues into combinations of millimeter dimensions, by shredding on the order of 2.5 mm to 0.5 mm, followed by grinding on the micrometric scale of 0.1 to 100 µm, or nanometric, on the order of 1 to 100 nm, composed of the various component substances of the waste being recycled, allowing for economical separation and Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 6 / 35 / 24 technically sustainable and viable, of the metals present, in high degrees, above 95% purity, by applying the following bolishing and SAB processes, as well as refining, significantly reducing the need to extract raw materials from deposits or natural reserves.

[010] PREMELin realizes, that is, makes physically concrete, the reverse logistics and circular economy cycle of complex industrial waste on an industrial scale, overcoming the current phase in which recycling is carried out only on a small scale, and in production lines dedicated only to low-tech MSW / ISW / RSW, such as plastics, paper and cardboard, organic waste, and construction debris. PREMELin allows the recycling of high-tech waste, electronics, EV batteries, solar photovoltaic panels, and waste resulting from metallurgy and mining without emitting pollutants or contaminants into the environment.

[011] The disposal of unusable or discarded electronic equipment, photovoltaic panels, and in the medium term EV batteries, their parts and components, including obsolete or damaged ones, has grown exponentially, encompassing computers and their monitors, notebooks, tube or flat screen or LED televisions, cell phones, MP3 / MP4 players and other sound formats, white goods with electronic components, such as air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers, microwave ovens and others.

[012] It is scientifically recognized that there are risks to the environment and to the health of humans and other living beings when these wastes are deposited in landfills or dumps. Similarly, the manual dismantling of this equipment, without the use of PPE (personal protective equipment) and appropriate tools, poses risks to the safety and health of professionals involved.

[013] PREMELin eliminates such risks and hazards in the processing of complex industrial waste, i.e., in its recycling, in order to prevent heavy metals or microplastics from contaminating the environment and / or generating toxicity to human life and other living beings. Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 7 / 35 / 24 Patent Description: Integrated Processes Applied to the Recycling of Metal-Based Waste

[014] The set of actions or subprocesses, operating in an integrated manner within the PREMELin macro process, encompasses mechanical, electrophysical, biometallurgical, physicochemical and enrichment stages, as shown in Figure 01.

[015] The mechanical stage (1°) comprises reverse manufacturing subprocesses of the waste (1), its drying if it is a mining tailings, then proceeding to manual or mechanical disaggregation, using electromechanical tools, its crushing (2) and grinding (3), obtaining a powder from the material obtained from the waste being processed, separation by mechanical blowing between denser and less dense particles, electromagnetic extraction of steel particles or ferrous alloy derivatives.

[016] Following (2°) the electrophysical stage, in which the material remaining from the previous stage is subjected to electrostatic and / or triboelectrostatic separation of non-electrically conductive materials, plastics and polymers, and metals (electrically conductive), and mechanical blowing of remaining plastic particles into the metal powder (4), resulting in a powder composed of micrometric particles of the various metals present in the waste being recycled.

[017] Thus, in (3a) stage, this metallic powder is then subjected to a bath in a hydrocompound liquid in the presence of microorganisms of bacterial (5), fungal and / or algae origin, with appropriate composition, consortia and concentrations, under specific conditions of pH, temperature and agitation. In this “bath” of microorganisms, the metals are solubilized, resulting in them being suspended in a liquor, which contains the metals present in the waste being processed from this bioextraction in its recycling (6).

[018] This operation is followed by (step 4a), this liquor being an extractant, with solubilized metal ions, subjected to filtration (7) and Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 8 / 35 / 24 centrifugation (8), resulting in separation of the metal ions from the hydrocompound liquid which returns to the bioextraction process, in the previous step following the metal powder with separated ions, the extractate, to baths in a SAB (Aqueous Biphasic Separation) system in the presence of aqueous base liquids, an inorganic salt and a suitable polymer, these liquids being calibrated in specific densities to successively carry out, in sequential baths, the separation of each metal phase, adjusted to the specific density of each component metal of this extractate.

[019] And finally, in the (5a) purification stage of the metallic extracts each of these extracts, that is, each of the respective metals thus obtained, is subjected in a melting furnace to a refining technique (9) in the form of thermal melting, followed by the molten metal run, its cooling and obtaining high purity metallic ingots (10).

[020] A specific topic will detail the parameters and ranges associated with the metric characterization of each of the component subprocesses in these 5 processing steps for the recycling of the respective metallic waste. Fundamentals of innovation and state of the art

[021] The proposed innovation describes an advanced method for metal recovery that integrates physical and electrophysical preprocessing techniques with those of biometallurgy, physical chemistry and thermodynamics; in a recycling process under low temperature conditions between 20°C and 80°C and pressure from 0.5 atm to 5.0 atm, significantly reducing energy consumption.

[022] The state of the art currently comprises conventional methods of metal recovery, such as pyrometallurgy (thermometallurgy) and hydrometallurgy (or chemometallurgy). These traditional methods involve metallurgical or purely chemical processes that are often inefficient, consume high amounts of energy, and generate polluting or contaminating waste.

[023] Traditional methods often result in low Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 9 / 35 / 24 yields, high operating costs and emissions of said pollutants, gaseous such as furans, benzenes and dioxins in the case of thermometallurgy, or of said contaminants, liquid such as acidic or basic effluents, contributing to environmental degradation, impact on ecosystems, as well as limiting the efficient recovery of metals.

