Technology Metals | Advanced Ceramics

Environmental, Competent, UniqueHigh Tech Recycling for Refractory Metals

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Unique in Know How and Processes ............................................03

Strategic Partner of Key Industries ..............................................04

In “Closed Loop”: Tungsten, Molybdenum, Tantalum, Niobium & More ..........06

Three Ways – One Goal: Completely Recycling ......................12

Advantages and Prospects: Seven Strong Arguments ........14

Rec ycl ing | 03 |

H.C. Starck is the world’s leading company able to reprocess any refractory

metal in a recycling process, too. This competency, evolved in long years of

development work and the often unique recovery processes, which

accomplish recycling without any loss in quality, have made us a strategic

partner for growth oriented industries - today more than ever.

In the face of competition for raw materials the technically high developed

recycling at H.C. Starck will continue to gain in importance. Moreover, it is a

vital strategic component of a stable raw material supply. At the same time we

fulfill our voluntary commitment – basing on the idea of “Responsible Care” –

to save natural resources and minimize energy consumption.

Also in the area of recycling we are a reliable partner of industry worldwide.

With round about 3,000 experienced employees at 12 production sites and

representatives in all high tech markets, H.C. Starck is truly a “global player” –

always close to its customers and markets.

Unique in Know How and Processes

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Strategic Partner of Key Industries

Two groups of materials represent our core products:

The high melting refractory metals tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum

niobium, rhenium and their compounds

Ceramic materials

No single group stands in isolation – however, refractory metals are of special

significance for recycling. With its networked material competency H.C. Starck

is familiar with all key industries: from electronics to aerospace, from medical

technology, chemistry, hard metal, glass, paper, print and energy to automotive.

In this environment we cooperate closely with our partners in recycling

processes, too.

We have developed processes to make reusable even metals such as rhenium,

until now considered to be irrecoverable, applying H.C. Starck’s sophisticated

processes. Today the recovery of tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum and other

refractory metals, for example niobium and rhenium, is our daily business.

From innovative high tech materials up to requirement oriented development

and individual solutions: Materials, Development, Solutions - this triangle

describes the strength of our competence.

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Net works | 05 |

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Materials

unique in breadth, depth and functionality;

precise and reliable in terms of quality and

quantity, we offer a unique range of

high quality intermediates.

Development

know how for new markets; intensive

research and development pave

the way for new products, applications

and technologies.

Solutions

essential contributions along the complete

value chain; customized solutions for

special requirements.

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It makes no difference whether offcuts, shavings, powder, slags or sludges:

production and grinding residues and scraps are valuable raw materials.

Recycling enables source materials to be made available repeatedly and to

the full extent, even after several closed loop processes.

Our recycling technologies for tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum and niobium

are almost unlimited. All our products – semi finished products, building

components, powder chemicals and powder mixtures have one thing in

common: after passed through the “Closed Loop” recycling process at

H.C. Starck they are performing as before.

From the hard metal industry we take for recycling refractory metals containing

production and processing residues, alloys, also in connection with iron, nickel

and cobalt as well as slags and sludges. We recycle catalysts of tungsten and

molybdenum for the chemical industry and turbine parts for aviation and

aero space containing refractory metals. Capacitors and sputter targets from

electronic industry, parts of x-ray tubes from medical technology field and spray

powder residues are recycled as thoroughly as production residues from our

own sites.

Tungsten: Repeatedly Hard and ValuableAs a result of its particular hardness tungsten is used for radiation shielding in

medical measurement and x-ray devices, but also for counterweights in

aeroplanes and helicopters. For reprocessing purposes in steel industry it can

be remade into ferro tungsten (FeW). Due to its high melting point tungsten is

utilized in lighting industry for spiral wound filament in incandescent lamps or

as an electrode in arc lamps. Copper infiltrated tungsten in high duty contacts

and circuit breakers enable more than 100,000 volt from electric high voltage

lines to be transmitted over large distances with minor energy loss. Because of

their particular hardness tungsten carbides are needed for the composite

material carbide metal. Tungstates are used for fabric impregnation to make

them non inflammable.

