Abstract
The depletion of critical minerals has prompted interest in alternative metal sources such as electronic waste, asteroids, and seabed nodules. These secondary resources offer processing advantages by minimizing non-metallic separation and reducing environmental impact. Vacuum processing presents a sustainable, energy-efficient method applicable both on Earth and in space. This study aims to investigate the thermodynamic behavior of metal processing under extremely low-pressure conditions to support future global, cost-effective metals recovery strategies.