Vanadium recycling
History
The recycling of vanadium began as early as 1820 when Scottish chemist and pharmacist, Hugh Alston, noted that steel containing vanadium was much harder than steel without it. He began recycling vanadium from steel smelting slag and was able to successfully reuse it in the 1850s. Since then, the recycling and reuse of vanadium has been steadily increasing.
Today
Vanadium is primarily used as an alloying agent with iron and steel. Vanadium alloys are used because they offer superior strength and corrosion resistance. It is also used in the manufacture of certain chemical intermediates and catalysts, such as vanadium pentoxide. This compound is used to speed up the manufacturing process of many products, including plastics and pharmaceuticals.
Vanadium is also an essential mineral, which means that it is essential for human health and development. The metal is necessary for the production of red blood cells, immunity, and bone development. As such, it is important that any vanadium that is used outside of industrial applications be responsibly disposed of so as not to leach into the environment and contaminate drinking water sources.
Recycling
Vanadium is recycled primarily from scrap steel. When steel is recycled, vanadium-bearing alloys are separated from the steel and then processed in order to separate the vanadium from the alloy. The vanadium is then either reused or sold as a vanadium compounds product for further reuse. Other sources for recycled vanadium include recycled vanadium catalysts, vanadium-bearing scrap materials, and landfill sites.
Benefits
The recycling and reuse of vanadium has many benefits. Recycling vanadium reduces the need for mining and therefore reduces the amount of energy and resources needed to extract it from the earth. Recycling also reduces the amount of waste and pollutants that are released into the environment from the mining and refining process. Finally, recycling vanadium can save businesses and consumers money, as the cost of buying the metal is often lower than buying the raw material and processing it.
Conclusion
Vanadium is an important alloying agent, chemical intermediate, and mineral that has been around for more than 200 years. It is possible to recycle and reuse vanadium in order to reduce the environmental impacts associated with mining and refining it, as well as to save money. Recycling vanadium is something that should be encouraged and supported, in order to ensure that the metal is used as efficiently as possible.
