|
First ever zero-waste tailings valorisation project approved: meet SBO SMART
SIM² KU Leuven is delighted to announce that its SBO project “SMART” has been formally approved by the Flemish Government (SIM & VLAIO). SMART stands for Sustainable Metal Extraction from Tailings. SMART is a strategic basic research project within the long-term SIM MaRes programme on “Materials from Solid and Liquid Industrial Process Residues”. This project, which was developed together with SIM KU Leuven’s strategic research partners VITO and UGent, as well as FLAMAC and supported by a plethora of Flemish companies, is the first ever project in Flanders that is 100% dedicated to finding zero-waste solutions for tailings, i.e. the materials left over after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction (gangue) of an ore. This project is of strategic interest for the Flemish partners of EIT RawMaterials.
Read more about the SIM SBO SMART project here
|
|
|
RL4: Sustainability Assessment & Policy Research
This SIM² KU Leuven Research Line investigates the economic and environmental feasibility of new flow sheets for the recovery of metals and/or minerals from end-of-life consumer goods, industrial process residues and low-grade ores. Particular attention goes out to the legal, social and economic bottlenecks, while assessing also the opportunities and possible incentives for sustainable (inorganic) materials management.
|
|
|
Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy's thematic section on red mud valorisation
The management of bauxite residue (BR), also known as red mud, continues to be a challenge. More than 150 million tonnes of BR is produced annually, and a number of legacy sites still remain, asking for attention. Yet, from a different perspective, BR can be seen as a resource. The Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy (vol. 2, issue 4) features a dedicated thematic section on zero-waste BR valorisation, incl. a preface and seven selected papers.
|
|
|
SIM² KU Leuven's guide to Open Access
Since the launch of Horizon 2020 the EC has been highlighting the importance of Open Access publishing. Open Access publishing implies that all peer-reviewed scientific publications resulting from a Horizon 2020 project should be deposited in open-access repositories. SIM² KU Leuven developed a step-by-step Open Access flow diagram that can be used by all partners who are involved in Horizon 2020 projects.
|
|
|
|
EU H2020 PLATIRUS: Platinum group metals recovery using secondary raw materials
PLATIRUS is a new EU Horizon 2020 project (GA 730224), which aims at reducing the EU deficit of Platinum Group Metals (PGMs). PLATIRUS targets a miniaturised PGMs recovery process. Input secondary raw materials are autocatalysts, electronic waste (WEEE) and tailings & slags from nickel and copper smelters. KU Leuven and VITO are core partners in this project, which is coordinated by Tecnalia.
|
|
|
Policy Brief on the need for continued critical raw material (CRM) research
Prof. Binnemans was invited to give a talk at the “Critical Raw Materials in Everyday Applications” workshop (Brussels, September 26-27, 2016). This Policy Workshop was organised to bring Critical Raw Materials experts in contact with EU Policy Makers. Prof. Binnemans provided a clear Policy Brief message to the EU Policy Makers, concerning the need for a concerted effort for continued CRM research, not despite of but rather because of the current low prices for CRMs.
|
|
|
Tobias Hertel wins Best Paper Award (ICSOBA)
ETN REDMUD Early Stage Researcher Tobias Hertel (KU Leuven) has won the "Best Bauxite/Alumina Paper Award" for his paper "Large-Scale Valorisation of Bauxite Residue for Inorganic Polymers" at the 34th International ICSOBA Conference in Québec, Canada (October 3-6, 2016). The paper was co-authored by Remus Ion Iacobescu, Bart Blanpain and Yiannis Pontikes.
|
|
|
|
- 5th International Slag Valorisation Symposium, Leuven, Belgium, 3/04/2017 - 5/04/2017. Visit website here
- 2nd Conference on European Rare Earth Resources (ERES 2017), Santorini, Greece, 28/05/2017 - 31/05/2017. Visit website here
- EUROMAT 2017 (Area H: Raw Materials), Thessaloniki, Greece, 17/09/2017 22/09/2017. Visit website here.
- 2nd Bauxite Residue Valorisation and Best Practices Conference, Athens, Greece - 7/05/2018 - 9/05/2018. Visit website here.
|
|
|
|
