• 85% lower carbon emissions compared to conventional processes
• 83% reduction in nitric acid consumption
• 67% lower energy consumption under mild operating conditions

Lithium Universe Limited (LU7) announced that a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of its Silver Extraction PV Recycling Project (SEPR) was undertaken by Macquarie University to assess the environmental and economic performance of the process using Jet Electrochemical Silver Extraction (JESE). The study demonstrates that the SEPR process delivers substantial environmental benefits across all key metrics when compared with conventional acid leaching. Carbon emissions are reduced by approximately 85%, reflecting the combined benefits of lower energy intensity and elimination of high-temperature processing. Nitric acid consumption is reduced by 83% through targeted, localised reaction conditions, while energy usage is lowered by 67% due to rapid processing times under mild operating conditions. The closed-loop system enables a 77% reduction in water consumption, minimising effluent discharge and supporting sustainable operations. In addition, solid waste generation is reduced by 88% compared to conventional leaching processes, driven by high selectivity and minimal co-leaching of impurities. The LCA also confirms that the SEPR process enables a closed-loop recovery pathway, in which dissolved Ag+ ions are directly electrodeposited into high-purity metallic silver without intermediate precipitation or refining, significantly reducing material losses, reagent consumption, and process complexity. Collectively, these outcomes position SEPR process as a commercially viable, environmentally sustainable, and scalable solution for the recovery of critical metals from end-of-life solar panels.

The Life Cycle Assessment indicates that the SEPR process delivers revenue exceeding US$2,500 per kilogram of silver recovered, representing more than a threefold increase compared to conventional leaching routes.