Periodic Reporting for period 2 - REDMUD (European Training Network for Zero-waste Valorisation of Bauxite Residue (Red Mud))
Berichtszeitraum: 2016-12-01 bis 2019-10-31
Overall objectives and Challenges
REDMUD trained 15 early stage researchers (ESRs) in the science and technology of BR valorisation. The project investigated innovative, eco-friendly and integrated methods for the metal recovery, while valorising the residuals into building materials. An intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration of EU-leading institutes and scientists was established, which covered the full value chain: from BR to recovered metals and new building materials. Research challenges include the development of efficient extraction of iron, aluminium, titanium and rare earths (including scandium) from distinct (NORM classified) BRs and the preparation of new building materials with higher than usual iron content.
Consortium
REDMUD drew its talents from 9 Beneficiaries, including 6 Research Institutes (KU Leuven (coordinator), UHelsinki, RWTH Aachen, KTH, NTUA, UTartu) and 3 Companies (MEAB, Aluminium of Greece/Mytilinaios, Titan). Concurrently, REDMUD is strengthened with 4 additional Partner Organisations (UPatras, UAveiro, Bay Zoltan, Szikkti Labor) as well as an Advisory Board.
REDMUD contained 7 WPs, 4 of which are Research Activities:
WP1: Fe and Al removal from BR
WP2: Ti and REEs removal from BR
WP3: Cementitious binders from BR
WP4: LCA, NORM and characterisation of bauxite ores and residues
WP5: Training
WP6: Exploitation, dissemination and outreach
WP7: Management
Conclusions
The REDMUD project has shown that (near-)zero waste valorisation of BR is technological feasible. Different innovative flowsheets have been developed to use BR as a secondary resource for iron, aluminium, titanium, and the rare-earth elements (including scandium), and to use the solid residue that is left behind after recovery of the metals, in new building materials. The main obstacles for the practical implementation of the flow sheets in industry are the high processing costs compared to the intrinsic value of the metals in BR and the strict regulations for use of NORM in building materials. The REDMUD project provided an excellent training to 15 young researchers so that they will be able to make valuable contributions to the European industry and academia in the future.
These outcomes were communicated in the scientific, industrial and policymaking community, through the project's dedicated website (http://etn.redmud.org) and conferences (BR2015 in Leuven and BR2018 in Athens, http://conference.redmud.org/) its 3-days summer school in 2016, peer-reviewed papers, technical brochures, the LinkedIn Red Mud Project group as well as other social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. Moreover, newsletters were sent periodically, including policy briefs for European (and national) policy makers. Other initiatives, e.g. the workshop of the Aluminium Innovation Hub, on the 31st of May 2016, at KU Leuven, or the KIC Raw Materials idea camp/matching event on 21-22 of September 2016, at Aughinish, were also contributing in the overall impact by facilitating the distribution of the results and by shaping a community around BR valorisation.
In terms of impact, the project contributed to the policy objectives outlined in the Raw Materials Initiative, the EIT KIC RawMaterials and the Strategic Innovation Agenda of the EIP on Raw Materials. Furthermore, as the recovered minerals are used to produce low-carbon binders that may partly replace carbon-intensive Portland cement, REDMUD contributed to lowering the EU’s climate footprint. In addition to the above, the project leads to new recommendations for the strategic orientation of the EU’s Raw Materials Policy and the associated Directives.
The research done by the ESRs in the REDMUD project is continued in several new Horizon2020 projects at a higher TRL level (RIA, IA and EIT KIC upscaling projects), such as SCALE (http://scale-project.eu/) RemovAL (https://www.removal-project.com/) and RECOVER (https://recover.technology/).