Boron mining from wastewaters and brines – technical and economic assessment of extraction strategies

Boron, a trace element, poses an environmental and regulatory concern due to its presence in industrial wastewaters and brines. With increasing demand for energy, glass, and electronics, there is interest in secondary recovery from wastewater. This review assesses current strategies for boron extraction and recovery from aqueous media, including traditional procedures, sophisticated adsorption systems, membrane processes, electrodialysis, and hybrid systems, focusing on developing boron recovery options such as selective adsorption and electrochemical techniques. The evaluation also addresses techno-economic issues, including capital and operational costs, recovery efficiency, scalability, and environmental impacts. This analysis identifies viable solutions and knowledge gaps by bridging the gap between boron management and circular economy principles, guiding future research and industry applications.