[024] The methodology presented here, of integrated processing by subprocesses, proposes integration centered on the extraction of metallic ions through biometallurgy associated with the subsequent application of SAB techniques. Through specific microbial strains, optimized for the extraction of metals of interest from a variety of sources, or complex industrial waste, the bioextraction of those ions occurs, followed by drying, filtration and separation of metallic phases based on their intrinsic properties. The adaptability of the process to different types of raw materials and the ability to recover a wide range of metals gives the invention a broad spectrum of industrial applications.

[025] The biometallurgical process begins with the selection and preparation of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, algae, protists and / or archaea, which have natural or genetically enhanced capabilities for bioaccumulation, bioadsorption, bioprecipitation or bioleaching of metals.

[026] Obtained by adaptability to specific media, either naturally or under laboratory conditions, these microorganisms are cultivated in a liquid medium which, upon contact with the material, allows the metabolization of components and the consequent release of metals into the solution.

[027] Controlling the conditions of the culture environment and acting on metallic residues is crucial for the success of the process. Temperature, pH, and aeration are meticulously controlled, varying according to the type of microorganism and metals involved. In addition, the nutrients in the culture matrix are carefully selected and provided to promote optimal growth and metabolic activity of the microorganisms.

[028] A means of nutrition and cultivation is employed for the proliferation Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 10 / 35 / 24 of microorganism colonies, in modified 9k form, composed of a single solution, in dilution of ferrous sulfate between 20 g / L and 150 g / L in distilled water, with compositions of other nutrients and / or stabilizers such as Ammonium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Phosphate trihydrate, Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate, Calcium Nitrate, in specifically calibrated concentrations.

[029] After the bioextraction phase, the metals are separated from the microorganisms and the liquid medium through processes such as filtration, centrifugation and precipitation. The recovered metal powder undergoes additional separation steps in aqueous two-phase systems, and its subsequent purification such as electrolysis, solvent extraction or ion exchange, and thermal fusion to achieve the purity required for its industrial applications.

[030] The technological solution systematized by this patent addresses the existing technical challenges when employing biometallurgy, an innovative process that uses microorganisms for metal recovery. The biometallurgical approach applied through the proposed process eliminates many of the challenges associated with conventional methods, taking advantage of the natural capabilities of microorganisms to solubilize and extract metals from complex materials.

[031] Compared to traditional methods, the present technology, the PREMELin presents distinct advantages. Through the proposed methodology, it is possible to obtain greater efficiency in metal recovery, reducing operational costs and decreasing energy consumption. Furthermore, the physical and biometallurgical approach, integrated with SAB and enrichment, is more beneficial to the environment, since it reduces waste production and pollutant emissions. The novelty of this model lies in the innovative application of a physical process line, followed by biometallurgical application with microorganisms and separation of the extracted metal liquor through an Aqueous Biphasic System process. Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 11 / 35 / 24 Laboratory Proof of Concept and Environmental Sustainability

[032] Laboratory tests were carried out by the RECICLI experimental testing team, validating results already established in the specialized technical literature, and advancing in obtaining new and unprecedented results in relation to bibliographic references and patents already established, advancing the State-of-the-Art, and establishing the milestones of innovation of this patent.

[033] The procedure for characterizing materials to be recycled, as well as the results obtained in experiments carried out by REClCLl, were analyzed and validated using equipment such as electron ray fluorescence spectroscopy (EDXRF), SEM with EDS, as well as ICP, for the characterization and determination of the material composition, before being submitted to PREMEin and, therefore, before its recycling, as well as regarding the metals and other materials resulting from processing via PREMEin; these analyses and characterizations were always submitted to the opinion of experienced and specialized professionals.

[034] These tests already carried out are in line with analogues and available in the literature dealing with metal recovery, especially from Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), processors and memory sticks, as well as from Electric Vehicle Batteries (EVs) and slag from Iron / Nickel mining.

[035] The present system, PREMELin, integrates in a single plant a series of physical and electrophysical, biometallurgical, physicochemical and metallurgical processes carried out by means of industrial equipment that account for the reduction of solid waste under recycling, that is, industrial solid waste, RSI, metal-based complex, into specific metal ingots.

[036] This recycling results from the reduction and separation of the substances and metals that make up the specific MSW, which may be WEEE, EV battery, blast furnace slag or mining tailings, resulting in the transformation of the MSW into raw materials and inputs for other industries, as well as products obtained from these recycled solid wastes. Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 12 / 35 / 24

[037] The physical embodiment of PREMEL is an industrial installation within a warehouse or building, in which the recycling of complex metal-based MSW is carried out using specific machinery, equipment and reactors in two phases: one purely mechanical or physical, and the following composed of physical-chemical and metallurgical processes.

[038] In the (1st phase) by disaggregating the component parts, their crushing, grinding, and micronization, separating the component substances by means of density differences, employing equipment and machines, applying magnetic separation, with extraction of derived iron and steel particles, air jets and electrostatic separation, with removal of plastic particles, obtaining a powder mix of particles of the other non-ferrous metals.

[039] In the (2nd phase) the mixed metal powder is taken to biometallurgical processes, with the action of extracting microorganisms directed to each of the metals present in the industrial waste being recycled, in a liquid aqueous medium, followed by filtration and / or centrifugation to obtain a new metallic powder composed of the presence of the ions of the metals of interest resulting from the biological extraction; which is subjected to SAB processing, with moderate and controlled agitation, at appropriate pH and temperature, decanting heavier metals, and separating by hydrocycloning the less dense metal suspended in the heavy fluid, and in an intermediate layer above the lower density SAB fluid, generating distinct metallic phases by specific density of each of the extracted metals such that these separated phases are subjected to enrichment and melting to obtain metallic ingots with purity above 95%.

