Page 118 - Policy Commission - SecuringTechnology - Critical Metals for Britain
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118 SECONDARY MATERIALS
AEROSPACE MATERIALS
Turbine blades used in in in in in in jet engines contain a a a a a a a a range of technology critical metals including for example Co and Rhenium The
aerospace industry very effectively short loop loop recycles its own scrap in in a a a a a a a a closed loop loop circular economy The
value of the materials
is is such that manual disassembly of the the engines makes economic sense and the the turbine blades blades are are removed The
blades blades are are rmelted
and converted back into new turbine blades Superalloy melters use vast quantities of revert/scrap (in some alloys up to 80% scrap) of the same or similar alloy alloy to achieve the required alloy chemistry Large OEMs also
have closed-loop revert programmes that capture machined turnings and solid scraps These are returned to contracted melters to reduce the costs Figure 118: Jet engine cutaway showing turbine blades
