Establishing secure and sustainable methods to acquire critical metals: this research will minimize the negative environmental impact of extracting the key metals at the core of the technologies essential to modern life.
![[Farzaneh Sadri]](/vpr/sites/vprwww/files/uploaded_images/researchers/Sadri-Farzaneh-700x700.jpeg)
Tier 2
Digging deep for a sustainable future
The demand for critical metals is rising globally, driving the need for more efficient and sustainable extraction methods and more diverse resource materials. Dr. Farzaneh Sadri, Canada Research Chair in Chemical Extraction of Critical Metals, is leading research to develop innovative hydrometallurgical techniques for acquiring key metals with less negative impact on the environment. These critical metals are at the core of modern technologies – from smartphones to electric vehicles. However, current extraction methods can be detrimental to the environment and pose supply chain uncertainty by sourcing from only a few countries.
Dr. Sadri’s research will explore extracting some key critical metals from primary and secondary resource materials such as ores, concentrates, mining wastes, end-of-life products, and other secondary sources. Examples include monazite, waste permanent magnets, brines, and waste Li-ion batteries that offer significant potential as sources for critical metals such as rare earth elements (REE), copper, and lithium. Through this more sustainable approach, Dr. Sadri is broadening where and how we can acquire these key metals with less environmental impact. By improving the efficiency and sustainability of metal extraction processes, her work contributes to securing critical materials essential for modern technologies and clean energy solutions while helping to advance Canada’s position as a global leader in mining and critical metals extraction.