Hydrometallurgical Treatment of EAF By-Products for Metal Recovery: Opportunities and Challenges

The electric arc furnace (EAF) is a key technology in the steel production industry, particularly for recycling scrap iron. It plays a crucial role in the shift to low-carbon metallurgy, responding to the growing demand for more sustainable production methods. Alongside its environmental and energy benefits, the EAF process generates significant amounts of solid by-products, including dust (EAFD) and slag (EAFS). These wastes are not only rich in base metals but also contain critical elements, which have attracted increasing scientific and industrial interest. Depending on the waste type, key metals such as zinc (from EAFD) and chromium, vanadium, and titanium (from EAFS) are targeted for recovery. This review examines the chemical and phase compositions of these wastes, various leaching techniques (often combined with pretreatment stages), and methods for final metal recovery, either in their pure form or as compounds. Key challenges in hydrometallurgical routes include chloride contamination, the dissolution of refractory zinc ferrite, and impurity management. Despite current limited industrial adoption, hydrometallurgical approaches show significant promise as efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for resource recycling, offering high-purity metal recovery.