RUMBA · Selective Recovery of Critical Raw Materials by Using Metal-Organic Framework Based Adsorbents
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2022-05-01 → 2025-05-31
- EU contribution
- €259,399
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Selective Recovery of Critical Raw Materials by Using Metal-Organic Framework Based Adsorbents
European industrial and technological growth strongly depends on its access to critical raw materials (CRMs) which are crucial for the development of cutting-edge technology products, such as miniaturized electronic devices, electric cars, solar cells, wind turbines, Li-ion batteries, etc. To secure a sustainable supply of CRMs that accompany the technological growth, Europe needs to face with several challenges along the whole raw materials value chain: exploration, extraction, processing, and recycling. Regarding the ore extraction and processing methodologies, and in congruence with the Circular Economy initiative, one of the alternatives for Europe is to develop innovative methods for the recovery of the CRMs wasted as by-products in mining debris (low-grade ore deposits). RUMBA project was designed for the tailored recovery of CRMs (Nb, Ta, W) from European underexploited mining side streams, by using Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) adsorbents. The project was conceived as a methodological improvement of the currently existing recovery processes, mainly based on liquid-liquid extraction. MOFs were selected as CRM-capturing agents due to their porosity, flexibility, adsorption capacity, chemical and thermal stability, which make them capable of extremely fast sorption with unprecedentedly high selectivity toward targeted ionic species. The main objective of RUMBA was to provide a new route to selectively recover W, Nb, and Ta CRMs from low-grade ores by using MOFs adsorbents, opening new ways for mining and raw materials exploration, processing, and recovery. Selected MOFs were expected to be stable, efficient, selective, with high adsorption rates, and recyclable. RUMBA specific objectives (SO) were: • SO1. To identify MOFs for W, Nb and Ta ion adsorption. • SO2. To select the greener synthetic methods for the preparation of MOFs avoiding using toxic substances to the environment. • SO3. To characterize the obtained MOFs • SO4. To study the adsorption efficiency and selectivity of MOFs toward the target CRMs in laboratory tests and from real samples obtained from industrial low-grade ore resources. • SO5. To exploit the interest of the CRM-MOF systems in applications of environmental relevance. RUMBA was designed for a 36-month period, the work covered in this final report includes the first 11 months of the project.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Selective recovery of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) from underexploited mining side streams can contribute to reducing the European dependence on imports of these refractory metals. RUMBA: “Selective Recovery of CRMs (Nb, Ta, W) by Using MOFs Based Adsorbents” aims to improve the efficiency of conventional hydrometallurgical methods. These methods require the digestion of ores under strong acid or alkaline conditions and the recovery of CRM via liquid-liquid extraction. RUMBA innovative approach is based on the use of solid adsorbents known as Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs). MOFs are crystalline materials with porous and flexible frameworks. Their properties (porosity, flexibility, adsorption capacity, chemical and thermal stability) make them capable of extremely fast sorption with unprecedentedly high selectivity toward targeted ionic species. Despite their suitability for heavy metals capture, MOFs have never been used for recovering CRMs. RUMBA involves the first study of the interactions CRM-MOF to guide the design of frameworks with high affinity/selectivity toward target CRMs. Extraction experiments will be performed in samples from real mining streams. Additionally, the CRM-MOF systems will be studied for possible added-value applications of environmental relevance. The feasibility for succeeding in the scientific and training objectives pursued in RUMBA is supported by the strong expertise of the host institution (ICAMCyL) in advanced mining technologies and the solid background of the researcher in synthesis and characterization of MOFs. RUMBA offers the researcher the opportunity of resuming her research career through the exploration of a completely different application for materials she is familiar with. She will gain scientific skills in mineral processing, CRMs regulation, and catalysis. Furthermore, her profile will grow in IPR management and patent exploitation thanks to the supervisor expertise in mining industrial innovation.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- FUNDACION ICAMCYL · CUBILLOS DEL SIL LEONCoordinatorSpain
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union