Rhodium material flow analysis
Bessudnov, Aleksandr (2017)
Diplomityö
Bessudnov, Aleksandr
2017
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe201710048887
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe201710048887
Tiivistelmä
Topical issues of materials utilization becoming increasingly significant and come from ore degradation and scarcity as well as being reinforced by the demand growth on raw materials and end-products manufactured from them. Such materials are known as critical raw materials and are depicted by significantly impacting the economy in a global scale and are also characterized by high risks of supply shortages. Rhodium, renowned for its chemical and physical properties, is also affected by criticality. This is a rare representative of platinum-group metals and has a vital meaning for electronics, medical, glass and automotive industries. Currently, rhodium recycling is viewed as a measure to push the metal from the zone of criticality. However, to what extent that makes economic sense is unclear in most cases and what further systematic influence the increase in rhodium recycling could create requires clarification.
The goal of the thesis is to analyze the material flow of rhodium and to create a material flow model based on a number of analyzed scientific works, dedicated to critical raw materials, and on open source data provided by Johnson Matthey, International Association of Platinum Group Metals and Stillwater Mining Company. Such model is designed to provide conceptual and quantitative support for decision-makers in the field of rhodium mining and recycling.
The goal of the thesis is to analyze the material flow of rhodium and to create a material flow model based on a number of analyzed scientific works, dedicated to critical raw materials, and on open source data provided by Johnson Matthey, International Association of Platinum Group Metals and Stillwater Mining Company. Such model is designed to provide conceptual and quantitative support for decision-makers in the field of rhodium mining and recycling.