TOWARDS A GREENER MINERAL AND METAL INDUSTRY THANKS TO THE ALSICAL PROJECT
The recently funded Horizon 2020 AlSiCal project kicked off last September 18th and 19th. The meeting took place in Kjeller, Norway at the premises of its coordinator, the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE).
The project aims at developing an innovative technology to reduce the environmental impact of producing alumina, silica and calcium carbonate by using alternative mineral resources in one single process.
AlSiCal project
AlSiCal is an ambitious research and innovation project to make the mineral and metal industry more sustainable and environmentally sound. The core of the project is the already patented and ground-breaking Aranda-Mastin technology, which enables the sustainable production of alumina, silica and precipitated calcium carbonate by using currently unexploited resources whilst generating ZERO Bauxite Residue and ZERO carbon dioxide (CO2) from production.
These are high-demand raw materials with expected demand growth worldwide. Securing domestic access to these basic raw materials is of high priority for the European Union. Currently they are obtained through traditional processes that generate considerable CO2 emissions, and bauxite residue in the case of alumina, clashing with an increased demand for more sustainable production.
Objective AlSiCal project
AlSiCal will contribute to reach the European Union´s goals by further researching, developing and de-risking the Aranda-Mastin technology, which will allow for:
The green co-production of the three essential raw materials, in a single process and from one source;
The efficient use of anorthosite, a mineral abundant in Europe and worldwide;
Integrated CO2 use and capture to achieve ZERO CO2 emissions from production;
ZERO Bauxite Residue generation from alumina production.
In four years AlSiCal aims to develop this European innovation, which enables domestic access to high-demand raw materials under sustainability principles, contributing to European economic growth through low carbon and low environmental footprint technologies.
AlSiCal consortium
The AlSiCal consortium comprises 16 international partners from 9 countries, representing the whole value chain in the minerals and metals industry. The project benefits from the participation of research and technology organizations, mining and mineral exploration companies, technology developers, end users, business developers and international interests organizations, jointly aiming at an effective and efficient innovation towards a more sustainable future.
The project in short:
Project acronym: AlSiCal
Full title: Towards sustainable mineral and metal industry: ZERO Bauxite Residue and ZERO CO2 from co-production of Alumina, Silica and precipitated Calcium carbonate by the Aranda-Mastin technology
Project Coordinator: Dr. Asunción (Suni) Aranda, at Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), Norway
Project start: 1st Sept. 2019
Duration: 4 years
Fund: 5,9 M€ from the H2020 programme
Number of partners: 16, from 9 different countries
For further details and information requests, please contact Suni Aranda at suni.aranda@ife.no
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