Application of microwave energy in waste treatment

Abstract

Mining and metallurgy are the most dynamic industrial sectors in the world. Mining and metallurgical industrial activities are associated with huge environmental damages of soils, water and air due to the generation of a large number of hazardous wastes. Microwave metallurgy is a new metallurgy technology which has been developed recently and now is an attractive advanced inter-disciplinary field. Taking advantages of microwave heating, it is possible to develop new metallurgy technique and process, which cannot be realized under conventional heating method. The brief purpose of this contribution is to evaluate the viability of microwave energy in metallurgical waste treatment processes with reference to recycle possibility, the cost of mineral processing, efficiency of mineral extraction in order to optimize the whole process.