Periodic Reporting for period 3 - RAWMINA (Integrated innovative pilot system for Critical Raw Materials recovery from mines wastes in a circular economy context)
Reporting period: 2024-05-01 to 2025-07-31
RAWMINA aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative, scalable pilot system for the continuous valorisation of mine waste, achieving high recovery and selectivity rates for critical raw materials (Co, Sb, Ge, W) and valuable metals (Au, Ag, Fe). Operating at TRL7 over 12 months, the system has treated up to 150 MW/day during the industrial demonstration and integrates an efficient, robust and circular process managed by an intelligent control system. The validated processing path includes bioleaching of CLC tailings and Tharsis ROM samples, reaching 90 % pyrite conversion, 92 % iron extraction, 95 % cobalt recovery, and 60 % antimony recovery. Iron is precipitated as Schwertmannite and further processed into nano-magnetite, while copper precipitation demonstrates the transformation of solid waste into valuable by-products. Gold and silver are concentrated up to fivefold in the solid phase been almost all Au and Ag content recovered. Over 90 % water recovery is achieved via electrocoagulation. Tungsten from Covas mine was pre-concentrated to 3.8 % to enhance alkaline leaching, reaching 90 % extraction, and germanium recovery was explored using synthetic doped solutions due to its absence in natural samples.
Work during the first reporting period was mainly focused on the optimization and development of the different technologies at lab scale and their preparation for the scale-up. Work during the second reporting period was devoted to up-scaling and bench-scale validation to generate enough data for the design and construction of the RAWMINA pilot system. The final reporting period has been focused on the piloting activities and the compilation of the results/data for the sustainability assessment activities and the final business plan and exploitable results identification
RAWMINA pilot facilities covering Bioleaching, iron precipitation and copper precipitation have been successfully piloting. Obtained results during the operation from two samples (CLC-tailings and Tharsis-ROM, low grade ore sample) were in accordance with previous results obtained from bench scale testing, that way the technology is validated as expected. Bioleaching process using USE bacteria is highly efficient able to leach more than 90 % of the cobalt contained in the raw material. Bio-residue can be also treated to recover more than 75 % of the antimony that remains in the solid. Iron precipitation stage can remove all the iron from solution applying the developed process conditions. Quality of the Schwertmannite (SHM) obtained is excellent for arsenic removal and it has been validated as a precursor of nano-magnetite. Copper precipitation process can significantly reduce the copper content in the final CRM pregnant solution, but it is necessary to find a compromise between copper removal and cobalt co-precipitation to avoid CRMs losses in the process. CRMs solution is amenable to be purified and concentrated for further electrodeposition processing.
RAWMINA project defined 18 objectives that have been successfully achieved in most cases. The results obtained confirm the achievement of the technical objectives related to the efficient recovery of critical metals and sustainable water management. High recovery rates were achieved for strategic elements such as iron, cobalt, antimony, gold, and silver through optimized bioleaching and selective precipitation processes. Additionally, solid waste was successfully transformed into valuable by-products, including nano-magnetite and metal concentrates. Regarding water management, a recovery rate exceeding 90 % was achieved through electrocoagulation, reinforcing the project's circular and sustainable approach.
RAWMINA project successfully achieved its sustainability objectives, including reduction in CO2 emissions and energy savings through process optimization. The reached water recovery rate significantly minimized the ecological impact of mining effluents. Sustainability assessments showed major improvements across environmental, social, and economic indicators, with increased material circularity and net benefits from by-product valorisation. The system’s economic viability was validated, policy recommendations were developed to promote circular mining practices, and public acceptance was fostered through targeted communication and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
RAWMINA project successfully achieved its econometric objectives by implementing circular business models, consolidating a comprehensive EU-wide exploitation strategy, and establishing a pan-European marketplace for CRMs recovery. Collaboration with the EC-RMIS ensured the integration of key results and policy recommendations aligned with EU directives. The validated business plan includes market analysis, partner identification, and the filing of three strategic patents that position the EU as a leader in raw materials processing. An international cooperation strategy was developed to adapt the technology to diverse environmental and sociocultural contexts, while a robust dissemination plan ensured broad scientific and societal outreach. From an economic perspective, the system demonstrates strong viability, with an estimated CAPEX of €508 million, annual OPEX of €251 million, a projected Net Present Value (NPV) of €135 million, and an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 13.6 %, with a payback period of approximately 5.5 years, confirming the commercial potential of the RAWMINA system.
Finally in terms of key exploitable results, RAWMINA consortium identified in the early stage of the project, 20 potential exploitable results and at the end of the project 12 of them have considered with real options to be exploited. Business plan, showing an estimated indicative time-to-market window (from project end) and the critical actions needed to reach market have been performed.
