Sustainable electro-enrichment recovery of valuable metals from typical bulk tailings

Valuable metal elements (VMEs) are critical components underpinning modern society, yet their extraction generates VME-rich slag and tailings at volumes dozens of times greater than the recovered products. Conventional stockpiling and cement-based landfill strategies pose dual risks: persistent leaching of VMEs into aquatic systems and substantial CO₂ emissions, aggravating global mineral-water resource conflicts. To address this, we developed an electrodynamics-assisted alkali chemistry (EAC) process that synchronizes tailings stabilization with VME recovery. The EAC method leverages electrokinetic migration to enrich VMEs at the cathode during alkali-activated slurry hardening, enabling efficient temporary retention for subsequent metallurgical extraction, while the anode region undergoes rapid consolidation for mine shaft rehabilitation. Validated through lab experiments and scaled field trials, EAC demonstrated a compressive strength enhancement of two orders of magnitude in treated tailings compared to conventional approaches, alongside a 70 % increase in VME recovery efficiency and an 80 % reduction in CO₂ emissions. This study establishes EAC as a transformative, green, and low-carbon technology that concurrently addresses mine restoration, resource circularity, and emission mitigation. By redefining tailings management from waste disposal to value recovery, EAC provides a paradigm shift toward sustainable mining practices, offering critical insights for resolving global resource sustainability challenges. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd