Annelies Malfliet and Bart Blanpain (KU Leuven) have published a new perspective article in the Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy exploring the foundational elements that will shape future sustainable metallurgical ecosystems.
With metals playing a central role in clean energy transitions and circularity, the authors argue that sustainability in metallurgy requires more than technical innovation—it calls for a coordinated transformation across the entire value chain. The paper identifies three key enablers:
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Stable and sufficient resource access (both primary and secondary)
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Climate-neutral or positive metallurgical processes
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A dynamic, engaged, and collaborative community
The authors examine the challenges of responsible mining, resource-efficient recycling, carbon-lean process innovation, waste heat recovery, and the symbiosis between metallurgy and clean energy. They highlight initiatives like Flanders Metals Valley, SIM² KU Leuven, and SOLVOMET as examples of academia-industry-government collaboration supporting this transformation. A call is also made for reinvigorating metallurgy education and attracting young talent into the sector.
This paper is a timely roadmap for those committed to building local and global ecosystems that recover, transform, and valorise metals sustainably.
Reference:
Malfliet, A. & Blanpain, B. (2025). Sustainable Metallurgical Ecosystems: Key Enablers and Lessons Learned. Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-025-01147-7
Acknowledgements:
The authors acknowledge their collaborations with SIM² KU Leuven, SREMAT, industrial partners, and the Flanders Metals Valley initiative.
