Enhanced Ni/Co refining capacity in Europe to process both EU-sources and imported non-EU ores, concentrates and intermediate
In this documentary Peter Tom Jones (Director KU Leuven Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals) searches for answers to Europe’s ambiguous relationship with primary mining of energy-transition metals. The documentary wants to trigger a more-informed debate about the three-pronged strategy of the European Commission in terms of raw materials for the climate transition and related planetary problems, i.e. (1) more and better recycling, (2) responsible sourcing from outside Europe; (3) responsible mining in Europe. The central questions tackled in the documentary are: how can Europe avoid the nightmarish scenario on becoming completely dependent on China et al. for (refined) rare earths, lithium, cobalt, nickel, tin etc. How can mining be(come) socially and environmentally responsible? How can we overcome the NIMBY syndrome?
The ENICON consortium has been set up with great care to combine complementary expertise, spanning the entire Ni/Co value chain (from mine to battery-grade Ni and Co (salts) as precursor for NMC cathodes) and covering both the Ni/Co sulphide mines/deposits/Tailings Storage Facilities (mainly in Scandinavia) and Ni(/Co) laterites (mainly in Southeast Europe) (see Fig. 1.1). Likewise, the participants have complementary and interdisciplinary expertise in the areas of ore geology; forensic geometallurgy; minerals (pre)processing; bio-, pyro-, electro- and hydrometallurgy; geochemistry and coordination chemistry; materials science; thermodynamic and process modelling; environmental and techno-economic assessment; as well as industrial production of FeNi, Ni-matte and battery-grade Ni and Co.
A European mine to EV value chain? Pipe dream or a resounding “yes, we can!”. Find out in this Trends Talk with Peter Tom Jones (26 August 2023, Kanaal Z). A 30-minute hard-talk interview about our dangerous reliance on China.
1st ENICON Capacity Building Seminar 2-3 October 2023 The ENICON (https://enicon-horizon.eu) Horizon Europe funded research project, organizes the 1st Capacity Building Seminar, on the 2nd
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.
Koen Binnemans was awarded a second ERC Advanced Grant for his CIRMET project: Circular Hydrometallurgy for Energy-Transition. SIM² provides a sneak preview of what you can expect in CIRMET in this open-hearted interview.
ENICON project presented in a virtual exhibition organised within “Energy Futures: Critical minerals, climate neutrality and transition pathways” exhibition organised by Aalto University
ENICON project is a founding member of the Cluster Hub for Production of Raw Materials for Batteries from European Resources https://www.materialsforbatterieshub.eu
Curious about our project? Get in touch!
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon Europe under Grant Agreement No. 101058124
