News

In the framework of the SULTAN project, researchers from VITO and KU Leuven collaborated on developing an innovative solvometallurgical leaching method for extracting lead from zinc calcine and zinc leaching residue materials.

The long-awaited mini-documentary “The Sami Perspective” is now available. The film tries to understand why the indigenous reindeer-herding Sami communities are so strongly opposed to metal mining in the North of Sweden. This joint press release provides the essential background.

“Gripping & informative. Excellently presented!” “Eye opening” “Thoroughly informed science communication with real social impact” “A wake-up call for Europe”. Here is the Debrief about the documentary “Made in Europe: from mine to electric vehicle”.

Within the H2020 MSCA-ETN SULTAN project (https://etn-sultan.eu/), VITO and KU Leuven researchers developed a novel and straightforward solvometallurgical process to extract and recover copper from copper mineral chrysocolla.

On February 28, 2023, Natalia Pires Martins successfully defended her PhD thesis entitled “Use of calcium sulfoaluminate binder chemistry for sustainable cement”. Natalia did her PhD at the Chair of Sustainable Construction of the ETH Zurich and was one of the Early Stage Researchers of the MSCA-ETN SULTAN project. Natalia carried out her PhD in Civil Engineering under the supervision ...

Binnemans & Jones published a new position paper in JSM: “Ionic Liquids and Deep-Eutectic Solvents in Extractive Metallurgy: Mismatch Between Academic Research and Industrial Applicability”. Here we publish some testimonials.

SIM² KU Leuven geologists Prof. Jan Elsen and Prof. Ruben Snellings are proud to announce the publication of the Elements Special Issue “Cement and Concrete: From the Romans to Mars”.

The SOLVOMET Group is delighted to announce the publication of its long-awaited position paper “The Twelve Principles of Circular Hydrometalllurgy” in the Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy.

The closing EU CROCODILE video has been released. Featuring Nand Peeters (KU Leuven), Flavia Forte (Eco Recycling) and Zhangqi Wang (Accurec), the video covers the recycling value chain for the recovery and refining of Co from spent Li-ion batteries.

On October 20, 2022, the documentary “Responsible Mining in Europe: A new paradigm to counter climate change” was officially launched. Here we provide an overview of testimonials as obtained from various experts worldwide.

SAVE THE DATE for the satellite event of the EU Raw Materials Week “(Re)mining extractive waste – Perspectives for the EU?” (Closing NEMO event - Le Plaza Hotel, Brussels, 15 November 2022, 2 pm).

On August 19, 2022, He Niu obtains his PhD degree in Processing Engineering

Francisco Veiga Simão obtains PhD on “Sustainable use of (cleaned) sulphidic mining waste in building ceramics”.

On June 17, 2022, Jillian Helser (SIM2 KU Leuven Institute and Early Stage Researcher in the MSCA-ETN SULTAN project) obtained her PhD degree in Science.

On May 9, 2022, Srećko Bevandić (SIM2 KU Leuven Institute and Early Stage Researcher in the MSCA-ETN SULTAN project) obtained his PhD degree in Geology.

During 4 days, young students and researchers from 9 different institutions gathered in Sweden to visit mines, smelters, R&D centers and industrial plants. Here is the report of Carlos Quintero (SOLVOMET/SIM² KU Leuven).

On June 8, 2022, Panagiotis Xanthopoulos (SOLVOMET/SIM2 & MSCA-ETN SULTAN) obtained his PhD degree in Chemistry. He successfully defended his PhD thesis “Recovery of metal ions from dilute aqueous solutions by ion flotation”.

Within the framework of the EU Horizon 2020 project NEMO, SOLVOMET/SIM2 researchers have compared the effect of mixer-settlers and agitated columns on the separation of cobalt and nickel with Cyanex 272.

SOLVOMET/SIM² researchers have published their research on the effect of polar organic solvents on the solvent extraction process for rare-earth separation. The research was performed in the framework of the H2020 project NEMO.

To remine or not to remine extractive waste in Europe? That was the core question during the symposium "(Re)Mining Extractive Waste, A new business?" (Mechelen, May 17-18, 2022). SIM² Director Peter Tom Jones summarises the main lessons learned.