Recovering critical raw materials from spent industrial catalysts

01 / VALUE CHAIN

I.T.Soil: an important link in the critical raw material recovery value chain

I.T.Soil focuses on industrial waste treatment, efficient resource use and returning materials to productive use. One of our activities is treating spent industrial catalysts, preparing metal-bearing waste for the subsequent recovery of valuable raw materials.

Spent petroleum refining catalysts contain industrially important metals, including vanadium (V), nickel (Ni) and molybdenum (Mo). These metals are important in metallurgy, energy, mechanical engineering, the chemical industry and the development of modern technologies.

Vanadium and battery-grade nickel are on the European Union’s list of critical raw materials. Battery-grade nickel also has strategic raw material status.

Treating spent catalysts prepares the valuable metals they contain for subsequent recovery, reducing reliance on primary raw materials alone and supporting resource circularity.

I.T.Soil provides an essential technical step in this process: removing organic contamination from metal-bearing catalysts so the resulting material can be sent for further metallurgical processing.

1. 01Spent industrial catalysts
2. I.T.Soil / 02Thermal treatment of organic contamination
3. 03 / NEXT STAGEMetallurgical processing and metal recovery

02 / TECHNOLOGY AND PERMIT

Development of catalyst treatment and its regulatory basis

I.T.Soil’s spent catalyst treatment is covered by the company’s Category A environmental permit No. JE18IA0001.

The company’s permit therefore covers the management and treatment of several types of spent industrial catalysts.

The company had already developed an activity aligned with the European Union’s current priorities for critical raw material circularity and recovery.

Pyrolysis: preparation for further processing

The treatment technology specified in I.T.Soil’s permit is based on pyrolysis, which thermally treats organic contamination in catalysts.

The process prepares metal-bearing material for further processing, including ferroalloy production.

This approach connects waste management with the metallurgical industry, helping create the conditions for valuable metals to return to production.

03 / EUROPEAN INDUSTRY

Critical raw materials: the foundation of European industry and technological development

Critical raw materials are materials of high economic importance whose supply is exposed to elevated risk.

They are needed in many strategically important sectors, including:

• Energy and energy storage technologies.
• Metallurgy and high-strength steel production.
• Transport and automotive manufacturing.
• Aerospace technologies.
• Chemical and petroleum refining industries.
• Electric vehicle and battery manufacturing.
• Industrial equipment and high-performance material production.

The European Union has identified secure supplies of critical raw materials as important for industrial competitiveness and economic resilience.

To reduce reliance on external suppliers and support sustainable resource use, Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council was adopted in 2024 (Critical Raw Materials Act).

The Regulation aims to strengthen the European Union’s capacity to extract, process and recycle strategic raw materials.

Achieving this objective requires not only final metal recovery but also efficient waste collection, pretreatment and preparation for subsequent processing.

04 / VALUABLE METALS

Vanadium, nickel and molybdenum

Each metal has its own industrial role. EU critical raw material status applies to vanadium and battery-grade nickel.

05 / CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Why does spent catalyst treatment matter?

Spent industrial catalysts are more than waste: they are also a potential secondary source of valuable metals.

Their treatment offers several important benefits.

1. Conserving valuable resources

   The vanadium, nickel and molybdenum in catalysts can be recovered in subsequent metallurgical processes, reducing the irreversible loss of valuable materials.

2. Developing the circular economy

   Treatment supports material reuse by turning waste streams into potentially usable secondary resources.

3. Reducing primary raw material consumption

   Using recovered metals can reduce the need for new mineral extraction and the associated environmental impact.

4. Strengthening European raw material supply security

   Recovering critical raw materials from industrial waste helps develop alternative resource sources and can reduce reliance on imported primary raw materials.

5. Productive management of industrial waste

   Appropriate catalyst pretreatment reduces organic contamination and prepares metal-bearing materials for further processing.

06 / I.T.SOIL’S CONTRIBUTION

I.T.Soil’s contribution to the circular use of critical raw materials in Europe

The European Union’s transition to a resource-efficient, competitive economy requires development across the raw material value chain, from waste collection and pretreatment to the recovery and industrial reuse of valuable materials.

I.T.Soil’s spent catalyst treatment forms part of this value chain.

The technology specified in the company’s permit enables the removal of organic contamination from catalysts containing vanadium, nickel and molybdenum, preparing the metal-bearing material for further metallurgical processing.

This activity relates to the objectives of the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1252: strengthening raw material value chains, developing recycling capacity and promoting sustainable resource use.

I.T.Soil’s role extends beyond waste treatment to conserving industrially valuable metals for further use, connecting waste management with secondary raw material production.

The company’s work helps create the conditions for valuable industrial resources to return to production rather than be lost.