12.05.2020 (760 Clicks)
Critical Metals can be profitably recovered from low-grade Ores and Waste
Critical and economically significant metals, such as cobalt and nickel, can be recovered profitably from metal refining wastes as well as ores with lower than usual concentrations. This was demonstrated by an EU project coordinated by VTT, which developed new and combined existing recovery methods. Various stakeholders interested in using low-grade ores and waste can evaluate the valorization of raw-material streams with the webtool developed in the project.
The production of batteries, wind turbines and stainless steel requires valuable metals, and European industry is dependent on their imports. For example, the imports of a major battery metal, cobalt, account for almost 100% of consumption, with that number being nearly 60% for nickel imports.
In the recently completed European Metgrow+ project, ways were found to increase Europe’s self-sufficiency as concerns cobalt, nickel and zinc, for example, by 10–20% using just the material streams studied in the project. The developed methods can additionally be used to recover metals from other material streams.
“We developed and compared different methods for recovering metals from metal refining waste sludges as well as from low-grade ores, i. e. ores whose metal concentrations have been considered too low for profitable recovery. We paid particular attention to the profitability and environmental impact of the methods. By developing new and combining old methods, we found new ways to increase the recovery of cobalt, nickel and zinc, among others”, says coordinator of the Metgrow+ project Päivi Kinnunen from VTT.
The project also looked for uses for residual material from which metals have already been recovered. Some of these side streams proved to be chemically and mechanically resistant and structurally suitable for building materials, such as concrete.
Tool helps to assess options
The total budget of the four-year Metgrow+ project was EUR 7.9 million, and a total of 19 companies, research organisations and universities from nine EU countries participated in the project.
The research and development work was divided between different countries according to expertise in each method and material. The research also took into consideration local waste costs and energy sources, which strongly affect the profitability and environmental impact of the methods in each country. Regional differences were also taken into account in the tool into which the knowledge developed throughout the project was compiled.
The Metgrow Calculator webtool produced in the project is intended to support decision-making by European mines, mining technology developers, recyclers and politicians, among others. The user can enter, for example, local laterite ore or jarosite from the zinc industry as a raw material and assess the options for utilising the raw material stream at local waste and energy prices.
“The potential of low-grade ores, wastes and side streams is now easier to discern as we know the kind of metal concentrations they have and which methods are suitable for recovering those metals. Even a smaller side stream from a large mine or metallurgical plant can prove to be a significant business for another company”, Kinnunen says.
For more information, please contact:
Source: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
VTT, research, Europe, raw material, recycling, metals, critical, batteries, profitability, Metgrow