RAWMINA pilot facilities covering Bioleaching, iron precipitation and copper precipitation have been successfully piloting. Obtained results during the operation from two samples (CLC-tailings and Tharsis-ROM, low grade ore sample) were in accordance with previous results obtained from bench scale testing, that way the technology is validated as expected. Bioleaching process using USE bacteria is highly efficient able to leach more than 90 % of the cobalt contained in the raw material. Bio-residue can be also treated to recover more than 75 % of the antimony that remains in the solid. Iron precipitation stage can remove all the iron from solution applying the developed process conditions. Quality of the Schwertmannite (SHM) obtained is excellent for arsenic removal and it has been validated as a precursor of nano-magnetite. Copper precipitation process can significantly reduce the copper content in the final CRM pregnant solution, but it is necessary to find a compromise between copper removal and cobalt co-precipitation to avoid CRMs losses in the process. CRMs solution is amenable to be purified and concentrated for further electrodeposition processing.
RAWMINA project defined 18 objectives that have been successfully achieved in most cases. The results obtained confirm the achievement of the technical objectives related to the efficient recovery of critical metals and sustainable water management. High recovery rates were achieved for strategic elements such as iron, cobalt, antimony, gold, and silver through optimized bioleaching and selective precipitation processes. Additionally, solid waste was successfully transformed into valuable by-products, including nano-magnetite and metal concentrates. Regarding water management, a recovery rate exceeding 90 % was achieved through electrocoagulation, reinforcing the project's circular and sustainable approach.
RAWMINA project successfully achieved its sustainability objectives, including reduction in CO2 emissions and energy savings through process optimization. The reached water recovery rate significantly minimized the ecological impact of mining effluents. Sustainability assessments showed major improvements across environmental, social, and economic indicators, with increased material circularity and net benefits from by-product valorisation. The system’s economic viability was validated, policy recommendations were developed to promote circular mining practices, and public acceptance was fostered through targeted communication and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
RAWMINA project successfully achieved its econometric objectives by implementing circular business models, consolidating a comprehensive EU-wide exploitation strategy, and establishing a pan-European marketplace for CRMs recovery. Collaboration with the EC-RMIS ensured the integration of key results and policy recommendations aligned with EU directives. The validated business plan includes market analysis, partner identification, and the filing of three strategic patents that position the EU as a leader in raw materials processing. An international cooperation strategy was developed to adapt the technology to diverse environmental and sociocultural contexts, while a robust dissemination plan ensured broad scientific and societal outreach. From an economic perspective, the system demonstrates strong viability, with an estimated CAPEX of €508 million, annual OPEX of €251 million, a projected Net Present Value (NPV) of €135 million, and an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 13.6 %, with a payback period of approximately 5.5 years, confirming the commercial potential of the RAWMINA system.
Finally in terms of key exploitable results, RAWMINA consortium identified in the early stage of the project, 20 potential exploitable results and at the end of the project 12 of them have considered with real options to be exploited. Business plan, showing an estimated indicative time-to-market window (from project end) and the critical actions needed to reach market have been performed.
RAWMINA is structured in five stages:
1-Materials and technologies optimization and up-scaling. Mine-waste characterization and conditioning. RAWMINA technologies and processes will be optimized to reach a cost-effective continuous process. Optimized technologies will be individually up-scaled.
2-Validation, simulation and pilot design. Technologies and processes will be tested, at bench-scale, to provide robustness to the overall process for continuous mode operation in real environment. Experimental results will feed simulation tools and will guide a model of the integrated process. This model will serve as a basis for the pilot design.
3-Pilot engineering and demonstration. RAWMINA’s pilot system will be engineered and demonstrated under operational environment (150 kg MW/day) for 12 months. A verification protocol based on the EU Environmental Technology Verification will be developed.
4-Sustainability and Risk Assessment and social innovation. The environmental and associated econometric implications will be assessed by means of LCA/LCC. Ecotoxicity and ecological impact assessments will be carried out. Social and economic assessment will be carried out applying the S-LCA. RAWMINA will implement socially innovative actions under RRI principles.
5-Market uptake, coordination, communication, and dissemination. Commercial exploitation activities will be performed to demonstrate market feasibility, market opportunity, solution viability and a comprehensive business and financial plan.
1-Materials and technologies optimization and up-scaling. Mine-waste characterization and conditioning. RAWMINA technologies and processes will be optimized to reach a cost-effective continuous process. Optimized technologies will be individually up-scaled.
2-Validation, simulation and pilot design. Technologies and processes will be tested, at bench-scale, to provide robustness to the overall process for continuous mode operation in real environment. Experimental results will feed simulation tools and will guide a model of the integrated process. This model will serve as a basis for the pilot design.
3-Pilot engineering and demonstration. RAWMINA’s pilot system will be engineered and demonstrated under operational environment (150 kg MW/day) for 12 months. A verification protocol based on the EU Environmental Technology Verification will be developed.
4-Sustainability and Risk Assessment and social innovation. The environmental and associated econometric implications will be assessed by means of LCA/LCC. Ecotoxicity and ecological impact assessments will be carried out. Social and economic assessment will be carried out applying the S-LCA. RAWMINA will implement socially innovative actions under RRI principles.
5-Market uptake, coordination, communication, and dissemination. Commercial exploitation activities will be performed to demonstrate market feasibility, market opportunity, solution viability and a comprehensive business and financial plan.