[040] This characterization of integrated processing, employing physical-mechanical processes, followed by physical-chemical and metallurgical processes, without the use of chemical fluids, acid or basic chemical leaching, for the recycling of complex industrial waste of metallic base, is not found in any of the patents related to the recycling of these wastes, nor is it found in patents for industrial recycling plants. Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 13 / 35 / 24 or processing of these materials, up to the present day, as well as not being present in scientific articles in specialized journals.

[041] The methods currently employed in industrial e-waste recycling plants, limited to less than 10 (ten) plants on the Planet, all of them located outside Latin America, require a high availability of energy for the separation of materials from electronic waste. They employ hydrometallurgy through chemical processes, employing leaching of metals using liquids such as aqua regia, hydrochloric acid, hydrocyanic acids and analogues, generating contamination of watercourses, in the form of liquid effluents; or they employ thermometallurgy, through the complete shredding of the material to be recycled, heating this shredded material for its fusion, however emitting highly polluting furans, benzenes and dioxins, obtaining the melting of the components and metallic parts of the e-waste, liquefying the component metals according to their successive melting points.

[042] Both hydrometallurgical and thermometallurgical processes pose risks to the environment and the health of workers or residents near industrial plants that employ such processes. In both types of electronic waste recycling processes, liquid and gaseous effluents are emitted, with the melting of plastics, solders, and base material of PCBs (printed circuit boards), which can only be partially contained by means of filters, collectors, or expensive containment systems, in order to avoid the poisoning of workers or surrounding populations, as well as atmospheric environmental contamination; and of surface and / or groundwater in the disposal of water used in chemometallurgical processing which, even after passing through an adequate wastewater treatment plant, contains non-negligible traces of chemicals used in this industrial processing.

[043] PREMELin does not pose such risks to human health and living beings, nor to environmental contamination, as it does not require the use of chemical reactions or processes, as well as thermometallurgical processes, for recycling with extraction of metals present in WEEE, or EV batteries, or Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 14 / 35 / 24 mining tailings as well as steelmaking slag.

[044] PREMELin has already been successfully validated through Proofs of Concept, PoCs, carried out through technology development contracts in partnership with Multinational Corporations such as JABlL of Brazil (in the recycling of electronics), Stellantis (regarding the recycling of EV batteries from electric vehicles) and Anglo-American (aiming at the recovery of remaining slag from its iron-nickel steelmaking process).

[045] Such contracts are executed under Terms of Secrecy, specific NDAs, and are the result of REClCLl Reciclagem Inteligente's presence in the FlEMGLab 4.0 Acceleration and Industry Connection Program, in which REClCLl is a triple award winner in the 4th edition of 2022 / 2023, and within the Impulso Program of the same FlEMGLab, in which REClCLl is one of only 10 startups permanently residing throughout Brazil.

[046] The results already obtained in these PoCs provided recovery rates in the range of 89% to 95% for iron and in the range of 60% to 68% for nickel, with respect to blast furnace slag, using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans; it resulted in recovering, for EV batteries, component metals from these residues, in ranges greater than 80% for cobalt, between 38% and 45% for copper, between 88% and 90% for lithium, in the range of 83% to 87% for manganese and greater than 75% for nickel, considering bioleaching under the action of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and / or Leptospirillum ferrooxidans.

[047] With regard to the recycling of e-waste also called WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), the performance of PREMELin's application to the recycling of this waste, resulted in the successful recovery of metals present in electronic components: 100% for strontium, over 83% for nickel, a range of 91% to 95% for zinc, as well as more than 86% for copper, and a range of 37% to 40% for aluminum, with successful recovery of significant amounts of gold and silver. Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 15 / 35 12 / 24 Biometallurgy employed at PREMELin

[048] Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is a gram-negative, acidophilic chemolithoautotrophic γ-proteobacterium that uses energy from the oxidation of iron- and sulfur-containing minerals to grow. It is present in AMD (acid mine drainage) and mining tailings storage. It thrives at extremely low pH (pH 1.0 to 2.5) and fixes carbon and nitrogen from the atmosphere. As a consequence of this process, it solubilizes copper, gold, and other metals, playing an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and metals in acidic environments (Valdés J, 2008).

[049] Although similar to Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, the Leptospirillum ferrooxidans differs in its inability to oxidize sulfur compounds. L ferrooxidans is also a Gram-negative, spiral-shaped, acidophilic, aerobic, and thermotolerant bacterium found in extremely acidic environments and relatively high temperatures, such as in DAMs and mining tailings piles.

[050] OL ferrooxidans is, however, more thermophilic than A. ferrooxidans, and can operate at lower pH levels, which can be advantageous in certain bioleaching environments. This specificity makes L. ferrooxidans particularly useful in the bioleaching of materials in the presence of iron, where its activities can complement those of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in a consortium.

[051] Another bacterium, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans of the subclass Pseudomonas acidithiobacillus is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that uses sulfur as its primary energy source. Being mesophilic, with an optimal temperature of 25.5°C, 28°C, or 29.7°C, it occurs in soils, sewer pipes, and cave biofilms called snottites. A. thiooxidans is used in urban mining as a bioleaching agent, enabling the extraction of metals from ores or, in our technology, from micronized or millimeter-sized powders of complex metal-based industrial waste.

[052] Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans is specialized in oxidizing sulfur compounds into sulfuric acid, but it does not oxidize ferrous iron. This Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 16 / 35 / 24 capacity makes it a key player in generating the acidic conditions necessary for the dissolution of metallic sulfides.

[053] From there, the potential for metal extraction from each microorganism separately was observed in the laboratory, considering different temperature, pH and concentration conditions, in addition to microbial consortium tests, which include Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, among other microorganisms.

