Descripción del proyecto
Métodos sostenibles de refinado para una recuperación rentable del níquel y el cobalto
Se prevé que los vehículos eléctricos aumenten drásticamente la demanda de níquel y cobalto a lo largo de las dos próximas décadas. Se espera que Europa afronte dificultades a la hora de garantizar una cadena de suministro sostenible, asequible y fiable, dado que la concentración de este tipo de minerales es escasa en el continente. El objetivo del proyecto ENICON, financiado con fondos europeos, consiste en mejorar la capacidad de refinado del níquel y el cobalto de baja calidad, tanto nacional como importado. La vía de recuperación de metales de ENICON, que utiliza ácido clorhídrico, emplea el tradicional método hídrico que implica la precipitación y redisolución continua de los metales. De este modo, se reduce la cantidad de productos químicos necesarios para disolver el metal, que generan flujos de residuos potencialmente nocivos.
Objetivo
The cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) demand is expected to be about 20 times higher in 2040 than in 2020. Given that Europe plays only a minor role in the global Ni/Co supply chains, which are concentrated in the DRC, Indonesia and China, we face a serious problem in securing a reliable, affordable and sustainable supply of battery-grade Ni/Co, vital for Europe’s aims to be climate-neutral by 2050. In view of a “domestic and foreign sourcing” procurement model, ENICON exploits the potential of (low-grade) Ni/Co resources within Europe – i.e. sulphidic Ni/Co ores and derived Ni/Co-bearing pyrite and silicate tailings, and limonitic/saprolitic laterite Ni(/Co) ores – while improving and developing the Ni/Co-refining capacity that can process imported ores, concentrates and intermediates. ENICON comprises both major improvements to existing Ni/Co metallurgical unit operations in Europe as well as the development of a new HCl-based route for both Ni/Co sulphide concentrates and laterites. ENICON’s HCl-route dispenses with the old-school hydro-approach of continuously precipitating and redissolving metals that requires lots of chemicals and creates problematic waste streams. The HCl-based route can be extended to the downstream processing of FeNi (Class-II Ni) obtained from laterites; (2) Mixed (Ni/Co) Sulphide/Hydroxide Precipitate (MSP/MHP) from the bioleaching of Co-rich pyrite tailings; and Ni/Co-containing silicate tailings. ENICON targets a “forensic geometallurgy” protocol, making it possible to identify and mitigate the mineralogical and textural reasons for processing losses along existing and new flowsheets. To make the transition to (near) zero-waste processing and to further reduce CO2-footprints, ENICON develops enhanced mineral-matrix valorisation processes. The outputs from ENICON’s group of European Ni/Co mining, processing and refining companies will all be benchmarked in terms of positive environmental and techno-economic impacts against current methods.
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HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinador
3000 Leuven
Bélgica