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Project title

Raw materials Ireland

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University of Limerick (UL)

Lead Applicant

Lisa O'Donoghue

Project Abstract

Ireland is home to primary industries in materials mining, processing and management of by-products and is a major exporter of zinc to the EU, mining produces significant quantities of lead and processing plants produce large quantities of alumina . In addition, other key sectors include the Irish pharmaceuticals, fine-chemical, engineering and metal processing industries which are serviced by large multinational waste management companies based in Ireland. These companies process wastes such as industrial wastewater, landfill leachate, galvanising wastes, electroplating and metal bearing waste. These wastes represent a large opportunity to recovery valuable metals from secondary sources. This project focuses on three specific Irish sectors and their by-products namely mine tailings, bauxite residue and industrial filter cakes. Today all these waste output fractions are either landfilled or exported.The metal recovery research proposed herein in conjunction with project supporters and steering committee Vedanta, Rusal, Covanta and KMK Metals represents one of the first projects to look at a holistic concept for treating different wastes in a one holistic process and investigating hydrometallurgical processes that aims to cope with and manage input fraction variation. D1.1 Sample analysis and comparison report of the 3 wastes D1.2 Database D1.3 Peer reviewed publication on key characteristic of the 3 wastes (without compromising IP or confidentially of industry partners) D2.1 Results report on lab scale testing for metal recovery D2.2 Holistic recovery strategy review report D2.3 Peer reviewed publication on holistic recovery strategy (without compromising IP or confidentially of industry partners) D3.1 Report on findings of process automated investigation D3.2 Animation ( if applicable) D4.1 Report on findings of the economic review D4.2 Report on the Irish opportunities review D4.3 Minutes and output of the irish Secondary raw materials workshop D4.4 Irish Secondary raw materials road map for these 3 wastes. D4.5 Peer review publication on finding D4.6 key note or conference presentation on project The project contributes directly to the national and European environmental priorities &project results augments Ireland activities in European initiatives such as EIT Raw Materials KIC &EIP BRAVO Raw Materials Commitment. There is excellent industrial involvement including Rusal, Vedanta &KMK metals as well as Covanta on the advisory board. There will be excellent visibility prospects in the context of Irish research at European and International level &this project increasesIreland research capacity in this field.

Grant Approved

�349,995.66

Research Hub

Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

Resource efficiency

Start Date

24/10/2017

Initial Projected Completion Date

24/10/2019