Technical Options for Conservation of Metals: Case Studies of Selected Metals and Products. Volume II-A: A Preliminary Assessment of Options for Reducing Wastage of Materials

摘要

This assessment deals with options for reducing losses of materials from the domestic materials cycle. Such losses constitute potential wastage where technically and economically feasible ways can be adopted for reducing such losses. The 1974 materials cycles for eight selected metals were studied: iron and steel, aluminum, copper, platinum group metals, manganese, chromium, nickel, and tungsten. The more significant options for reducing losses are as follows: (1) improved solid waste collection, processing, and separation of the metals component; (2) improved identification of the losses from materials cycles; (3) new emphasis on design to facilitate recovery and return to the cycle; (4) research and development on metallurgical processes; (5) substitution of more available materials in selected uses; (6) research and development on milling and concentrating--particularly fine-particle technology.