Challenges and Opportunities for the Recovery of Critical Raw Materials from Electronic Waste: The Spanish Perspective

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This paper is well-organized and exciting. It should able to be accepted by the journal. However, to improve the quality of this manuscript, please consider my comments and suggestions below.

- Line 3: "WEEE. The Spanish perspective." may change to "WEEE: The Spanish perspective"

- Line 41: “y”? Should it be "; and"?

- Figure 1: for export, is it better to use the same style as others for the "x-axis"?

- Line 116-117: “This term is dependent on the Weibull functions discussed above. This term is dependent on the Weibull functions discussed above.” These sentences are duplicates.

- Figure 2: These are 2 figures. Could you divide it as "a" and "b"?

- Figure 2: There are two "IV" legends.

- Table 2: "OC: Other critics; OB: Other base; P: precious; C: Critical; B; Base"   This should be a note placed below the table.

- Figure 4: These are 2 figures. Could you divide it as "a" and "b"?

- Figure 4: " Color refer to each WEEE category according to EU-6"  This should be a note placed below the figure caption.

- Figure 4:The authors must provide the background data of both threshold lines (red lines).

- Table 3: "M.USD refer to million USD"  This should be a note placed below the table.                                                           

- Figure 7: "Units: millions of USD" This should be a note placed below the figure caption.

- Table 4: "The contamination considers the whole weight of the WEEE, not just its metals. Only figures higher than the ore grade are shown. P: precious; C: critical; B: base"  This should be a note placed below the table.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The path toward energy transition requires many metals, some of which are scarce in nature. Need correction as their supply is controlled by a few countries.

“…..1.4 million tons -20,000 of critical metals- valued….” This part is not clear, particularly” -20,000……”

Give the complete form of WEEE, where it appears the first time.

….each citizen generated an average of 16.2 kg of WEEE. Give a time period( per month/year).

….their concentration in a few countries. Replace the” concentration” word with resources.

 

For example, a mobile phone contains up to 25 critical metals [14], compared to 30 for the EU by 2020. Need correction.

 

What is” PV”? Give the full form of all abbreviations used when they are used the first time.

 

Finally, the data presented in the reference [22] have been chosen…..,  write as” Finally, the data presented in by name of the researcher the reference [22] have been chosen…

 

…. whose data has been obtained from the reference, is carried out. Need correction.

 

 

Table 4 is not clear, and needs proper formatting and explanation.

 

Abbreviations are given at the end they could be also given when first appeared. 

 

Some parts of the paper are difficult to understand and need clarification, particularly Tables and figures.

 

 

 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

1. some abbreviations should be explain in the first mentioned. 

2. Figure 1 needs to extra organization since the different bar groups meaning in the caption did not explain..

3. wikipedia references can be supported by other reference(s) which is official organization.

4. what is the uncertanity or standart deviations of the each calculations. please add and discuss more

5. what is the side effect of the WEE recovery in the field of environment, economy and sustanaibility

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx