Copper　anode　slime　(CAS)　is　a　byproduct　produced　during　copper　electrorefining　process.　It　contains　metals　such　as　gold,　silver,　copper,　selenium,　tellurium　etc.　Without　proper　treatment,　CAS　posed　significant　environmental　hazard　due　to　its　toxic　components.　Recovering　critical　metals　from　CAS　not　only　mitigates　environmental　risks　but　also　serves　as　an　important　source　of　these　valuable　materials.　Recycling　of　critical　metals　can　significantly　enhance　metal　recycling　efficiency　and　support　the　advancement　of　a　circular　economy.　However,　this　process　could　introduce　potential　environmental　impacts　due　to　the　increased　consumption　of　energy,　chemical　material,　and　water.　The　process　requires　comprehensive　assessment.　In　this　study,　life　cycle　assessment　is　employed　to　evaluate　the　potential　environmental　impact　of　the　four　resource　recovery　processes　for　copper　anode　slime:　pyrometallurgy,　hydrometallurgy,　semi-hydrometallurgy,　and　combining　bio-hydrometallurgy　and　semi-hydrometallurgy　(CBS).　The　functional　unit　is　1　kg　of　copper　anode　slime.　5　metals　are　recycled　during　the　process　named:　cupper　(Cu),　tellurium　(Te),　selenium　(Se),　gold　(Au),　and　silver　(Ag).　Six　impact　categories—climate　change,　freshwater　ecotoxicity,　marine　ecotoxicity,　terrestrial　ecotoxicity,　human　toxicity　(cancer),　and　human　toxicity　(non-cancer)—were　assessed　and　compared　across　the　four　recycling　technologies.　The　LCA　results　show　that　CBS　has　the　lowest　environmental　impact　among　all　the　assessed　impact　categories.　CBS　process　demonstrated　superior　metal　recovery　rates.　Hydrometallurgy　has　the　lowest　energy　and　material　costs.　CBS　incurs　higher　total　costs　due　to　the　use　of　expensive　chemicals　like　potassium　iodide.　©　2024