Rare earth elements, precious metals and circular waste recovery. These were some of the topics covered in the conference organized by Venice Sustainability Foundation (VSF) in collaboration with Veritas’ Gplab and 9-Tech. The event explored the potential of “urban mining” as an innovative solution in the circular economy. Hosted at the M9 Museum, the conference “Urban Mining: Innovation and Valorization of Critical Raw Materials in Veneto” analyzed the importance of the topic of critical raw materials recovery from an environmental, social and economic perspective in the Veneto region.
The meeting highlighted how, by 2040, Italy could cover up to 32 percent of critical raw materials needs through advanced recovery practices, helping to strengthen the country’s economic resilience. The growing demand for resources such as lithium, rare earth elements, and precious metals, which are crucial for sectors such as electronics, aerospace, and automotive, makes it increasingly necessary to develop solutions that allow these materials to be recovered directly from discarded products.
As a testament to the importance of the sector, it was revealed that Italy has seen a 51 percent increase in the use of critical raw materials in recent years, a trend that is expected to grow. The meeting included several thematic sessions, including the valorization of critical raw materials in Italy and Europe, policies for strategic autonomy, and research and innovation opportunities for urban mining development in Venice.
Technological innovations such as those presented by startup 9-Tech, which has developed a process for recovering photovoltaic materials with a purity of more than 90 percent, offer new opportunities for optimization compared to traditional methods, which recover less than half of the panel’s value. This technology, already tested in an experimental plant, promises to improve recycling of strategic materials with low environmental impact.
Veritas also stressed the importance of improving the management of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), which causes significant losses of raw materials in Europe. With more efficient recovery and greater traceability of WEEE streams, significant economic and environmental losses could be avoided. In this context, the recovery of critical metals and materials, as occurs in the Porto Marghera Eco-district, is a virtuous example of how the circular industry is emerging as a key sector for sustainability.
VSF Director Alessandro Costa reiterated that Veneto and Venice are in a prime position to become leaders in urban mining, thanks in part to experimental initiatives already underway. Recovery of lithium and rare earths is emerging as a concrete answer to the growing demand for scarce and hard-to-find resources.
