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Science Communication

Below the published journal papers and conference papers written by one of the team members of the NEMO project are listed. These are updated on a regular basis.
The NEMO project partners also organise several activities about public acceptance and present the NEMO project concept, first results, abstracts, etc. at various events.

Presentations about NEMO at various events

  • International Solvent Extraction Conference (ISEC2022, Gothenburg, Sweden, 26-30/09/2022)

    The latest developments in the world of solvent extraction were discussed during the 2022 edition ISEC, at Chalmers University of Technology in Götenborg, Sweden. Brecht Dewulf presented his work on a non-aqueous solvent-extraction process for heavy rare-earth separation, which was developed based on the concentrate originating from the PLS of primary heap leaching operations at Sotkamo. The presentation entitled “Heavy rare-earth separation by non-aqueous solvent extraction” can be found here.

  • 13th European Congress of Chemical Engineering and 6th European Congress of Applied Biotechnology (ECCE&ECAB 2021, Online, 20-23/09/2021) https://ecce-ecab2021.eu/The ECCE-ECAB Congress addresses the challenges faced in the development of new materials and sustainable processes. Therefore, Brecht Dewulf presented his work on a non-aqueous solvent-extraction process for heavy rare-earth separation, which was developed based on the concentrate originating from the PLS of primary heap leaching operations at Sotkamo. This NEMO process showed a significant reduction in the number of solvent extraction stages, as well as the amount of chemicals needed, which would contribute to more sustainable separation processes. The presentation entitled “Purification and separation of rare-earth elements originating from sulphidic mining residue using non-aqueous solvent extraction” can be found here.
  • International Conference on Raw Materials and Circular Economy RawMat 2021 (Greece, 5-9/09/2021) https://www.rawmat2021.gr/congress/Brecht Dewulf presented the latest results at RawMat 2021 on the effect of polar molecular solvents on the extraction of rare-earth elements, obtained within the NEMO project. Following the demands and trends of modern society, RawMat2021 addressed a wide range of technological developments and future challenges regarding raw materials with emphasis on circular economy. The presentation entitled “Separation of rare-earth elements by non-aqueous solvent extraction” can be downloaded here.
  • The 10th International Symposium on Biomining (Biomining’21 – 7-10/06/2021 – Online). Carmen Falagan presented at the Biomining’21 symposium. In her talk, “Effect of nutrient and raffinate addition in bioleaching of a pyrrhotite-pyrite ore”, Carmen talked about the research carried out at the University of Exeter on the bioleaching of the secondary ore of the Sotkamo mineral. The symposium brings together researchers involved in the field of biohydrometallurgy, bioprocessing including and bioremediation. The international symposium was carried out as an online event, with delegates from more than 10 different countries and covered topics related to bioleaching of ores, concentrates and mine waste, biooxidation, and bioremediation. You may download the presentation here: Carmen Falagan Biomining’21
  • Slag Valorization Symposium 2021 (SVG) (Belgium 27-29/04/2021)
    Valentina Mariga presented the results of her master thesis at the Slag Valorisation Symposium 2021, with the speech “Sustainability analysis in the mining sector: a case study on new recycling technologies for sulphidic mine residues valorisation”. The thesis, developed within the framework of NEMO, presented a preliminary sustainability assessment for metals recovery process from sulphidic tailings, by mean of combining bioleaching and sulphide precipitation processes. By using data from literature and previous case study, the work investigated the environmental, economic and social benefits of the proposed technologies. You may download the presentation here: SVS 2021 Sustainability analysis in the mining sector
  • International Process Metallurgy Symposium 2019 (IPMS) (Finland, 5/11/2019)
    The 2019 International Process Metallurgy Symposium focused on “Metallurgy as a tool for challenges in circular economy”. As such, it emphasizes the important role metallurgy and metallurgists have in solving the resource deficit in metals and minerals. The shift from “traditional” raw material research towards recycled materials is ongoing. Another emerging or growing trend is the need and request for minimizing and utilizing waste in processes. All this underlines the importance of fundamental metallurgical research, knowledge and education, when we are changing from linear economy towards Circular Economy of Metals. Pirkka-Pekka Ollonqvist presented the NEMO project, exposing its concept and first results on “Sulfide precipitation kinetics and particle size distribution in Zn-Ni-Co system”.
  • Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit 2019 (Cyprus, 23/10/2019)
    The 2019 Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit and Exhibition is an yearly event that is science-focused and industrial engineering-oriented, organized since 2003 by the not-for-profit corporation FLOGEN Stars Outreach (www.flogen.org), which is dedicated to achieving sustainability through science and technology. Speakers address the link between scientific and engineering domains in the pursuit of sustainable development. Following the rich tradition of previous years, the summit covered 3 sustainability pillars: (1) Science, Technology & Industry, (2) Governance & Management and (3) Education & Civil Society. Teodor Velea presented the NEMO concept: “Turning the ‘extractive waste problem’ into a ‘resource recovery opportunity’“.
  • EIT KIC Raw Materials NOI re-activate meeting (Germany, 1/09/2019)
    The EIT KIC Raw materials Re-active network of infrastructure brings together all expertise, experience and capabilities comprising the whole process of RE-ACTIVATING closed mine sites in a sustainable manner, using best available technologies. The network is coordinated by NEMO partner DMT. During the annual project workshop, Lieven Machiels presented the NEMO project and other KU Leuven activities in the field of re activation of abandoned mining sites and mining waste recycling. (Read also a report from the closing workshop of the Re-Activate project: “Recycling of Historical Mining Waste, a new business?”)
  • 9th International Conference on Life Cycle Management (LCM) (Poland, 1/09/2019)
    Andrea Di Maria presented an abstract describing the NEMO concept at the 9th International Conference on Life Cycle Management (LCM), held in Poznan in September 2019. In his speech “LCA in the mining sector: The environmental implications of new recycling technologies for sulphidic mine residues”, Andrea showed the potential in the integration of environmental, economic and social analysis for the sustainability of the European mining sector.
  • Critical raw materials event at raw materials week 2018 (Belgium, 12/11/2018)
    The NEMO project was one of the European projects presented at the annual Raw Materials Week. During an event on Critical Raw Materials (CRMs), co-organised by the European Commission, and the Horizon 2020 project SCRREEN (a European Expert Network on CRMs), together with other EU projects, a variety of stakeholders got a fresh update about the latest EU activities in the field of Critical Raw Materials.
  • EIP raw materials workshop on tailings (Belgium, 16/05/2018)
    The European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials organized an operational Group meeting
    On Re-Mining of Mining Waste. The NEMO project was invited to present its concept and approaches. After the meeting, an extensive report was published on challenges and opportunities for mining waste recycling.

Public acceptance and ‘Social License to Operate’

The NEMO project (co-)organises various events discussing the public acceptance or ‘Social License to Operate’ of mining and recycling industrial activities. The reports of these events can be found below: