Prospects for the processing of spent automotive catalysts with the extraction of precious, rare and rare-earth metals in Kazakhstan

Used automotive catalysts are a valuable source of rare and precious metals, which plays a key role in modern industry. These raw materials contain rare rare earths and precious metals, which makes their processing highly efficient and economically profitable. To develop a comprehensive processing technology, catalysts were studied using various analysis methods, such as chemical, X-ray, X-ray spectral, and electron microscopic analysis. The results of the phase analysis indicate that rare rare earths and noble metals are in various phase states, in the form of oxides embedded in the aluminosilicate matrix of the catalyst. These data are of critical importance for the creation of effective methods of metal extraction. The key approaches for processing these raw materials are pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical technologies, each of which has its own advantages and unique performance criteria. This article focuses on the physico-chemical studies of spent catalysts and the proposed method of their opening, which makes it possible to efficiently extract rare, rare-earth and precious metals. The research results can be used to optimize existing and develop new technological schemes for processing secondary raw materials.