Objective Objectives and content During 1994 the development and production of niobium super-alloys and niobium products by European Industry has been affected by non-availability of niobium mineral concentrates on the world market. Brazil and Canada are the only niobium producing countries and export only value-added products. European Industry is facing difficulties in developing niobium based products for use in the expanding markets of aerospace, optics, electronics and super-conductors. The proposed research programme is aimed at developing an indigenous source of niobium from the pyrochlor-bearing carbonatite deposits at Sokli, Finland. These deposits are both structurally and mineralogically complex with niobium grades lower (0.5 -1.0 % Nb205) than those currently being exploited in Brazil and Canada. The existence of many different ore types within the deposits has been recognised based on niobium mineralogy, gangue mineralogy and grain size and each will respond differently to the combination of gravity, flotation and magnetic separation techniques that will be used to produce pyrochlore concentrates. It is proposed that a detailed programme of chemical analysis, quantitative mineralogical analysis and laboratory process testwork is undertaken to determine methods by which economic concentrates of pyrochlore may be produced. The results of the analyses and testwork will be used to develop a computer model that will determine the optimum blends of the different oretypes that will maximise the economic potential of the ore. The parameters used in this model will include feed and concentrate grades, niobium recovery by size to the various processes, concentrate value, penalty elements deductions and operating costs. Given that the objective is to optimise more than one variable and that the system dynamics are non-linear, it will be necessary to apply heuristic modelling techniques to goal seek to produce satisfactory results. Pilot plant trials will be undertaken in Finland to confirm the results of the testwork and modelling and to provide data for the basic engineering of an industrial scale process plant. Fields of science agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturegrains and oilseedsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metalsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeologymineralogynatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesartificial intelligenceheuristic programmingnatural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssuperconductivity Programme(s) FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0102 - Development of clean production technologies Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Gesellschaft für Elektrometallurgie Umwelttechnik GmbH EU contribution No data Address 45,Höfener Strasse 45 90431 Nürnberg Germany See on map Total cost No data Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Association pour la Recherche et le Développement des Méthodes et ProcessusIndustriels - ARMINES France EU contribution No data Address 158,Cours Fauriel 158 42000 Saint-Etienne See on map Total cost No data KEMIRA AGRO OY Finland EU contribution No data Address 3,Porkkalankatu 3 00101 Helsinki See on map Total cost No data NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address CROMWELL ROAD LONDON See on map Total cost No data Robertson Research Minerals Ltd United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Mochdre Industrial Estate LL28 5HA Colwyn Bay See on map Total cost No data Université Catholique de Louvain Belgium EU contribution No data Address 3,Place L. Pasteur 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve See on map Total cost No data
