Técnicas Reunidas is leading a research project to research project to recover critical raw materials for ecological transition

• The MINETHIC project will investigate new sources of recovery of unconventional critical raw materials and develop new technologies to recover them efficiently and sustainably, including digital technologies.
• The European Union has warned that a good supply of raw materials is critical.
• The project will be developed by a consortium led by Técnicas Reunidas and also comprising five other Spanish companies (FCC Medio Ambiente, Apria Systems, IDP, IMA Magnets and Torrecid). The scientific coordination will be carried out by the Centro Tecnológico de Investigación Multisectorial (CETIM)
• The project has been incorporated into the Missions Programme of the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) with the highest score achieved by any initiative submitted to it since its creation in 2020.

Técnicas Reunidas will lead from its José Lladó Technology Centre the development of a research project of great strategic importance for Europe: the recovery of minerals and metals considered as critical raw materials (CPM), key for the technology sector and the ecological transition.

The European Commission has recently warned that the transition towards climate neutrality could transform the current dependence on fossil fuels into a dependence on metals.

The research will be undertaken by a consortium comprising five other Spanish companies (FCC Medio Ambiente, Apria Systems, IDP, IMA Magnets and Torrecid) with the scientific coordination of the Multisectoral Research Technology Centre (CETIM).

In addition, the project has three strategic partners (Áridos do Mendo, MAGNA and EDAR Bens) and the contribution of five research organisations (CETIM, Eurecat, IMdea Materiales, Tecnalia and the University of Cantabria).

Proof of the strategic importance attached to this initiative is that it has been incorporated into the Missions Programme of the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) with the highest rating achieved by any proposal submitted to it since its creation in 2020.

Strategic materials for the ecological transition

Critical raw materials – rare earths, cobalt, nickel, manganese, phosphorus, etc. – are an essential resource for the development of the activities of technology companies and the manufacture of equipment for the ecological transition. Dependence on other countries entails a high risk of supply and acquisition cost, due to the growing international demand for these raw materials.

The MINETHIC project aims to recover these minerals – from various by-products and waste – with the necessary high levels of purity.

The consortium companies and their contributions

The companies participating in the consortium are the following:

• • • Técnicas Reunidas, promoter and leader of the project, will research innovative technologies for the pre-treatment, concentration and purification of critical raw materials from mining by-products and urban and industrial waste, as well as their final application in catalysts. It will also carry out the design of recovery routes and their study on a larger scale.

• • • FCC Environment will analyse pre-treatment and concentration technologies for different fractions of urban and municipal waste that favour the extraction and purification of the critical raw materials present in them.

• • • Apria Systems will study the concentration and purification of metals from different mining by-products and urban and industrial waste.

• • • IDP will simulate and model the processes of pre-treatment, concentration and purification of elements to optimise these processes, reduce energy consumption and lower associated costs.

• • • IMA Magnets will bring its expertise in the implementation of recovered raw materials for the sustainable manufacture of magnets.

• • • Torrecid will investigate the reuse of recovered metal oxides for the synthesis of new components that are key to the ecological transition.

The project, estimated to take 32 months to complete, has an initial budget of 5 million euros.