12.05.2020 (900 Clicks)
Strabag lands Infrastructure Project in Hungary
- 7.5 km bypass road for the city of Veszprém in western Hungary
- Completion scheduled for 2023
- Contract value: HUF 25.333 billion (approx. € 72 million)
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12.05.2020 (718 Clicks)
Epiroc awards Recognize Automation and Battery Electrification
Epiroc’s two annual awards recognize close collaboration with a mining company that strengthened the customer’s productivity through automation as well as the development of battery electric equipment that brings multiple benefits to the mining industry.
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11.05.2020 (876 Clicks)
Afry awarded Detailed Design Consultancy Services Contract for a 1200 MW Pumped Storage Project in India
On March 18th 2020, Afry India received Letter of Award from Greenko Energy Projects Ltd. (leading renewable IPP in India) for providing Detailed Design Engineering services of 1,200 MW, Pinnapuram Integrated Renewable Energy Pumped Storage Project in the southern part of India, a first of its kind Pumped Storage project to be developed by an IPP in India.
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11.05.2020 (845 Clicks)
Afry and Iberdrola explore a holistic Roadmap towards a zero-emissions EU Energy Sector in 2050
This report prepared jointly by Afry and Iberdrola aims to identify the keys to a successful and efficient decarbonisation of the energy sector by 2050 in Europe, with a focus on Great Britain and Spain – the energy sector being in this study power generation, heat, and road and rail transport.
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08.05.2020 (1219 Clicks)
Victaulic names new President
Victaulic, the world’s leading manufacturer of mechanical pipe-joining systems, announced Rick Bucher has been appointed to the position of President and COO, effective immediately.
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08.05.2020 (758 Clicks)
Fugro maps Arctic Ocean for Norway’s Mareano Seabed Mapping Programme
The Norwegian Hydrographic Service has awarded Fugro another hydrographic survey contract as part of the Mareano seabed mapping programme, financed by Norway’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Environment.
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07.05.2020 (844 Clicks)
Grosvenor Mine Incident in Australia
Statement by QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane:
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07.05.2020 (829 Clicks)
Keliber decides to increase Production Capacity and relocate the Future Concentration Plant
Keliber announced that through a review of its production plans, the company will be able to increase its annual lithium hydroxide production from 12,500 tonnes to 15,000 tonnes in its future mine and lithium concentration plant. In addition, the company has chosen to locate the future concentration plant to the Päiväneva area, which is located in the mining area approximately 10 km northeast from the nearest municipality, Kaustinen in Finland.
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07.05.2020 (2650 Clicks)
Room for something new: Bauer Umwelt carries out Soil Remediation on the historic Diamalt Site in Munich
Anyone setting foot in Diamaltpark in the Munich district of Allach-Untermenzing is entering a historic site. It was here that, in 1903, the production of diastatic malt extract was started. It was a revolutionary ingredient that made the manufacture of bread and baked goods possible in the quantities that we are now accustomed to. Today, three heritage listed buildings at the center of the former factory site remind us of the illustrious boom period of Diamalt AG: A soup seasoning factory, a workshop building and a machine and boiler house. They will in future be landmarks in a new district that is being built on and around the empty site.
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03.11.2023
GeoResources Journal 3-2023
Special Topic: Focus on fairness and skilled workforce.
GeoResources Journal 3-2023 is dedicated to the main topic areas of mining, tunnelling, geotechnics and energy, as well as the special topic: Focus on fairness and skilled workforce....
03.11.2023
Focus on Fairness and Skilled Labour – for sustainable Living Conditions
Skilled professionals in our geotechnical, tunnelling, mining and raw materials sectors make an important contribution to sustainable and fair living conditions.
...
03.11.2023
Students from Freiberg University Mines Rescue and Mine-gas Protection Brigade highly placed at International Event
A team from Freiberg University of Mining and Technology has taken second place at this year’s MERD international mines rescue competition (Mine Emergency Rescue Development), which was held a...
12.12.2023 - 13.12.2023
2nd International Congress and Exhibition - Mining of Uzbekistan and Central Asia
14.12.2023 - 15.12.2023
MINING WORLD CONGRESS 2023
14.12.2023 - 15.12.2023
GEOTEC HANOI 2023 – The 5th International Conference on Geotechnics for Sustainable Infrastructure Development
18.12.2023 - 19.12.2023
ICGGE 2023: 17. International Conference on Geotechnical and Geological Engineering

World’s longest Railway Tunnel Project – supported by innovative Conveyor Digitalisation and reliable Engineering
17. October 2022 (1973 Clicks)
The consortium BTC Brennero Tunnel Construction and the Hosch Group jointly delivered on a world-class tunnelling project by combining excellent engineering with the innovative remote monitoring system Hoschiris Discover.


RAG-Technikchronik - Buch 3: Technikentwicklung in der Vorleistung
27. September 2018 (13044 Clicks)
Das Buch 3 der Reihe „Dokumentation der technischen Entwicklung bei der RAG“ stellt die Evolution der Vorleistung in den vergangenen 50 Jahren dar. Da sie den Zugang zur Lagerstätte schafft, ist sie die Grundvoraussetzung zur Gewinnung des Rohstoffs Kohle und bildet die Grundlage für den langfristig sicheren und leistungsfähigen Betrieb eines Bergwerks.


27.11.2023 (415 Clicks)
Akobo Minerals celebrates historic milestone: hitting gold ore body at the Segele Mine