[054] The consortium of these bacteria provides a robust system capable of efficiently oxidizing both ferrous iron and sulfur compounds, thus accelerating the bioleaching process of other metals. This approach has been adapted to the materials, waste, from these different sources, optimizing metal recovery rates and reducing environmental impact.

[055] The metal extraction station or unit, present in complex industrial waste after its grinding, employs a bioleaching process. This process is applied to metal powder obtained from one of these industrial wastes, or from the processing of the set of these wastes, originating from motherboards, printed circuit boards (PCBs), audio or video boards, processors and memory modules, electronic system components, EV battery energy cells, blast furnace slag powder and / or ground dry mining tailings.

[056] To extract the metal ions present in this powder containing polymers, other materials and metals, originating from those solid wastes of technological origin, this powder is subjected to a bath containing a culture of microorganisms, metal dissolving agents in this powder containing precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium, and noble metals of industrial use such as lithium, aluminum, copper, manganese, nickel, steels and ferro-nickel, and others.

[057] The bioleaching bath occurs in the presence and with the use of bacteria (Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans-LR, Thiobacillus thiooxidans, and / or Thiobacillus ferrooxidans) and / or fungi (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium simplicissimum), and / or acidophilic chemotrophic and heterotrophic acidophilic bacteria Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans, and / or acidophilic or cyanogenic bacteria, preferably bacteria of the genus Acidithiobacillus, Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 17 / 35 / 24 Sulfobacillus, Leptospirillum, Sulfolobus and Acidianus, with their use occurring in combination, with more than 2 (two) microorganisms present in each culture and bioleaching tank.

[058] The resulting liquor, containing ions of those metals, is subjected to filtration and drying, possibly employing hydrocycloning or centrifugation, resulting in a new powder, but strictly metallic. This is subjected to processing in SAB tanks, with liquids of different densities calibrated to intermediate densities between the characteristic densities of the target metals to be separated from the set of metals present in the post-bioleaching metallic powder.

[059] The liquids in the SAB tanks are water-based and composed of polymers, inorganic salts and specific extractants. The extractants used are of the inorganic salt class, derived from bromine, such as KBr (potassium bromide) and KCl (potassium chloride); considering the L64 triblock polymers or copolymers with a molar mass of 2900 g / mol, or one of the L35, F68 triblock copolymers and the polyethylene oxide polymers, whose molar masses are 400, 1500, 3350, 4000, 6000, 1000 or 35000 g / mol. Electrolytes, organic salts, are added to these polymers or copolymers. These salts can be U2SO4 (lithium sulfate) or Na2SO4 (sodium sulfate), or sulfates such as MgSO4 (magnesium sulfate), (NH4)2SO4 (ammonium sulfate), Na2C4H4O6 (sodium tartrate), or K3PO4 (tripotassium phosphate).

[060] By adjusting the pH of the water, operating as a solvent for the preparation of the aqueous-biphasic system liquids, once properly calibrated in the range of 1.0 to 7.0 under agitation conditions with an rpm range adjusted from 150 rpm to 850 rpm, it allows the extraction of metal ions.

[061] The adjusted SAB liquid solution contains those triblock copolymers L35, L64, L68 in the presence of the electrolytes Li2SO4, Na2SO4, MgSO4, (NH4)2SO4, Na2C4H4O6 and / or K3PO4. The solution in the presence of the extraction agents KBr or KCl at concentrations adjusted between 10.0 and 75.0 mmol / kg, under stirring, receiving the metal powder containing up to 5.0 mmol / kg enables the phase separation of each metal, with the lighter metal in the floating phase, the Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 18 / 35 / 24 intermediate density metal in the swimming phase, contained between the two SAB liquids with densities adjusted to the metals to be separated, and the set of denser metals immersed in the bottom phase of the SAB separation containment vessel.

