Technological Pathways for Rare Earth Elements Recovery from WEEE: A Systematic Mapping Review

Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential to many low-carbon and digital technologies, yet the primary supply is geographically concentrated; waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) could act as an “urban mine”, but recovery pathways remain fragmented. We synthesize the evidence through a structured literature review of Scopus and Web of Science indexed studies focusing on WEEE-derived feedstocks for REE recovery: 148 records were screened and 51 papers met the inclusion criteria. Reporting of the search and study selection process follows PRISMA 2020. We coded each study by WEEE source/fraction, core technology family, and process configuration, target REEs, performance reporting, environmental proxies, and maturity, and discussed gaps against circularity goals. Results show an intense concentration on a few feedstocks, permanent magnets (22 studies), fluorescent lamps (16), and batteries (6), with only limited attention to multi-source streams. Hydrometallurgical routes dominate, while biometallurgical options are less explored. Recovery is more frequently reported than selectivity and environmental indicators, and most solutions remain at proof-of-concept maturity. Due to the heterogeneity of feedstocks, process configurations, and reported metrics, the findings were synthesized qualitatively (no meta-analysis). This review highlights priorities for future work: multi-source and heavy rare earth elements focused feedstocks, more selective and intensified flowsheets, harmonized performance reporting, and scale-up supported by life-cycle and cost assessments.