Overview of resources and recovery research progress on scattered metal tellurium

Tellurium, a scattered metal, is a critical material for the development of high-tech industries, and its supply is heavily dependent on copper ore mining. The significant supply-demand imbalance has become a key factor restricting the development of the tellurium industry. Tellurium ores and tellurium-containing electronic waste are potential sources of tellurium resources. This paper provided an overview of the distribution and utilization status of tellurium resources and comprehensively summarizes the occurrence states and recovery technologies of tellurium in anode slimes, smelting slags, tellurium ores, and tellurium-containing electronic waste. It analyzed the challenges associated with recovering tellurium from different materials and discusses future research directions for tellurium resource recovery, providing references for enhancing the level of development and utilization of tellurium resources.