[062] The successive repetition of SAB baths, with the respective liquids adjusted to specific densities, enables the sequencing of metal separation, into specific powders, in the successive floating, swimming and bottom phases. Table 01, below, systematizes the specific masses, that is, the respective densities, if we consider the physical concept of density as the ratio between the specific masses of the metal and the specific mass of water: 1.0 g / cm3 or 1,000.00 kg / m3 and their equivalents in lb / in3 and lb / ft3: Various Metals Density, g / cm3 Density, kg / m3 Density, lb / in3 Density, lb / ft3 Mild steel 7.85 7.850 0.284 490 Medium carbon steel 7.83 7.830 0.283 489 High carbon steel 7.81 7.810 0.282 488 Iron 7.87 7.870 0.284 491 Stainless steel 7.7-8.0 7.700-8.000 0.278-0.289 481-499 Aluminum 2.70 2.700 0.098 169 Copper 8.93 8.930 0.323 557.5 Brass 8.50-8.80 8.500-8.800 0.307-0.318 531-499 Gold 19.30 19.302 0.697 1205 Silver 10.49 10.490 0.379 655 Lead 11.34 11.340 0.410 708 Nickel 8.90 8.902 0.322 556 Chromium 7.19 7.190 0.260 449 Antimony 6.70 6.697 0.242 418 Arsenic 5.78 5.778 0.209 361 Barium 3.5 3.500 0.126 218.5 Beryllium 1.85 1.848 0.067 115 Bismuth 9.81 9.808 0.354 612 Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 19 / 35 / 24 Boron 2.45 2.450 0.089 153 Cadmium 8.64 8.642 0.312 540 Calcium 1.55 1.550 0.056 97 Carbon (graphite) 2.25 2.250 0.081 140.5 Cerium 8.16 8.160 0.295 509 Cesium 1.90 1.903 0.069 119 Cobalt 8.83 8.832 0.319 551 Dysprosium 8.55 8.551 0.309 534 Erbium 9.07 9.066 0.328 566 Europium 5.24 5.244 0.189 327 Gadolinium 7.90 7.901 0.285 493 Gallium 5.91 5.907 0.213 369 Germanium 5.32 5.323 0.192 332 Hafnium 13.31 13.310 0.481 831 Holmium 8.795 8.795 0.318 549 Indium 7.3 7.300 0.264 456 Iridium 22.56 22.562 0.815 1409 Lanthanum 6.15 6.146 0.222 384 Lithium 0.533 533 0.019 33.3 Lutetium 9.84 9.841 0.356 614 Magnesium 1.74 1.738 0.063 108.5 Manganese 7.43 7.430 0.268 464 Mercury 13.55 13.546 0.489 846 Molybdenum 10.22 10.220 0.369 638 Neodymium 7.01 7.008 0.253 438 Niobium 8.57 8.570 0.310 535 Osmium 22.59 22.587 0.816 1410 Palladium 12.02 12.020 0.434 750 Phosphorus (white) 1.83 1.830 0.066 114 Platinum 21.45 21.450 0.775 1339 Plutonium 19.86 19.860 0.717 1240 Potassium 0.855 855 0.031 53 Praseodymium 6.773 6.773 0.245 423 Promethium 7.264 7,264 0.262 453 Protactinium 15.43 15,430 0.557 963 Rhenium 21.02 21,020 0.759 1312. Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 20 / 35 / 24 Rhodium 12.41 12.410 0.448 775 Rubidium 1.53 1.532 0.055 96 Ruthenium 12.45 12.450 0.450 777 Samarium 7.52 7.520 0.272 469.5 Scandium 2.99 2.989 0.108 187 Selenium 4.81 4.809 0.174 300 Silicon 2.33 2.329 0.084 145 Sodium 0.97 967 0.035 60 Strontium 2.6 2.600 0.094 162 Tantalum 16.6 16.600 0.600 1036 Technetium 11.5 11,500 0.415 718 Tellurium 6.24 6,237 0.225 389 Terbium 8.23 ​​8,230 0.297 514 Thallium 11.87 11,872 0.429 741 Thorium 11.8 11,800 0.426 737 Thulium 9.32 9,321 0.337 582 Tin 5.765 5,765 0.208 360 Titanium 4.51 4,507 0.163 281 Tungsten 19.25 19,254 0.696 1202 Uranium 19.05 19,050 0.688 1189 Vanadium 6.16 6.160 0.223 385 Ytterbium 6.90 6.903 0.249 431 Yttrium 4.47 4.469 0.161 279 Zinc 7.13 7.133 0.258 445 Zirconium 6.51 6.505 0.235 406 Table 01

[063] After obtaining each metallic phase, now purified, characterizing a specific metal, still in powder or microgranule form, a pyrometallurgical processing step is employed, considering exclusively the insertion of each metallic phase of the specific metal into a melting furnace, adjusting the temperature to obtain the melting and fusion of the metallic granules, enriched with the respective metal with a purity greater than the range of 90% to 99.5%, for each metal, obtaining a liquid run of this metal into a specific shape (medal or ingot) where it solidifies separately from other metals. Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 21 / 35 / 24

[064] Eventually, once separated through the SAB, the fraction of interest from the liquor can be directed to drying and filtering, followed by a metal concentration process, by precipitation which, depending on the metals, can also be through a bioprecipitation process through the action of different microorganisms.

[065] Thus, finally, in this stage of purification and enrichment of each of the metallic extracts, that is, each of the respective metals thus obtained, when subjected to the melting furnace, a thermal refining technique, followed by the molten metal run, its cooling and obtaining of the metallic ingots, solidified metals of high purity are obtained, as raw material or input for other industries or storage, if this is the interest.

[066] Whatever the metal may be, in the presence of residual contaminants, inside the melting furnace, it undergoes an electrometallurgical (or thermometallurgical) processing stage, enriching it separately from contaminants in the range of 90.0% to 99.5% at anodes and cathodes. The metallic contaminants thus separated run as a gangue or layer to be discarded, over the liquid phase together with the target metal for enrichment, at each characteristic melting temperature. Technology Description: Synthetic Scope of Process Integration

[067] The solution proposed in this patent comprises a physical, chemical, biological and physicochemical system for the efficient recovery of metals from waste and complex materials.

[068] The physical system that precedes bioextraction integrates steps such as crushing (dry, in the absence of oxygen, in the presence of Nitrogen or under vacuum), grinding (dry or wet), integrated sieving (dry or wet), magnetic separation (dry or wet), electrostatic separation and density separation (dry or wet), depending on the material to be processed.

[069] Crushing is done using a two-shaft shredder used for dry materials (except ores and similar materials), with a size of Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, p. 22 / 35 / 24 adjustable cut between 15 and 30mm, depending on the material.

[070] For ore and similar crushers, operating under optimized conditions, such as a crushing concentration of 70-90% and an opening of 1 to 5mm. The objective is to maximize metal recovery while minimizing energy consumption and equipment wear.

[071] For grinding, an industrial knife mill is used for dry materials (except ores and similar materials). The adjustable knives and the use of sieves allow for obtaining particles with sizes from 1 to 0.037 mm. The objective is to prepare the waste for subsequent metal recovery, ensuring an adequate particle size that facilitates the separation and extraction of the desired metallic components.

