Innovation
New Methods Enable Efficient Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from E-Waste
Researchers have developed new methods to recover rare earth elements from electronic waste, reducing reliance on primary mining and improving supply security.
December 2025
In 2025, researchers at ETH Zurich developed innovative methods to recover rare earth elements from electronic waste more efficiently.
Rare earth elements like neodymium, dysprosium, and terbium are critical for electronics manufacturing but have traditionally been difficult to recycle.
The new processes use selective leaching techniques that can recover these valuable materials with higher purity and lower environmental impact than previous methods.
This breakthrough could significantly reduce dependence on primary mining for rare earth elements and improve supply chain security for electronics manufacturers.
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