The green transition, digitalization, and the defense industry all rely on critical raw materials, in which Europe remains largely dependent on imports. A solution developed in Finland can help accelerate the recycling of valuable metals and strengthen Europe’s self-sufficiency and security of supply in critical raw materials.
Zero Mine Solutions Oy – a circular economy company founded by Elker Oy, Alva Oy, and Tapojärvi Oy – has developed patented, scalable technology to recover critical raw materials from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Thanks to the leaching-based process, the recovered metals are pure and of high quality.
Elker procures WEEE recycling services in Finland from specialized companies. Now, Elker is actively contributing to the development of Best Available Technology (BAT) for the recovery of critical raw materials.
Elker has been one of the originators of the Zero Mine concept and is now a co-owner of the joint venture. “Promoting the circular economy, reuse, and more efficient recovery and recycling of materials lies at the heart of producer responsibility. That is why this project has been one of our flagship initiatives from the very beginning,” says Tuomas Räsänen, CEO of Elker.
A smartphone, computer, or tablet may contain up to 60 different metals, many of them present in tiny fractions. With current recycling and separation processes, part of these fractions is lost. With Zero Mine’s patented leaching technology, these metals can be recovered, raising the recycling rate of electrical devices.
Zero Mine is planning a pre-commercial recycling plant in Jyväskylä, Finland. The project is currently in the design and permitting phase as well as under implementation review. Once operational, the plant will initially focus on processing circuit boards from end-of-life devices and recovering the valuable metals they contain.
20 years of producer responsibility for electrical devices
Producer responsibility for electrical devices has applied to importers and manufacturers in Finland since 2005. Over the past two decades, it has developed into a significant part of the circular economy in Finland and across Europe. Producer responsibility organizations collect and process around 70,000 tonnes of WEEE annually in Finland. Elker’s producer organizations – SELT association, ICT Producer Co-operative-TY, and Flip association – represent nearly 1,400 companies manufacturing, selling, and importing electrical and electronic equipment in Finland. Elker, in turn, serves as the service company for these producer organizations, handling the collection and recycling of devices as well as other producer responsibility obligations in practice.
Zero Mine, founded in cooperation between Alva-yhtiöt Oy, Elker Oy, and Tapojärvi Oy, is a pioneer in the circular economy that “mines metals without mining.” The company represents Finnish expertise and provides a concrete solution to strengthening Europe’s security of supply and resource efficiency. Zero Mine’s patented technology extracts critical metals from electronic waste and returns them to industry as clean, high-quality raw materials – again and again.
Media contacts:
Zero Mine Solutions Oy, viestinta@alva.fi
Merja Tuunanen, Communications and Sustainability Manager, +358 40 621 5747
