Project description
Turning waste into critical metal treasure
Rapidly increasing global demand for critical metals like selenium (Se), cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) is on the horizon, with projections for their 2050 consumption to surge. These elements are considered critical due to impending supply limitations. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the MinE-UP project is taking an innovative approach, using sewage sludge to extract and recycle these vital metals through targeted phytomining. Specifically, the project will reduce the environmental and economic costs associated with sewage sludge disposal, enhance ecosystem restoration in mined areas, create new opportunities for local communities, and unlock the potential of plant-based products such as Se, Co and Ni bio-ores.
Objective
The global consumption of metals and metalloids is increasing rapidly owing to an ever-growing demand from technology and renewable energy industries. These include selenium (Se), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni) for which the 2050 projected consumption is expected to be 5 to 10-folds higher than today. These elements are defined as “critical” since their supply is expected to be critically limiting in the near future. Considering the increasing demand for critical metal(loid)s, the use of sewage sludge (SS) as alternative resource of these raw materials can constitute an appealing alternative to make “treasure out of trash”, thereby promoting the circular economy. MinE-UP aims at contributing to the supply of Se, Co, and Ni exploiting metal(loid) enriched SS through targeted phytomining. The envisaged solution will utilize degraded mined land as locations in which SS phytomining can safely take place. MinE-Up is expected to: 1) Reduce of the overall amount of disposed SS and the connected environmental and economic costs; 2) Generate a positive environmental impact by enhancing ecosystem restoration in mined areas; 3) Contribute to the valorization of mined lands, creating new opportunities for local communities. 4) Characterize the new plant-based products (Se, Co, Ni bio-ores) and evaluate their possible applications. MinE-UP outcomes will have relevant impacts at scientific, economic, and societal levels. They will range from the investigation of metal accumulation physiology in plants growing on SS, to the assessment of the process effects on land remediation. From the agronomical aspects of hyperaccumulator cultivation, to the procedures of extraction and purification of the valuable elements and molecules contained in hyperaccumulator biomasses. In the long period, MinE-UP innovative methodologies could help in modernizing and re-invent SS disposal methods, giving a second life to this waste while possibly directing the updating of national and EU regulations.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry transition metals
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry metalloids
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
6708 PB Wageningen
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.