The University of Aveiro successfully hosted the Symposium on Hydrometallurgical Innovations and Technologies (HIMET 2025) on July 10, 2025, bringing together international experts to address the pressing challenges of sustainable metal recovery and processing. The event, jointly organized by researchers from CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials and LSRE-LCM – Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering from the University of Porto, focused on cutting-edge developments in hydrometallurgy field.

The symposium featured four comprehensive sessions covering electrochemistry, solvents in hydrometallurgy, industrial perspectives, and emerging applications. Distinguished speakers addressed critical topics including lithium recovery from end-of-life batteries, the development of deep eutectic solvents for metal extraction, and innovative approaches to recycling platinum group metals from automotive catalytic converters. 

Notable presentations included Cristina Pozo-Gonzalo's work on electrochemical critical metal recovery, Sylwin Pawlowski's research on flow electrode capacitive deionization for lithium recovery, and Ana Paula Paiva's insights into palladium recovery trends. The industrial perspective session highlighted real-world applications with speakers from VALORCAR, Portugal's producer responsibility organization, and CENTI's pilot-scale critical raw materials recovery projects.

"Science should, and one can argue must, aim to address the great challenges of today and tomorrow. Meaningful change can only occur by including all stakeholders, with industry being an important driver of change. Bringing together academic researchers and industry professionals at HIMET 2025 was crucial for fostering meaningful dialogue between fundamental science and real-world application", points Filipe Sosa, CICECO researcher and co-organizer. 

"This convergence enabled the exchange of research insights and necessities with practical industrial needs, helping to align innovation and future with market realities. It also inspired new partnerships that will hopefully manifest themselves in the development of more sustainable, scalable hydrometallurgical processes. Ultimately, this synergy is essential for driving impactful progress toward a greener and more resource-efficient future", adds Dr. Sosa.

The symposium showcased the latest advances in sustainable hydrometallurgical processes, with particular emphasis on battery recycling technologies and the development of environmentally friendly solvents. Machine learning applications in battery recycling, presented by André Nogueira, and innovative biological approaches using algae for rare earth element recovery, demonstrated by João Pinto, highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of modern hydrometallurgy. The event also featured groundbreaking research on keratin-based adsorbents for platinum group metal recovery and comprehensive studies on metal speciation in deep eutectic solvents.

According to Nicolas Schaeffer, CICECO researcher and co-organizer, "the future of sustainable hydrometallurgy lies in the development of cleaner, circular processes that minimize environmental impact while recovering critical raw materials efficiently. Innovations such as bioleaching, deep eutectic solvents, and closed-loop systems will be central to this evolution. CICECO, with its multidisciplinary expertise in materials science and green chemistry, is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation".

"By bridging fundamental research with industrial application, CICECO will play a key role in designing next-generation hydrometallurgical processes that are both economically viable and environmentally responsible. It was a great privilege hosting the HIMET event, showcasing the Portuguese hydrometallurgical know-how and the necessity of fundamental science to inform and improve current processes in-line with European necessities", concludes Dr. Schaeffer.