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Solvometallurgy for critical metals

Descripción del proyecto

Un nuevo método para extraer metales críticos de los residuos electrónicos

La reciente «crisis de las tierras raras» ha puesto de manifiesto la necesidad de materiales abundantes y rentables. El equipo del proyecto SOLCRIMET, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Investigación, aborda este problema mediante la elaboración de un método sin precedentes denominado solvometalurgia, que extrae metales críticos de los residuos. Se trata de un reto diferente al de extraer metal puro de yacimientos primarios. El método propuesto utiliza pares de disolventes no acuosos que permiten la extracción de metales a temperaturas moderadas, con lo que se obtienen metales reciclados de gran pureza. En SOLCRIMET se planean demostraciones a escala de laboratorio del proceso solvometalúrgico, con importantes implicaciones para la química, la metalurgia y la ingeniería de materiales, al tiempo que se impulsa considerablemente las tasas mundiales de reciclaje de metales críticos.

Objetivo

The recent “rare-earth crisis” has brought about the widespread realisation that the long-term availability and cost stability of many materials – not just the rare earths – can no longer be guaranteed. Increasing the levels of critical metal recycling from pre-consumer, manufacturing waste and complex, multicomponent end-of-life consumer products is considered as arguably the most important and realistic mitigation strategy. However, extracting a critical metal from complex waste is a very different challenge to that faced when attempting to produce a pure metal from a primary ore deposit. SOLCRIMET therefore develops a ground-breaking, novel approach called “solvometallurgy”, a new branch within metallurgy, next to conventional hydro- and pyrometallurgy. SOLCRIMET’s aim is to successfully apply this approach to the extraction of specific critical metals, i.e. rare earths, tantalum, niobium, cobalt, indium, gallium, germanium and antimony. As these critical metals are essential components for clean-tech and high-tech applications, they are key enablers of the required transition to a low-carbon, circular economy. The approach involves the discovery of non-aqueous solvent pairs that are immiscible and allow the extraction of metal complexes at moderate temperatures, leading to high-purity recycled metals. The idea is certainly high risk, but the preliminary results already obtained are highly encouraging. The main outcomes of the project will be lab-scale demonstrators that show the enhanced efficiency, utility and applicability of the new solvometallurgical process, with respect to conventional hydro- and pyrometallurgy. SOLCRIMET’s impact on chemistry, chemical technology, metallurgy and materials engineering science will be game-changing. The possibility to recycle critical metals with energy-efficient, low-cost processes could have a significant impact on the global recycling rates of these metals.

Régimen de financiación

ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant

Institución de acogida

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
Aportación neta de la UEn
€ 2 496 250,00
Dirección
OUDE MARKT 13
3000 Leuven
Bélgica

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Región
Vlaams Gewest Prov. Vlaams-Brabant Arr. Leuven
Tipo de actividad
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Enlaces
Coste total
€ 2 496 250,00

Beneficiarios (1)