The rapid revolution in modern industry has led to a significant increase in waste at the end of the product lifecycle. It is essential to close the loop, secure resources, and join up the circular economy. This book provides a detailed review of extraction techniques for urban mining of precious metals including gold, silver, and the platinum group. The merits and demerits of various extraction methods are highlighted, with possible suggestions for improvements. The feasibility of hybrid extraction techniques, as well as the sustainability and environmental impact of every process, is explored. Offers a comprehensive review of different techniques used in recycling technology for urban mining of precious metals Describes the concept of urban mining and its correlation with circular economy Discusses feasibility of precious metal extraction and urban mines scope and their potential Explains the subject in-context of sustainability while describing chemistry fundamentals and industrial practices Provides technical flow sheets for urban mining of precious metals with diversity of lixiviant This book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in extractive metallurgy, hydrometallurgy, chemical engineering, chemistry, and environmental engineering.

This book reviews alternative and renewable energy resources in order to pave the way for a more sustainable production in the future. A multi-disciplinary team of authors provides a comprehensive overview of current technologies and future trends, including solar technologies, wind energy, hydropower, microbial electrochemical systems and various biomass sources for biofuel production. In addition, the book focuses on solutions for developing countries. Conventional energy sources are finite, and estimates suggest that they will be exhausted within a few decades. Finding a solution to this problem is a global challenge, and developing countries in particular are still highly dependent on fossil fuels due to their rapidly growing populations accompanied by a huge growth in primary energy consumption. Moreover, the most common conventional energy sources (coal and petroleum) are non-sustainable since their combustion exponentially increases greenhouse gas emissions. As such, there is a pressing need for clean energy based on alternative or renewable resources, not only to ensure energy supplies at an affordable price but also to protect the environment.

This book reviews alternative and renewable energy resources in order to pave the way for a more sustainable production in the future. A multi-disciplinary team of authors provides a comprehensive overview of current technologies and future trends, including solar technologies, wind energy, hydropower, microbial electrochemical systems and various biomass sources for biofuel production. In addition, the book focuses on solutions for developing countries. Conventional energy sources are finite, and estimates suggest that they will be exhausted within a few decades. Finding a solution to this problem is a global challenge, and developing countries in particular are still highly dependent on fossil fuels due to their rapidly growing populations accompanied by a huge growth in primary energy consumption. Moreover, the most common conventional energy sources (coal and petroleum) are non-sustainable since their combustion exponentially increases greenhouse gas emissions. As such, there is a pressing need for clean energy based on alternative or renewable resources, not only to ensure energy supplies at an affordable price but also to protect the environment.

This book delves into the anthropogenic activities responsible for environmental hazards, their compensation, and potential mitigation strategies. It sheds light on the major contributors to the climate change issues aggravated by non-sustainable practices for the overexploitation of natural resources. Critical topics such as high emissions in primary mining, the recovery of energy-critical metals by urban mining, solid waste management, and forest conservation are explored, offering insights into the urgent challenges we face. Amidst the rapid demand for resources and the expansion of human habitats, the book emphasizes the need for new approaches to natural resource management and introspection of our actions. Experts in the field discuss existing anthropogenic environmental hazards in detail, alongside environmental compensation, and effective mitigation approaches. The book begins with a chapter dedicated to risk assessment in primary mining activities for precious metals, proposing potential routes for mitigation. Chapter 2 focuses on assessing and mitigating the environmental footprints of energy-critical metals used in permanent magnets. In Chapter 3, a case study examines sustainable resource utilization through end-of-life room air conditioner recycling. Additional chapters provide critical insights into: The environmental impacts of e-waste and government policies for responsible management Hazards associated with industrial effluents and corresponding mitigation strategies The role of roadside plants in phytoremediation of heavy metal pollution Sustainable utilization of anthropogenic coal fly ash through mechanical and chemical activation Environmental damages resulting from the mismanagement of municipal solid waste Environmental problems and remediation strategies for anthropogenic biomass waste Challenges in sustainable municipal solid waste management and suggestions for environmental risk mitigation The book concludes with a chapter discussing collaborative governance and non-monetary compensation mechanisms for sustainable forest management. Given its breadth, this book serves as an indispensable resource for researchers, policymakers, and environmental professionals seeking sustainable approaches to tackle pressing environmental challenges.