Losses and environmental aspects of a byproduct metal: tellurium

Abstract

Environmental context Studies involving modelling are increasingly being performed to better understand how technology-critical elements such as tellurium are transported and accumulated in man-made technological systems. The resulting ‘anthropogenic cycles’ provide estimates of current and anticipated future material releases to the environment, and their associated environmental implications. This information complements data on natural cycles in which the subsequent transport and fate of tellurium in the environment can be examined. Abstract Global demand for tellurium has greatly increased owing to its use in solar photovoltaics. Elevated levels of tellurium in the environment are now observed. Quantifying the losses from human usage into the environment requires a life-cycle wide examination of the anthropogenic tellurium cycle (in analogy to natural element cycles). Reviewing the current literature shows that tellurium losses to the environment might occur predominantly as mine tailings, in gas and dust and slag during processing, manufacturing losses, and in-use dissipation (situation in around 2010). Large amounts of cadmium telluride will become available by 2040 as photovoltaic modules currently in-use reach their end-of-life. This requires proper end-of-life management approaches to avoid dissipation to the environment. Because tellurium occurs together with other toxic metals, e.g. in the anode slime collected during copper production, examining the life-cycle wide environmental implication of tellurium production requires consideration of the various substances present in the feedstock as well as the energy and material requirements during production. Understanding the flows and stock dynamics of tellurium in the anthroposphere can inform environmental chemistry about current and future tellurium releases to the environment, and help to manage the element more wisely.