Abstract

Gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), and palladium (Pd) are precious metals with high economic value and critical industrial significance. Platinum and Pd, in particular, are classified as critical metals by major economies such as the United States, European Union, Japan, and South Korea due to their limited supply and essential roles in clean energy and high-technology applications. The rising market value and criticality of these metals have generated interest in their recovery, not just from primary ores and traditional source materials but also from secondary sources, such as metallurgical wastes. This review provides a thorough evaluation of current and emerging recovery processes for Au, Ag, Pt, and Pd from metallurgical by-products, including anode slimes, refinery residues, and cyanide tailings. It systematically explores pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical techniques— such as leaching, precipitation, solvent extraction, and electrochemical methods—used for the recovery of these metals. Additionally, this review summarizes key industrial practices and process flowsheets while identifying research gaps related to efficiency, selectivity, and environmental performance. The findings highlight the need for developing sustainable, economically viable, and scalable recovery strategies that align with circular economy's objectives and ensure the supply of critical and precious metals from unconventional sources. The review presents a brief discussion on current process flowsheets relevant to the recovery of Se, Te, Cu and precious metals from metallurgical wastes such as copper anode slimes, cyanide tailings, and refinery residues.

Department(s)

Mining Engineering

Publication Status

Full Text Access

Comments

U.S. Department of Energy, Grant 0076102

Keywords and Phrases

Copper anode slimes (CAS); Critical minerals; Metallurgical wastes; Platinum group metals (PGMs); Precious metals

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0304-386X

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2026 Elsevier, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jun 2026

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