decarbonization of high-temperature metallurgical processes rather than logistics optimization. While primary mining remains necessary to meet global demand for copper and silver, particularly under energy transition scenarios, urban mining emerges as a complementary supply route capable of reducing emissions for gold and multi-metal systems, provided that effective collection, traceability, and access to low-carbon energy are ensured. 6. Recommendations The results demonstrate the need to rethink mining by expanding mineral supply strategies beyond exclusive reliance on primary extraction, while recognizing that urban mining functions as a complementary pathway rather than a substitute for conventional mining. Primary extraction remains indispensable to meet the scale of demand associated with the energy transition, particularly for copper and silver. However, the substantially higher metal concentrations identified in WEEE—especially in mobile devices—confirm that secondary resources already embedded in the economy represent a technically viable and currently underutilized source of supply. Allowing these materials to be lost leads to avoidable resource inefficiencies and unnecessary environmental impacts along the mineral value chain. In the Peruvian context, the main constraint to scaling Recovery and Reuse (R&R) systems lies upstream, in the collection, classification, and pre-treatment of WEEE. The results indicate that without a stable supply of high-grade and traceable feedstock, the emission reductions associated with urban mining cannot be translated into industrial-scale implementation. Future assessments should therefore adopt integrated multi-metal and multi-criteria approaches, combining carbon footprint analysis with full life cycle assessment, economic valuation, and sensitivity analyses of energy mixes and process efficiencies. This integrated perspective is essential to support evidence-based policy design, guide investment decisions, and position urban mining as a complementary pillar within a more circular, resilient, and climate-aligned mineral value chain.
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