Keeping strategic raw materials in the European loop: a story of Andrea Miskufova

The European Union faces a critical challenge in the management of strategic raw materials essential for the green and digital transition. Rare earth elements (REEs), such as yttrium, europium, neodymium and others, are indispensable for electromobility, renewable energy and digital technologies. However, the EU is currently 98% dependent on China for REE imports (European Commission), posing significant supply chain risks.

Andrea Miskufova, Head of Waste Processing Group at the Institute of Recycling and Environmental Technologies of the Faculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling, Technical University of Košice, is tackling this challenge with an innovative solution to recover critical REEs from secondary sources in Slovakia and across the EU. Her method extracts valuable metals from electronic waste, such as spent lamps and magnets, transforming them into high-purity products.

Andrea’s breakthrough led her to become a finalist in the EIT Manufacturing RIS LEADERS Competition 2024, a programme supporting women innovators who develop impactful manufacturing solutions. As part of the EIT’s Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS), her work contributes to knowledge transfer and innovation growth in emerging economies.

Preserving critical metals with recycling

Only 1% of REEs are recycled in Europe. This means that most recycling activities are concentrated outside the EU, where valuable raw materials leave the European value chain. Countries under the EIT’s Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) face additional barriers, including regulatory gaps, limited waste collection systems and the lack of suitable technologies.

The industry challenge gave Andrea an idea to develop a comprehensive database of domestic REEs availability, improving waste characterisation and providing tailored processing methods to optimise recovery rates of value-added REEs products. The idea emerged from focused research and collaboration with industry and research institutions. Andrea is leading a project group developing the recycling route for spent batteries. She also collaborates with national and foreign partners from academic and research institutions to industry (based in Brazil, the Czech Republic, Germany, France, among others) on REE recovery from municipal and industrial waste streams.

The proposed solution offers a multi-faceted approach. It maps the availability of REE resources in Slovakia, develops tailored recovery processes and fosters collaboration between industry and academia. Andrea doesn’t stop there. She is working on a method that minimises environmental impact by using milder chemical treatments, lower temperatures and fewer processing steps, making the process economically and ecologically viable. Moreover, it promotes industrial adoption by working closely with e-waste treatment plants, refineries and power plants. A perfect combination for keeping the valuable resources in the European material loop.

With significant potential impact, this solution could recover up to 2 000 tonnes of neodymium and 164 tonnes of yttrium per year from spent lamps and LCD/LED screens in the EU. Additionally, the recycling of hard disk drives and electric car parts could return more than 6 000 tonnes of neodymium (together with dysprosium, praseodymium and other metals) to the EU market every year. These efforts will help reduce landfill waste, enhance resource efficiency and foster a self-sufficient supply chain for green industries.

Beyond environmental benefits, the solution opens doors to new business opportunities in REE recycling, creating new jobs and strengthening the EU’s competitiveness in sustainable production. By addressing strategic raw material shortages and improving circularity, Andrea’s idea is paving the way for a more resilient and sustainable European economy.

RIS LEADERS Competition: A platform for women innovators

Turning an idea into reality was no easy task for Andrea. Early on, she was faced with insufficient support, budget constraints and lack of time. Despite these obstacles, Andrea’s determination led her to become a finalist in the EIT Manufacturing RIS LEADERS Competition 2024, a programme supporting women innovators who develop impactful manufacturing solutions. This recognition provided her with mentorship, funding opportunities and a platform to refine her idea for industrial adoption.

“The key moment was when I qualified for the last round of competition and realised that my work is appreciated and very valuable to society. I had no previous experience with business idea presentation. The competition process helped me improve my skills in this area and now I have no fear of going into the market with ideas,” notes Andrea, looking back at the RIS LEADERS Competition.

Reflecting on her journey, Andrea’s advice to other women entrepreneurs, regardless of age, is “don’t get discouraged”. While an inspiring entrepreneurial journey starts with a great idea, programmes like the RIS LEADERS Competition are a great starting point to acquire entrepreneurial skills, get mentorship and gain access to a network of potential partners, investors and clients.

It’s time to scale up innovation across Europe

Andrea is now actively seeking industry partners to scale her solution. With the right support, Andrea’s solution has the potential to revolutionise REE recycling in Europe—reducing dependence on imports, driving sustainability and securing a greener future for generations to come.