In „Closed Loop“: Tungsten, Molybdenum, Tantalum & More

Can You Feel Recycling?

Of course, however, only at places where you want to feel it: concerning costs and environmental protection. That’s where recycling by H.C. Starck can be felt in an extremely positive way. Regarding the function of materials, there are no losses in view of quality. Hard metal tools made of recycled tungsten carbide, for example, work as precisely and steadily as before. This has been proven in motor construction as well as in other tungsten applications. After recycling is just like before recycling – without fail.

Tungsten | 07 |

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Molybdenum: Robust as Usual –Versatile as Usual Extremely robust, tough and hard with a high melting point and non-attackable

by reducing acids, that’s molybdenum. It is used for aircraft and missile parts.

In oil processing molybdenum catalysts are needed for desulfurization. It is

also found in electronic components: Molybdenum sputter targets serve to

coat glass with very thin metal coatings, on which semi conductor elements

such as transistors for flat screens are installed. In glass melting electrodes it

excels by its high thermal as well as electrical conductivity, its extreme strength

and stability. H.C. Starck applies innovative ceramic coating processes by which

molybdenum and other refractory metals are provided with an excellent

oxidation protection at high temperatures. The coatings are integrated into

the metal surface and chemically connected, so that they cannot come off or

flake: H.C. Starck also reworks residues containing molybdenum into ferro

molybdenum (FeMo).

Tantalum: with Finishing on RequestH.C. Starck supplies their customers with reprocessed tantalum scraps in form

of metal concentrates or ingots. Also finishing into high quality oxides in

varying purities or K₂TaF₇ as a starting material for tantalum extractive

metallurgy is available. Tantalum is an outstanding construction material for

devices and equipment in highly corrosive environments. However, it is mainly

applied in very small capacitors for modern microelectronics. Tantalum is used

for the pro duction of refractory and high duty alloys. It is an alloying addition

for manufacturing of carbide containing tools and cutting steels, for the

production of superalloys, for components in the chemical processing industry,

nuclear reactors and for missile parts. The superior properties of tantalum are

particularly impor tant when the security of processes and product purity in

the pharma ceutical and chemical industries are concerned. As tantalum does

not react with body tissues and fluids it is perfectly suitable for medical

instruments and implants.

E lektronik industrie | 9 |

How Does Recycling Actually Smell?

Not at all! And that is good as it is. For this the industry requires performing molybdenum catalysts, which can be disposed in an environmentally compatible way after use. The highly developed recycling at H.C. Starck makes it possible to reprocess these catalysts as high quality precursors with hardly any loss. The same is true for many other molybdenum applications – whether it is about smell absorbing diapers or the compliance with ever higher emission standards but also about medical to missile technology. Because recycled molybdenum provides the same quality as the raw material. Typical of H.C. Starck: always the guarantee of the responsible and sustainable management of resources.

M olyb denum, Tantalum | 09 |

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Niobium: Additive with Great Effect Niobium, a sister of tantalum, is mainly applied in form of ferronobium for the

production of high strength steels. Being a component of superalloys it leads

to high thermal strength in turbines and aircraft engines. In oxide form it is in

particular applied in optic glass and lenses because it increases the refraction

index. Electronic components made of nioboxide gain more and more in

importance. This includes e. g. frequency filters made of the one crystal quality

of Nb2O5. Anti reflex layers in form of sputter targets are made of nioboxid using

PVD. What is more, H.C. Starck provides the possibility to reprocess niobium-

containing materials into the alloying addition nickel niobium.

Through H.C. Starck’s integrated recycling process production scraps from

niobium and nioboxide can be refined into pure metal/oxide qualities and

supplied to customers.

Can You Hear and See Recycling?

