The EU area is experiencing challenges in sourcing critical metals. Solutions to this are being sought by the METGROW+ project, coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Researchers are developing technologies for extracting valuable metals from metallurgical waste and low-grade ores, from which recovery is not yet economically viable. The research is serving European industry, which is dependent on the import of critical metals.
It is estimated that around 30 million jobs in the EU are dependent on raw materials, which is why the EU has a special focus on their availability. Critical metals are important to the manufacture of smart electronics and products such as solar cells, wind turbines and batteries.
The METGROW+ project concerns the recovery of economically important metals such as nickel, cobalt, zinc and copper, as well as critical metals like indium, gallium, germanium and chromium. The research involves the development and combination of pyro-, hydro-, solvo-, electro-, iono- and biohydrometallurgical unit operations.
The project also involves the development of techniques for utilising the material remaining after the metal recovery process, for example as a raw material in the construction industry. The goal is a waste-free approach, for which information being created to assist companies with decision-making.
Utilising the entire waste stream will also reduce environmental problems.
Four material families were selected as objects of study for the METGROW+ project: laterites, iron-rich sludges, fayalite slags and finegrained landfilled sludges. Using these, information can also be generated on the technologies firms could use to recover metals from other materials. The methods developed through the project will be piloted on the aforementioned four sample materials.
VTT is acting as the coordinator of the EU’s four-year METGROW+ project (Horizon 2020 programme). The project will end on 31 January 2020 and has a total budget of EUR 7.9 million. VTT’s share of the budget is around EUR 1 million.
A total of 19 universities, research organisations and companies from nine member countries are participating in the project: Umicore, J.M. Recycling (Group Machiels), Arche, VITO, KULeuven and the University of Ghent (Belgium); Hellenic Copper Mines (Cyprus); Technical University of Crete (Greece); VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd and Outotec (Finland); Kerneos (France); D’Appolonia (Italy); IMN and Profima (Poland); IDP, Idener, Urbaser and Tecnalia (Spain); SP (Sweden).
The EU defines a raw material as critical when it is of economic importance and produced in only a few countries, limiting its availability. At the moment, industry is mainly dependent on metals imported from China. The EU is seeking to reduce import dependency by supporting research promoting the production of metals from waste and low-grade ores, from which recovery is not yet economically viable using current methods.
Learn more: Recovering critical and economically important metals from low-grade ores and waste
The Latest on: Critical metals recovery
[google_news title=”” keyword=”critical metals recovery” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Critical metals recovery
- Europe is sitting on a mountain of metal waste. But the EU has a plan to exploit iton April 26, 2024 at 9:38 am
In the western Irish city of Limerick, on the site of an aluminium refinery, a 500-metre paved road is built on an experiment that could help Europe reduce industrial waste. The concrete stretch at ...
- Solar Panel Recycling Market worth $931 million by 2029 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™on April 26, 2024 at 3:14 am
The solar panel recycling market is poised for substantial growth in the foreseeable future, driven by a convergence of factors that underscore its critical importance in the transition to a more ...
- Critical Minerals Co. Upsizes Private Placement Featuring Glencoreon April 25, 2024 at 11:39 am
Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp. PGEZF is upsizing by more than 50% a private placement that also features a lead order from major Glencore Canada Corp. Find out how the market for one of its target ...
- New Method Recovers Critical Minerals from Electronic Scrap Wasteon April 25, 2024 at 7:51 am
There's some irony in the fact that devices that seem indispensable to modern life-;mobile phones, personal computers, and anything battery-powered-;depend entirely on minerals extracted from mining, ...
- Saline solution-based method efficiently recovers critical minerals from e-wasteon April 25, 2024 at 6:06 am
A method developed at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory selectively recovers manganese, magnesium, dysprosium, and neodymium from spent electronics.
- Critical minerals recovery from electronic wasteon April 24, 2024 at 11:21 am
A nontoxic separation process recovers critical minerals from electronic scrap waste.
- BASF Starts Up Prototype Metal Refinery for Battery Recyclingon April 22, 2024 at 1:43 am
BASF has commenced operations of its prototype metal refinery for battery recycling in Schwarzheide, Germany. The plant aims to optimize innovative battery recycling technology as well as optimize the ...
- Tailings to meet critical minerals demandon April 18, 2024 at 3:01 pm
The growing demand for clean energy technologies is anticipated to drive an increase in production of minerals, such as graphite, lithium and cobalt, with a portion of this demand being able to be met ...
- Staggering quantities of energy transition metals are winding up in the garbage binon April 18, 2024 at 9:51 am
To build all of the solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicle batteries, and other technologies necessary to fight climate change, we’re going to need a lot more metals. Mining those metals from ...
via Bing News