scholarly journals Design for Recycling in a Critical Raw Materials Perspective

Recycling ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Ferro ◽  
Franco Bonollo
Keyword(s):  
Raw Materials ◽  
Space Exploration ◽  
Green Technology ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Technology Products ◽  
Aerial Imaging ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Supply Risks ◽  
Critical Raw Materials

The European Union (EU) identified a number of raw materials that are strategic for its economy but suffer at the same time from a high supply risk. Such critical raw materials (CRMs) are used in a wide range of commercial and governmental applications: green technology, telecommunications, space exploration, aerial imaging, aviation, medical devices, micro-electronics, transportation, defense, and other high-technology products and services. As a result, the industry, the environment, and our quality and modern way of life are reliant on the access and use of them. In this scenario, recycling may be a strategic mitigating action aimed at reducing the critical raw materials supply risks. In this work, a design strategy is proposed for alloys selection that minimizes the number of CRMs with the lowest end-of-life recycling input rate. The method is illustrated with an example.

scholarly journals Complex Concentrated Alloys for Substitution of Critical Raw Materials in Applications for Extreme Conditions

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1197
Author(s):  
Dumitru Mitrica ◽  
Ioana Cristina Badea ◽  
Beatrice Adriana Serban ◽  
Mihai Tudor Olaru ◽  
Denisa Vonica ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Raw Materials ◽  
Extreme Environment ◽  
Extreme Conditions ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Critical Metals ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Level Of Involvement ◽  
General Evaluation ◽  
Critical Metal ◽  
Critical Raw Materials

The paper is proposing a mini-review on the capability of the new complex concentrated alloys (CCAs) to substitute or reduce the use of critical raw materials in applications for extreme conditions. Aspects regarding the regulations and expectations formulated by the European Union in the most recent reports on the critical raw materials were presented concisely. A general evaluation was performed on the CCAs concept and the research directions. The advantages of using critical metals for particular applications were presented to acknowledge the difficulty in the substitution of such elements with other materials. In order to establish the level of involvement of CCAs in the reduction of critical metal in extreme environment applications, a presentation was made of the previous achievements in the field and the potential for the reduction of critical metal content through the use of multi-component compositions.

scholarly journals The significance of energy consumption in environmental impact of rare earth elements recovery from tailings and mining waste

2019 ◽  
Vol 108 ◽  
pp. 02011
Author(s):  
Karolina Kossakowska ◽  
Katarzyna Grzesik
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Rare Earth Elements ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Lca Results ◽  
Critical Raw Materials

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are identified as critical raw materials for the European Union economy. REEs are not currently produced in the EU, while there are several sources not properly addressed. Within the ENVIREE project tailings from New Kankberg (Sweden) and Covas (Portugal) were identified as rich in REEs and chosen for recovery processing. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology was used to evaluate the environmental impact of REEs recovery. The aim of this study is the detailed analysis of several scenarios with different electricity production schemes of REE recovery. The study discusses the share of energy use in the overall impact on the environment, taking into account diversification in the electricity production structure among EU countries. The energy use is a significant contributor to the overall environmental impact of studied cases. Its share in the total environmental burden is reaching up to 47%. The results show that applying the average electricity scheme production for Europe may lead to biased LCA results. For the accurate LCA results the local production schemes of energy for certain countries should be chosen.

scholarly journals Characterization, Classification, Dry High-Intensity Magnetic Separation (DHIMS), and Re-Grinding Techniques to Improve the Mineral Performance of a Sn-Ta-Nb Mineral Concentrate

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Jennire Nava ◽  
Teresa Llorens ◽  
Juan Menéndez-Aguado
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Separation ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Mining Operations ◽  
Mineralogical Characterization ◽  
Industrial Processing ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Critical Raw Materials

