Project description DEENESFRITPL Innovative recovery of minerals from seawater brines The ancient process of saltworks involves the natural evaporation and fractionated crystallisation of seawater. This process also produces a by-product of brine that is free of calcium and includes some crucial elements at 20 to 40 times more concentrated levels than seawater does. The EU-funded SEArcularMINE project will take the brine to develop and integrate three innovative technologies within a circular procedure that will target magnesium, lithium and other trace elements belonging to the alkaline/alkaline Earth metals or transition/post-transition metals group. These innovative technologies will be based on three different processes: reactive crystallisation, selective membrane separation, and selective sorption/desorption. By adopting a multidisciplinary method, the project will improve knowledge of the processes needed to recover minerals from brines and seawater. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective In this proposal, we build on the ancient and still widely used process of saltworks, where seawater goes through natural evaporation and fractionated crystallization in shallow basins. This process produces sea salt and a brine (bittern) free of calcium as a by-product, which is 20 to 40 times more concentrated than seawater in some crucial elements. The SEArcularMINE project uses this bittern, targeting Magnesium, Lithium and other Trace-Elements belonging to the alkaline/alkaline earths metals (e.g. Rb, Cs, Sr) or transition/post-transition metals (e.g. Co, Ga, Ge) group. Three innovative technologies will be developed and integrated within a circular approach, based on three different processes: 1) reactive crystallisation; 2) selective membrane separation; 3) selective sorption/desorption. The concept is enhanced by: i) energy-efficient concentration steps, ii) on-site generation of reactants from the available brines and iii) production of the required energy from reverse electrodialysis fed with the process outlet brine on-site and solar or wind energy. A multi-disciplinary approach will be adopted for bringing the low TRL of the three main technologies and of the overall integrated concept up to TRL4-5. There will be fundamental advances in the knowledge of the processes, leading to break-through developments of the 3 most important technologies for the recovery of minerals from brines, but also from seawater or any other kind of metals-rich solution.Within our circular strategy, we will look also at the option of including desalination upstream from the saltworks, providing freshwater to the local communities and a concentrated stream to feed the saltworks, increasing salt productivity and bittern availability.The adopted approach will have positive effects on the environmental and financial performance, laying the foundations for a future industrial application. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkali metalsengineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologiesdesalinationelectrodialysisnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkaline earth metalsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrypost-transition metalsengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energywind power Keywords Circular economy Magnesium Lithium alkaline and rare earths transition metals reactive crystallisation electro selective membrane processes pH Swing Adsorption Programme(s) H2020-EU.3.5. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Climate action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials Main Programme H2020-EU.3.5.3. - Ensuring the sustainable supply of non-energy and non-agricultural raw materials Topic(s) SC5-09-2018-2019 - New solutions for the sustainable production of raw materials Call for proposal H2020-SC5-2018-2019-2020 See other projects for this call Sub call H2020-SC5-2019-2 Funding Scheme RIA - Research and Innovation action Coordinator UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO Net EU contribution € 1 217 500,00 Address Piazza marina 61 90133 Palermo Italy See on map Region Isole Sicilia Palermo Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Participants (12) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all INSTITUTO DE BIOLOGIA EXPERIMENTAL E TECNOLOGICA Portugal Net EU contribution € 636 750,00 Address Avenida da republica quinta do marques 2781-901 Oeiras See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Continente Área Metropolitana de Lisboa Área Metropolitana de Lisboa Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA Spain Net EU contribution € 797 761,25 Address Calle jordi girona 31 08034 Barcelona See on map Region Este Cataluña Barcelona Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 ECOLE NATIONALE D'INGENIEURS DE GABES Tunisia Net EU contribution € 236 750,00 Address Omar ibn el khattab 6029 Zrig gabes See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 SUEZ GROUPE Participation ended France Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address 16 place de l'iris tour cb21 92040 Paris la defense cedex See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Hauts-de-Seine Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 RESOURSEAS S.R.L. Italy Net EU contribution € 661 000,00 Address Edificio 16, viale delle scienze (arca) 90128 Palermo See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Isole Sicilia Palermo Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 EKODENGE MUHENDISLIK MIMARLIK DANISMANLIK TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI Türkiye Net EU contribution € 193 250,00 Address Hacettepe universitesi teknokenti 1nolu ar ge binasi oda 18 beytepe 06800 Cankaya ankara See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Batı Anadolu Ankara Ankara Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 ERINN INNOVATION LIMITED Ireland Net EU contribution € 465 875,00 Address Olympic house pleasants street D08H67X Dublin See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Ireland Eastern and Midland Dublin Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 SOSALT SPA Italy Net EU contribution € 232 875,00 Address Zona industriale ronciglio snc 91100 Trapani See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Isole Sicilia Trapani Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV Germany Net EU contribution € 802 505,00 Address Hansastrasse 27c 80686 Munchen See on map Region Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY Finland Net EU contribution € 180 500,00 Address Tekniikantie 21 02150 Espoo See on map Region Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO Finland Net EU contribution € 67 500,00 Address Yliopistonkatu 3 00014 Helsingin yliopisto See on map Region Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 SUEZ INTERNATIONAL France Net EU contribution € 341 750,00 Address Tour cb 21 16 place de l'iris 92040 Paris See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Hauts-de-Seine Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00