Section ENVIRONMENT
TOPIC

MYTILINEOS
European bauxite residue research projects.

In the context of the circular economy, the Metallurgy Department of MYTILINEOS has set itself the goal of developing technologies that will allow the holistic utilization of bauxite residues (which is the main environmental impact of this activity) through its participation in European research projects.

It refers to the description of the programs for each program separately.
  • SCALE research project (Production of Scandium compounds and Scandium Aluminum alloys from European resources - Duration: December 2016 - November 2020) which aims at the export of Rare Earths and in particular Scandium compounds (Sc) and Aluminum - Scandium alloys from European metallurgical residues, such as Bauxite residues. In this program, with a total budget of € 7 million, the coordinator is the Metallurgy Department of MYTILINEOS, the NTUA participates. and a total of 19 partners from 9 European countries.
  • Research project ENSUREAL (Ensuring sustainable alumina production - Duration: 2017-2021), with the aim of developing new methods of alumina production from alternative sources such as poorer bauxite deposits and bauxite residues.
  • Research project SIDEREWIN (Sustainable Electro-wining of Iron - Duration: 2017-2022), coordinated by ArcelorMittal, which aims to pilot a new sustainable technology of electrolytic production of iron in an alkaline environment.
  • Research program RemovAL (Removing the waste streams from the primary Aluminum production and other metal sectors in Europe - Duration 2018-2022), coordinated by TED Metallurgy of MYTILINEOS. The project will last 4 years, has a total budget of € 11.5 million and 27 partners, including the largest alumina producers outside Asia (RUSAL, RIO TINTO, ALCOA) as well as the European Aluminum Association and the International Aluminum Institute. 

As mentioned in the program description (Institutes, University Institutions, Large Enterprises)

Yes

Al. Aluminum Factory Nikolaos of Viotia.

SCALE Program: In this program, with a total budget of € 7 million, the coordinator is the Metallurgy Department of MYTILINEOS, the NTUA participates. and a total of 19 partners from 9 European countries. The construction of a pilot extraction unit in the acidic environment of Bauxite Residues for the production of Sc concentrate for further utilization in a pilot unit of another partner has already started at the facilities of TED Metallurgy. Scandium is a rare earth mineral, its global production does not exceed 15 tons (mainly from industrial by-products) and it uses 'rising' technological applications such as: a) "Electrolytic" natural gas production (SOFC) with double efficiency from current thermal power plants, b) Aluminum - Scandium alloys of very high strength, such as the Al-Sc-Mg alloy used by AIRBUS in 3D printing technology of components. http://scale-project.eu/

ENSUREAL Program: The extraction of cast iron and alumina from Bauxite Residues through a combination of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical treatment will be tested on a pilot scale at the MYTILINEOS Metallurgy Department. The first medium-scale smelting tests with Greek bauxite and bauxite residues were successfully performed in Norway. https://www.ensureal.com/


SIDEREWIN Program: The TED Metallurgy of MYTILINEOS in collaboration with the NTUA. will study the use of bauxite residues as an alternative source of iron in this process. https://www.siderwin-spire.eu/content/home


RemovAL Program: Coordinated by TED Metallurgy of MYTILINEOS. The purpose of RemovAL is to pilot different technologies for the utilization of bauxite residues. The technologies and pilot units that will be used, in most cases, have already been developed in previous or ongoing research projects and through RemovAL will be gathered and used as a basis for a European industrial cohabitation network.

The programs are in progress. However, the main goal and benefit for the company is to use the Bauxite Residues as a future valuable Raw Material.