[072] For grinding ores and similar materials, a ball mill is used with the grinding time optimized for each type of ore, varying from 3 to 30 minutes to maximize metal liberation. The mill filling rate should be around 30-60%, the diameter of the grinding balls should be about 15 to 35 times larger than the particle size of the materials before grinding. The feasible final particle size after grinding should be about 1 / 1000 times the size of the ball. The goal is to achieve the desired particle size with the lowest possible energy consumption.

[073] For dry magnetic separation, typical ranges of values ​​for magnetic field strength vary from 600 to 20,000 Gauss, depending on the type of material to be separated.

[074] For wet magnetic separation, magnetic field intensities can vary from 1000 to 20000 Gauss, suitable for fine post-grinding particles. These ranges aim to optimize the separation of ferrous and non-ferrous metals from other materials.

[075] For Eddy Current type electrostatic separation, adjustable parameters include the angle of the ionizing electrode, between 15° and 65°, and the distance between the ionizing electrode and the roller surface, between 20 and 65 mm. The angle of the electrostatic electrode is adjusted similarly to maximize efficiency, with the distance between the static electrode and the electrode maintained within the same range. The roller speed is set between 25 and 200 RPM, while Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 23 / 35 / 24 the voltage supply oscillates between 10kV and 35kV, creating a strong electrostatic field for the effective separation of materials.

[076] For wet density separation, the density of the liquid medium from 0.1 to 6.0 g / cm3 should be adjustable with salt solutions or densifying agents, the temperature of the medium can vary from 20°C to 80°C to influence the viscosity and separation, and the agitation should be adjustable to avoid particle sedimentation and improve the effectiveness of the separation.

[077] For dry density separation (blower) the parameters involved are: air velocity (from 20 to 120 m / s), the slope of the separation ramp (from 0° to 45°) to optimize the separation process based on density and particle size, and the material feed rate (adjustable to ensure effective separation without overloading the system).

[078] In addition to being a completely innovative process, the biometallurgy or bioleaching stage stands out as an innovative methodology through the control of specific parameters, as described in previous paragraphs above, such as: microbial concentration, nutrients, agitation rate, aeration, reaction time, material moisture, particle size, nutrient content, oxidation, reduction, microbial growth, redox potential, flow rate, pressure, sedimentation rate, catalysts, maintainers, temperature, pH, product concentration, oxygenation and inhibitor ion concentration.

[079] The main objectives of this solution are the optimization of the leaching capacity of microorganisms, the formulation of leaching agents, the optimization of reaction conditions, and the separation and recovery processes of metals. The novelty, or innovation, lies in: (1°) the application of specific microorganisms and control parameters, resulting in a highly effective and sustainable solution for recovery; (2°) the optimized application of SAB techniques, in which the liquor undergoes a separation step through two liquid phases that are in thermodynamic equilibrium, with refined density control and applied parameter control based on the thermodynamic properties of each material, such as the index of Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 24 / 35 / 24 refraction, ionic affinity and composition.

[080] The notable advantages of the PREMELin technology solution include more efficient recovery, lower energy consumption, reduced waste, effluents and pollutant emissions, as well as enabling the recovery of metals from complex materials in a more economical and environmentally friendly way, compared to the conventional methods described above.

[081] Current performance allows obtaining refined metals in 7 to 30 days, with an ongoing optimization process through consortium and / or sequential biological leaching, with the action of various microorganisms, as well as biological generation of organic acids in pre-bioleaching action. Subphase Evidence

[082] The technology is already validated up to TRL 4, with critical functions and its operational control calibrated, and has a prototype under analysis and planning, for advancement to TRL 6, in partnership with specialized SENAI centers, EMBRAPll units and corporations interested in the technology.

[083] Bibliographic and patent reference analyses, as well as advances resulting from experiments and laboratory tests, both those already completed and from the present prototype in progress, validated the operability anchored in the physical, chemical and biological principles applied to the process as a whole. Bibliographic search: prior art and state of the art.

[084] Searches carried out in patent databases, with INPI and WIPO's findings resulted in the absence of identification of analogous, similar, or identical technologies and patents to PREMEL.

[085] Patents were identified that only partially contain physical processes for the breakdown and / or separation of substances and materials present in e-waste. In their entirety, the identified patents, which characterize the State-of-the-Art in e-waste recycling, employ hydrometallurgical or thermometallurgical processes as methods. Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 25 / 35 / 24 main recycling methods for electronic waste, that is, e-waste, for the extraction of metals and separation of derived plastics, bases, and ferrous parts.

[086] In hydrometallurgical processes, chemical fluids are widely used and reactions occur, generating a high volume of acidic waste, liquids and sludge, which in turn require neutralization to avoid environmental damage, or treatment for reuse. Hydrometallurgical processes are expensive and slow for extracting metals from e-waste.

[087] With regard to thermometallurgical processes including pyrometallurgy, there is emission of dioxins and furans, dangerous pollutants that need to be contained or filtered to avoid environmental damage and harm to life. Such emissions result from the burning of epoxy present in the base plates of electronic components. In this class of metallurgical processes there is also the volatilization of some metals, including lead, arsenic, gallium and antimony (Vilar, 1998). There are alternatives for the use of biodegradable material in the manufacture of PCB base plates, but they are not adopted by manufacturers (Vilarim, 2003).

[088] Patents BR102012023181-6 A2 and BR 102015011559-8 A2 deal respectively with the removal of gold, Au, and indium, In, present in electronic waste, such that they do not address the removal of other metals from e-waste. Both require chemical leaching with acids, such as hydrochloric acid, HCl, to obtain a liquid sample containing those metals, Au or In. These samples are subjected to an extraction process for Au or In, respectively, using the ABS route, Aqueous Biphasic System, without agitation or movement of the liquid components of the ABS, which is composed of two liquids rich, respectively, in a polymer and a salt. Both patents, BR102012023181-6 A2 and BR 102015011559-8 A2, employ chemical extractants to obtain the metals they focus on obtaining.

