The QUMEC project: Urban mines and the metal-energy-climate change nexus

Securing access to raw materials is of particular concern for countries highly dependent on imports. This is the case of many EU States. Because of issues related to decreasing ore grades and scarcity of supply of primary metal forms, recycling of above-ground deposits of metal-bearing waste (or “in-use stock”) will become an increasingly important to secure resources and provide essential building blocks to the European industry. Recycling of metal in-use stock has the further potential of avoiding consuming the large amounts of energy required in primary metal production and of reducing related greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, however, because of metal losses during and after use, end-of-life recycling rate (EOL-RR) for many metals are very low, so the potential for improving recycling efficiencies is an important consideration for the achievement of a more resource efficient economy and sustainable development in Europe. This project adopted a comprehensive research line merging complementary drivers in the assessment of the metal-energy-climate change nexus for (i) estimating the size of current urban mines for selected, critical metals; (ii) assessing future opportunities and barriers to their recycling, and (iii) related potentials for energy savings and carbon emissions reduction. Copper, indium, neodymium, and europium have been selected as target metals in virtue of the considerable insights that can be provided in the general potential for improving end-of-life recycling. The study presents the results of the “QUEMC” project, which has received funding under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 704633. The results of this project are expected to reach a wide impact in the research community and to constitute an evidence-based for enhancing resource efficiency and recycling in the European economy.