Cost-competitiveness of siderophores in recovering of critical metals from waste streams

Siderophores are known for their specificity and sensitivity towards the critical metals whose supply is at risk in future. Thus, the use of these siderophores for the recovery of these critical metals from their low concentrated wastewater is very attractive options. However, there is no detailed cost estimation for their application in wastewater. This study detailed the economic feasibility of application of desferrioxamines for the recovery of gallium from industrial wastewater. The study looked into the factors such as regeneration recycles, downstream processing, cost of gallium, operational cost of the technology and cost & grade of desferrioxamine production. The calculations showed that minimum 10 regeneration cycles are required for the cost-effectiveness of the technology. Further, siderophores, at the present level of technology, are easily economically feasible for metals costing 300 € per Kg (indium and dysprosium).