Old Tech, Long Life: Why Some Metallurgical Processes Endure for Centuries

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Koen Binnemans and Peter Tom Jones from KU Leuven’s SIM² research group have published a new perspective article titled “Lindy Effect in Hydrometallurgy” in the Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy.

The paper critically examines why many novel hydrometallurgical processes developed in academia never make it to industrial application—despite massive research funding.

The authors invoke the Lindy Effect—the idea that the longer a technology has existed, the longer it’s likely to last—to explain the durability of processes like Bayer (alumina), cyanidation (gold), and RLE (zinc). The article argues that many academic innovations miss commercialisation because they overlook real-world constraints like economics, scalability, and industrial conservatism. The authors highlight how “solutions to non-existent problems,” poor pilot-scale readiness, and disregard for circularity principles hamper innovation.

Importantly, the paper calls for a paradigm shift: the widespread availability of cheap, renewable electricity could reshape process economics and trigger a renaissance for energy-intensive—but chemically sound—processes. The authors propose a 12-point framework for “Circular Hydrometallurgy” as a roadmap to make new technologies more “Lindy-proof.”

Reference

Koen Binnemans and Peter Tom Jones, Lindy Effect in Hydrometallurgy, Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-025-01119-x

Acknowledgement

Funded by the European Union (ERC, CIRMET, project number 101093943). The authors also thank David Robinson (Neometals, Perth) and a thoughtful anonymous reviewer for their contributions.

SIM² Education