METALCAT: co-financed project under the 'POR FESR Toscana 2014-2020' frame.

Catalytic mufflers contain high amounts of platinum group metals, which represent the active catalytic elements. They suffer thermal and mechanical damages during their working life and cannot be reused as they are. However, precious metals and the external steel casing can be recycled, with significant advantages from an environmental and economic point of view. This project intends to start the recovery of materials from catalytic mufflers at the end of life, using an innovative pyrometallurgical process. That process will be developed through an experimental phase conducted in a prototype plant whose realization will be an integral part of the project. The process will be able to separate the metal casing of the mufflers from the ceramic part containing the precious metals, recover, with extremely high yields, the precious metals, and reduce the ceramic fraction to an inert glassy residue. During the design of the prototype plant, particular attention will be paid to the issues of risk reduction for workers and reduction of environmental impact.