Ta and Nb are considered critical raw materials due to their properties and potential applications in a wide range of sectors. This study deals with Sn-Ta-Nb minerals from the Penouta mine (Orense, Spain), the only active mine in Europe producing tantalum minerals. These minerals are obtained from mining waste accumulated during old mining operations in tailing ponds. The industrial processing flowsheet is based on successive gravimetric stages followed by low intensity magnetic separation to reduce ferromagnetic contaminants. A Sn-Ta-Nb concentrate, with grades between 35–45% Sn and 4–7% Ta2O5 and Nb2O5, is obtained in this stage with plant recoveries around 60–70%, respectively. A chemical-mineralogical characterization by size fractions, XRF and XRD was carried out to implement a size classification stage in the processing plant. The finest fractions, containing higher grades of well-liberated Sn, Ta, and Nb minerals were utilized as the feed for dry high intensity magnetic separation (DHIMS) multifactorial tests, while coarse fractions were regrinded to maximize performance. The favorable results obtained in these tests demonstrate that two products with commercial quality can be obtained: a cassiterite concentrate with grades between 70–78% SnO2 and a tantalite-columbite concentrate with grades ranging between 12 and 14% Ta2O5 and Nb2O5, while also increasing the overall recovery of the plant.

Collecting, harmonizing and sharing data on European Raw Materials

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisbeth Flindt Jørgensen ◽  
Špela Kumelj ◽  
Teresa Brown
Keyword(s):  
Raw Materials ◽  
National Level ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Geological Survey ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Critical Metals ◽  
Data Infrastructure ◽  
Geological Conditions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Central Database

<p>Geological raw materials cover a wide range of materials from sand and gravel over granites and marbles to precious or critical metals and minerals. Man has extracted these materials from the (sub)surface since prehistorical eras, and these indispensable substances have to a very large extent contributed to the evolution of humankind.</p><p>In the latest decades, raw materials of economically and strategically importance for society but with high-risks associated with their supply, referred to as Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). To a large extent they form the basis for modern society as they are essential in key industry sectors. In the latest years, access to CRMs is a strategic security question for Europe’s road towards the green transition.</p><p>In September 2020, The European Commission launched a new list of CRMs as well as a strategy to enhance Europe’s resilience as most of these substances are sourced from other continents, and as the global competitions is increasing (EC, 2020). Among others, one of the suggested actions in this strategy is to ‘strengthen the sustainable and responsible domestic sourcing ……. in the European Union’. Although Europe has a long tradition of mining and extractive activities, it is acknowledged that there are several challenges to reach a situation with European sourcing of a certain amount of CRMs. Challenges include lack of interest in investment, strict permitting procedures or low levels of public acceptance. Nevertheless, it is recognized that the European geological conditions carry significant potential for CRMs, but more harmonised knowledge across borders is needed. This is where the Geological Survey Organisations of Europe play an important role as they are key partners in collecting and storing information on raw materials at national levels, and in making these available for endusers as policy and decision makers.  </p><p>All European countries have a national geological survey organization, some in addition a number of regional surveys. Most host data on raw materials, however, data are typically organized in different ways from one country to another based on different geological traditions and legal commitments. In the GeoERA MINTELL4EU project we build on previous projects as Minerals4EU, ProSUM, SCRREEN, ORAMA, and cooperate with ongoing projects as RESEERVE to collect raw material data in central database and to visualize these data in harmonized way at the European Geological Data Infrastructure (EGDI). Data includes, among other things, the location of individual mineral occurrences, mines, etc. stored in a central database called MIN4EU, and aggregated statistical data at national level on production, trade and reserves etc, compiled in what we know as the electronic Minerals Yearbook. The methods used for collecting (harvesting) and storing data will be discussed, and examples of harmonized visualizations will be shared.</p><p>MINTELL4EU is a part of the GeoERA programme supported by European Union's Horizon 2020, grant agreement no. 731166. </p>

scholarly journals The Economics of Coking Coal Mining: A Fossil Fuel Still Needed for Steel Production

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (22) ◽  
pp. 7682
Author(s):  
Adam Duda ◽  
Gregorio Fidalgo Valverde
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Steel Production ◽  
Economic Importance ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Coking Coal ◽  
Technological Readiness ◽  
Mining Project ◽  
Critical Raw Materials

Coking coal has been on the European list of critical raw materials since 2014 due to its high economic importance and high supply risk. In 2017, coking coal narrowly missed passing the threshold of economic importance. However, out of caution, it remained on the list of critical raw materials, as the steel industry still needs it. It is likely to be phased out of the list below when it does not fully meet the required criteria. As there are no significant alternatives for this energy intensive industry and neither electrification nor material or energy efficiency improvements are yet available at a sufficient level of technological readiness, the European Union remains dependent on coking coal imports. Therefore, any coking coal mining project in Europe is of great importance and an important alternative to solving the problems of providing this raw material. In this study, the Dębieńsko coking coal project in Poland is analyzed using a scientifically proven methodology based on world-class analysis of coking coal projects submitted for financing to financial institutions.

