China wants to transform coal waste into a source of critical metals and use industrial ash to extract germanium, lithium, gallium, and aluminum used in batteries, chips, and electric vehicles.

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 24/05/2026 at 21:01

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Report indicates that China can reuse fly ash and gangue from the coal chain to recover germanium, aluminum, lithium, and gallium, metals used in strategic sectors such as batteries, semiconductors, optics, engines, and military applications.

China can transform coal waste into a new source of critical metals, such as germanium, aluminum, lithium, and gallium, by reusing fly ash and gangue generated by its extensive mining, burning, and industrial processing chain.

Coal waste can become a source of critical metals

The new report argues that coal should not be seen only as fuel. Its remnants concentrate small traces of metallic elements, now sought after by sectors related to semiconductors, batteries, optics, engines, and military applications.

Among the materials mentioned are fly ash, formed after coal burning, and gangue, a rock without energy value that usually accompanies the ore during extraction. Both generally end up piled, discarded, or partially used in construction.

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China already has the structure for industrial reuse

The proposal gains weight because China has a large supply of coal, a significant volume of waste, and an already established industrial base. Production lines, washing, chemical processing, and power generation could serve as a starting point to recover resources.

The report assesses that this infrastructure creates conditions to adapt existing facilities, without starting from a completely new chain. Another relevant factor is the concentration of waste in industrial areas, which facilitates the logistics of processing.

The recovery of these metals also fits into China’s effort to reduce dependence on imports and integrate supply chains. For electric vehicle, battery, and electronics industries, any additional source can enhance production security.

Economic potential depends on the composition of the ashes

The main challenge lies in the chemical variation of coal. Each mine has its own geological conditions, and the presence of metals can vary greatly from one region to another, making extraction uneven and difficult to standardize.

In plants, coals from different origins can be mixed. As a result, one batch of fly ash may concentrate gallium, while another may present a much lower quantity, affecting predictability, scale, and economic viability.

Even so, the report maintains that the high demand linked to the new energy industry makes the extraction of critical metals from coal promising. China’s experience with germanium serves as a basis to expand the recovery of other elements in future stages of advanced mineral processing.

China wants to transform coal waste into a source of critical metals and use industrial ash to extract germanium, lithium, gallium, and aluminum used in batteries, chips, and electric vehicles.

Report indicates that China can reuse fly ash and gangue from the coal chain to recover germanium, aluminum, lithium, and gallium, metals used in strategic sectors such as batteries, semiconductors, optics, engines, and military applications.

Coal waste can become a source of critical metals

China already has the structure for industrial reuse

Economic potential depends on the composition of the ashes

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China wants to transform coal waste into a source of critical metals and use industrial ash to extract germanium, lithium, gallium, and aluminum used in batteries, chips, and electric vehicles.

Report indicates that China can reuse fly ash and gangue from the coal chain to recover germanium, aluminum, lithium, and gallium, metals used in strategic sectors such as batteries, semiconductors, optics, engines, and military applications.

Coal waste can become a source of critical metals

China already has the structure for industrial reuse

Economic potential depends on the composition of the ashes

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