[089] The present patent employs a SAB system with gentle agitation, in the order of 1.5 rpm to 5 rpm, to break up metallic microparticles and promote their separation in the SAB system, with the metals being obtained by hydrocyclonic action, for their separation, by density difference, from Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 26 / 35 / 24 liquid in which they are suspended.

[090] Patents W02011154603-A1, RU2202636-C1 CN101255499-A, W02007119239-A2, and JP2010180430-A establish the state-of-the-art for gold extraction processes, aiming for high concentration and purity rates via hydrometallurgical routes. However, these patents establish processes and techniques that obtain gold using organic solvents, which implies the use of toxic substances with potential flammability. These extractors, organic solvents, are expensive.

[091] Patents Pl9507420-1 B1 and Pl9507420-1, in addition to the use of organic extractors, utilize electrochemical processes in the extraction and purification of gold present in e-waste, obtaining high purity rates, but using cyanide as a leaching agent, obtaining gold by electrochemical reduction, which requires high energy availability.

[092] Patents KR2013059525, JP5465165, KR1304704, JP2012132037, WO2011071151, TW201139693, JP2011122197, WO2009101863, JP5532886, KR2010094579, TW200946691, US2010282615, CN101946027, EP2241656, JP2009553391, KR1155355, PH12010501833, CN101946027, US8308933, EP2241656, PH12010501833, TW406954, JP4852720, JP2007270262, JP5192000, establish processes and techniques related to the recovery of indium, present in LCD screens and picture tubes of computer monitors, as well as televisions, using electrodeposition requiring high use of energy is required to achieve results, making these procedures expensive.

[093] Published articles describe indium recovery processes from LCD screens, such as: (i) Choi, D.; Hong, SJ.; Son, Y., “Nano particles recovery by Lift-off Method from TFT-LCD panel scraps,” published in Materials v. 7, p. 7662-7669, in 2014, (ii) Yoshida, H.; Izhar, S.; Nishio, E.; Utsumi, Y.; Kakimori, N.; Feridoun, AS, “Recovery of indium from TFT and CF particles in LCD panel wastes using sub-critical water,” published in the journal Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, v. 125, p. 14-19, also in 2014. These articles consider the need for the presence of pure indium, requiring high Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 27 / 35 / 24 temperatures, or high availability of energy, specific equipment, posing environmental risks.

[094] Other published articles describe the extraction of gold from e-waste, considering the need for prior chemical leaching and the use of chemical extractors to obtain gold at high purity rates, such as in (i) (GD Rodrigues, MDH da Silva, LHM da Silva, FJ Paggioli, LA Minim, JSD Coimbra, Liquid-liquid extraction of metal ions without use of organic solvent, published in the journal Separation and Purification Technology, v. 62, p. 687-693, in 2008, and (ii) PD Patrício, MC Mesquita, LHM da Silva, MCH da Silva, Application of aqueous two-phase systems for the development of a new method of cobalt(II), iron(III) and nickel(II) extraction: A green chemistry approach, published in the journal Journal of Hazardous Materials, v. 193, p.

[095] The present technology, the subject of this patent, dispenses with the characteristics of the technologies, processes and techniques described in the aforementioned patents, as well as in the referenced articles, being an advancement of the technique and technology over the processes described in those patents and articles, largely eliminating environmental risks, as there is no generation of chemical compounds, nor liquid or gaseous emissions, without the presence of substances or particulates harmful to ecosystems or the Planet, not releasing polluting or contaminating agents, restricting environmental risks and risks to life, as well as to human health and other living organisms.

[096] There is therefore no prior claim for priority, exclusivity and ownership of the technology described herein, and in the patent herein realized by PREMEL. Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page 28 / 35

