Minerals are a finite resource which is central to human welfare and economic development. The extraction of minerals is inherently unsustainable; destructive to the biophysical environment, and its contributions to human wellbeing are uneven. Despite this, minerals can bridge to sustainable development by providing essential raw materials for cleaner, more efficient, and more prosperous human societies. Therefore, mining or the extraction of mineral resources presents a potentially transformative opportunity to support sustainable development while also posing challenges and risks to achieving it. Additionally, there is also significant attention paid to the reclaiming of metal from secondary sources, which are complex and do not necessarily subscribe to traditional process flowsheets.