The PLATIRUS project builds on recent new developments in ionometallurgy, solvometallurgy and hydrometallurgy, showing the route to miniaturisation, higher levels of recovery yields, lower energy costs and environmental impacts (CO2 by 95% per kg of PGM) compared to the state-of-the-art, hence potentially boosting PGMs recycling levels, which are currently about 80-90% for industrial applications, 50-60% for autocatalysts and only 5-10% for electronics. The key objectives of the project are hence to boost the availability of PGMs in Europe by: 1. Further developing, testing, fine-tuning and selecting the best combination of advanced technologies in three promising and novel PGM recovery routes (1) Ionometallurgy & Solvometallurgy, 2) Advanced Hydrometallurgy, 3) Hydrometallurgy & Pyrometallurgy, based on the use of three actual PGM waste streams (Autocatalysts, Mining Tailings and slag, WEEE). 2. Upscaling the selected PGM recovery and raw material production process to a pre-industrial pilot. 3. Preparing and stimulating market introduction. To achieve objectives, five of the major CRM research centres in Europe, Tecnalia (ES), KUL (B), VUT (A), VITO (B) and SINTEF (NO), will collaborate in developing, benchmarking, selecting, fine tuning and piloting the most advanced recovery processes for PGMs. Two primary and secondary material producers with a consolidated business model, Boliden (NO) and Johnson Matthey (UK), will carry out validation of the innovative recovery processes by installing and testing them in an industrially relevant environment and benchmarking with the currently adopted recovery processes. Recycling company Monolithos (GR) will provide a link to market introduction by manufacturing autocatalysts with second life PGMs obtained via the PLATIRUS technology. Large automotive companies, Fiat (IT) and Ford (TR) will validate these catalysts, and ensure end-user industry driven value chains for recovered PGM materials. LCA, economic and environment assessment of the whole process will be carried out by SME Env-Aqua (UK) supported by Tecnalia and Fiat. Finally, the PLATIRUS project will be linked to European and extra-European relevant stakeholders, research activities and industries, with a solid dissemination, communication and
exploitation plan developed and carried out by PNO Innovation (BE).