scholarly journals Critical raw materials as a part of sustainable development

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 12-23
Author(s):  
Michal Cehlár ◽  
Zuzana Šimková
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Area ◽  
Material Sources ◽  
Committee Of The Regions ◽  
Critical Raw Materials

The presented article deals with the issue of critical raw materials in the European Union with an emphasis on sustainable development and also barite, as an only one critical raw material mined in Slovakia. The article points out in detail the deposits of individual critical raw materials within the European Union. They clearly profile the European area´s dependence on imports of critical raw materials in accordance with the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the European Union's list of critical raw materials. Based on a defined Herfindahl-Hirschman index, which is clearly methodologically described, the article also points to the exploitation of critical raw materials in the European Union, what is in consideration of sustainable development crucial because some inventions are fundamentally dependent on them, as is their production on world markets. This article deals with critical raw materials in the EU, because it is in this area that we would like to experience the 4th industrial revolution, which is characterized by "new products" with a short life cycle, products with the least possible impact on the environment, i.e. innovations that are often impossible without important raw materials. Is it at all possible to talk about sustainable development with such raw material sources in European Union?

The features of Slovenia ecological policy

2021 ◽  
pp. 264 (317)-272 (324)
Author(s):  
Yuriy Konstantinovich Knyazev
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Environmental Policy ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Total Production ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Government

In Slovenia, there is an urgent problem of limiting the harmful effects of economic activities that deteriorate the living conditions of people, animals and fl ora. The state is taking measures to encourage residents to stay in their home towns and take care of their arrangement and development, the preservation of natural resources and a comfortable environment for people. Numerous public organizations of civil society play an important role in this. This article outlines the features of the modern environmental policy of Slovenia, carried out within the framework of the general line of the European Union, aimed at the phasing out of carbon fuels and the transition to renewable energy sources. The article analyzes Slovenian official documents, setting out the country's environmental strategy, progress in the implementation of plans for energy and climate measures until 2030, the current state of the energy sector and its compliance with the planned tasks. The author's assessment of the efficiency of the environmental policy carried out in Slovenia and its possible results is presented. It is stated that although the indicators of improving the environmental situation are gradually increasing, the emission of harmful gases is decreasing, and the efficiency of the use of energy and raw materials is improving, Slovenia still lags behind the European average in most of these indicators. Meanwhile, it has a relatively high share of renewable energy sources in its total production. This is achieved through budget subsidies for the energy produced from renewable energy sources so that its price does not exceed the market level. Significant monetary resources are spent to apply a wide range of incentive measures. Therefore, the government is forced to seek opportunities to further increase the funding for environmental activities, in particular through European Union funds, including assistance to fight the coronavirus pandemic. English version of the article on pp. 317-324 at URL: https://panor.ru/articles/features-of-the-environmental-policy-in-slovenia/66114.html

scholarly journals Challenges to the European automotive industry in securing critical raw materials for electric mobility: the case of rare earths

2020 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Schmid
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Electric Mobility ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Corporate Executives ◽  
Supply Risks ◽  
Critical Raw Materials

AbstractCritical raw materials (CRMs) are crucial for the transformation towards low carbon mobility. However, their production is often highly concentrated in a few countries, which leads to supply risks. Exemplified by the case of rare earth elements (REEs) and based on in-depth interviews with corporate executives from companies along the automotive supply chain, this contribution provides insights into the strategies of the European automotive industry to cope with these supply risks. Results show a lack of awareness of REE criticality studies and their outcomes in the past, the decisive role of price competitiveness when pursuing mitigation strategies and a lack of willingness or ability to engage in rare earth (RE) projects to get access to production output and secure supply. Overall, affected companies struggle to pursue long-term oriented strategies to secure their need for REEs. These findings are discussed with regard to the new demand for CRMs due to the shift to electric mobility and the specific challenges that the automotive industry faces.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document