Claims

1 / 4 CLAIMS 1. Process for recovering metals from electronic and complex industrial waste - PREMELin, characterized by the use of bioleaching principles applied to the extraction of metals present in waste from electronic and electrical equipment, such that it is preceded by the disassembly and disaggregation of components that make up the electronic equipment, with the subsequent crushing and grinding of these electronic components, and the bioleaching action is followed by the application of SAB techniques and subsequently drying, followed by filtration or centrifugation, and then refining, resulting in obtaining the metals in solid form and with a purity recovery rate greater than 80%; 2. Process for recovering metals from electronics and complex industrial waste - PREMELin, characterized as in claim 1 above, and applied to the refined recovery of metals from EV batteries (electric car power plants), steelmaking slag, mining tailings or pharmaceutical injector pens (such as insulin or ozempic), applying integrated industrial processes of disassembly, combination, including crushing and grinding, bioleaching, baths and SAB techniques, drying, filtering and / or centrifugation, refining, resulting in obtaining the metals in a purified concentration greater than 80%, in powder or solid form; 3. A process for recovering metals from electronics and complex industrial waste - PREMELin, characterized as in claims 1 and 2 above, in which physical-mechanical processes reduce the solid material to a compound of millimeter dimensions, by crushing with an opening adjusted from 1 mm to 30 mm, resulting in a reduction in material dimensions on the order of 2.5 mm to 0.5 mm, followed by grinding, with the grinding time optimized for each type of ore, varying from 3 to 30 minutes to maximize metal liberation, using a mill filling rate of 30 to 60%, obtaining the ground material on a micrometric scale of 0.1 to 100 μπ, or nanometric scale, on the order of 1 to 100 nm, enabling the separation of solid materials comprising this compound by blowing, adjusted to the specific mass of each component material of the compound, separating plastics, resins and metals by mechanical wind between denser and less dense particles, followed by Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page.31 / 35 2 / 4 Electromagnetic extraction of steel or ferrous alloy particles, dry, with magnetic field intensity ranges from 600 to 20,000 Gauss, or wet magnetic separation, with magnetic field intensity ranges from 1,000 to 20,000 Gauss; 4. Process for recovering metals from electronics and complex industrial waste - PREMELin, characterized as in claims 1 to 3 above, and in which, after the electromagnetic separation of iron derivatives, as in 3, electrostatic and / or triboelectrostatic separation of non-electrically conductive materials, plastics and polymers, and metals (electrically conductive) is employed, such that, employing Eddy Current type separation, the adjustable parameters include the angle of the ionization electrode, between 15° and 65°, and the distance between the ionizing electrode and the roller surface, between 20 and 65 mm, with the roller speed configured between 25 and 200 RPM, while the voltage supply oscillates between 10kV and 35kV; 5. A process for recovering metals from electronics and complex industrial waste - PREMELin, characterized as in claims 1 to 4 above, and in which, after electrostatic and / or triboelectrostatic separation, a new mechanical blowing of remaining plastic particles in the metal powder can be employed, resulting in a powder composed of micrometric particles of the various metals present in the metal-based industrial waste under processing, in this integrated processing of sub-processes for recycling; 6. Process for recovering metals from electronic and complex industrial waste - PREMELin, characterized as in claims 1 to 5 above, and in which biometallurgical leaching processes of the metals present in the metal powder resulting from processes referred to in 1 to 5 are subjected to a bath in hydrocompound liquid(s) in the presence of microorganisms of bacterial, fungal and / or algae origin, with a composition of a single microorganism or consortium in suitable concentrations, employing Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, and / or Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, and / or Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, and / or this bioleaching bath occurs in the presence and with the use of bacteria (Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans-LR, Thiobacillus thiooxidans, and / or Thiobacillus ferrooxidans) and / or fungi (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium simplicissimum), and / or bacteria. 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page.32 / 35 3 / 4 acidophilic chemotrophic and acidophilic heterotrophic Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans, and / or acidophilic or cyanogenic bacteria, preferably bacteria of the genera Acidithiobacillus, Sulfobacillus, Leptospirillum, Sulfolobus and Acidianus.

7. Process for recovering metals from electronics and complex industrial waste - PREMELin, characterized as in claims 1 to 6 above, and in which specific conditions are used for processing in the bioleaching step, characterized by a pH between 1.0 and 7.0, a temperature between 20°C and 80°C, and a pressure of 0.5 atm to 5.0 atm in the presence of agitation from 150 rpm to 850 rpm, such that in this "bath" of microorganisms, the metals are solubilized, resulting in them being suspended in a liquor, which contains the metals present in the waste being processed in this bioextraction during its recycling; 8. Process for recovering metals from electronics and complex industrial waste - PREMELin, characterized as in claims 1 to 7 above, and in which the bioleaching of metals present in those complex industrial wastes occurs in the presence of microorganisms cultivated by means of a nutrient and culture medium, for the proliferation of microorganism colonies, in the form of modified 9k, composed of a single solution, in dilution of ferrous sulfate between 20 g / L and 150 g / L in distilled water, with compositions of other nutrients and / or stabilizers such as Ammonium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Phosphate biphasic trihydrate, Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate, Calcium Nitrate, in specifically calibrated concentrations; 9. Process for recovering metals from electronics and complex industrial waste - PREMELin, characterized as in claims 1 to 8 above, and in which, after bioleaching and solubilization of metals in the liquor resulting from the action of microorganisms on those wastes, SAB techniques are used for separating metals by phases, considering their densities ranging from 0.533 g / cm3 to 22.59 g / cm3, where the liquids of the SAB system are prepared on an aqueous basis and composed of polymers, inorganic salts and specific extraction agents, these being of the inorganic salt class, derived from bromine, such as KBr (potassium bromide) or chlorine such as KCl (potassium chloride) with concentrations adjusted between 10.0 and 75.0 mmol / kg, under agitation; considering the triblock polymers or copolymers Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, page.33 / 35 4 / 4 L64 with a molar mass of 2900 g / mol, or one of the triblock copolymers L35, F68 and polyethylene oxide polymers, whose molar masses are 400, 1500, 3350, 4000, 6000, 1000 or 35000 g / mol; in the presence of an electrolyte Li2SO4, Na2SO4, MgSO4, (NH4)2SO4, Na2C4H4O6 and / or K3PO4, receiving the metal powder containing up to 5.0 mmol / kg, enabling the phase separation of each metal, with the lightest metal in the floating phase, the metal of intermediate density in the swimming phase, contained between the two SAB liquids of densities adjusted to the metals to be separated, and the set of denser metals immersed in the bottom phase of the SAB separation containment vessel; 10. Process for recovering metals from electronics and complex industrial waste - PREMELin, characterized as in claims 1 to 9 above, and in which, after the application of SAB techniques, the powder or microgranules of metals obtained in each metallic phase separated in the SAB undergo a pyrometallurgical processing step, considering exclusively the insertion of each metallic phase of a specific metal into a melting furnace, adjusting the temperature to obtain the melting and fusion of the metallic granules, between 28.4°C and 3422.0°C, obtaining a liquid run of each metal into a specific form (medal or ingot) where it solidifies separately from other metals, resulting in its enriched solid form, of the respective metal with a purity greater than 90% to 99.5%. Petition 870250100709, dated 03 / 11 / 2025, pp. 34 / 35

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