N iobium | 11 |

You almost wish it … Because the quality of recovered refractory metals from H.C. Starck is more than presentable. Even after recycling our customized tantalum and niobium oxide powders ensure that capacitators and other electronic components are becoming more and more efficient – cell phones, for example, can “do” more than ever. Conclusion: Recycling at H.C. Starck is inaudible and invisible - but its advantages can be heard and seen!

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Where others succeed at best in down-recycling, we do the genuine

recycling based on our know how. We keep our internal processes to

ourselves – but basically we distinguish three types:

Thermal TreatmentWith this process we manufacture metal ingots, i.e. cylindrical rods of up to

1.5 m length. Metal powders, as well as scraps are melted by electro beam,

followed by solidification of the material in a skillet. Then the ingots can be

finished by forging, cutting and rolling. When metals and scrap pieces of single

origin are provided, they will be also melted first. Finally, through chemical

processing the material can be adapted into products, such as Ta2O5 and Nb2O5

for pure sputter targets.

Chemical ProcessingOxidic material, but also tantalum capacitor scraps are dissolved after

corresponding preparation in acids and caustic solution, chemically cleaned of

all impurities and increased. It becomes then a “virgin” material, such as the

metals we gain – through the same methods – directly out of ore or a

concentrate.

Mechanical SeparationWhenever possible scraps are first mechanically reprocessed, that means

recyclable material contained in secondary raw materials will be separated from

unrequested components by milling and subsequent division using varying

separation procedures. Often these recyclable materials can be directly

integrated into the production process, which supports reduction of energy

consumption and process materials, economically and environmentally efficient.

Three Ways – One Goal: Complete Recycling

Pro cess | 13 |

Spent Material

Refractory Metal Scrap, Wastes and Byproducts, Production Residues, Flue Ashes,

Dusts, Filter Cakes

Refractory Metal Compounds and Precursors

H.C. Starck’s Technical Know How

Thermal Treatment> Conversion

Mechanical Separation > Concentration

Chemical Processing> Purification

Metal Powders, Carbides, Sheets, Bars, Tubes and Final Parts

Downstream ManufacturerFinal Application Final Product

The Integrated H.C. Starck ProcessThe Closed Loop Approach

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Environmental protection, energy and resources saving and waste

reduction – there are ever more reasons for rigorous and sustained

recycling – both economical and ethical. The resulting added value for

our customers and partners increases as the prices for raw material

increase – and with the joint competency of interconnected processes.

Here the major advantages at a glance:

1. Hundred Percent Quality:We do guarantee equally high quality of raw materials – assured by the

leading technologies at H.C. Starck.

2. Cost Advantage:Recycling is attractive for almost any metallic product H.C. Starck offers: We

take back your production scarps and reprocess it into products according to

your requirements. You only pay the reprocessing costs and provide us with

the raw material, which makes our customers independent of world wide

fluctuations in raw material prices.

3. Fair Evaluation:Based on many years of experience in the field of sampling, H.C. Starck

guarantees a transparent and fair evaluation of the reprocessed secondary raw

materials. We have not only the necessary expertise but also the high tech

equipment required of professional sample preparation and evaluation.

Advantages and Prospects: Seven Strong Arguments

4. Environmental Recycling All our recycling processes are ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified and the

analysis laboratories are extra accredited so our customers can trust in reliable

high quality recycling.

5. Legally Secure Transport:We support you regarding transnational scrap disposal in accordance with the

national and international european legislation. Your materials arrive safely at

our company.

6. Mutual Advantage:Recycling agreements with our customers secure a stable and sustainable

management of resources and you – the customer – get your production scraps

back as recycled, uncontaminated materials in form of high tech products.

7. Competence through Networking:Based on our long company wide recycling experience and the constant

dialogue with our customers our know how is continuously growing.

Added Value | 15 |

DPAP 06/12

H. C. Starck GmbH

Landsberger Straße 94-9880339 MunichGermany

T + 49 89 500 942-0F + 49 89 500 942-499

info@hcstarck.comwww.hcstarck.com

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