ReMinE-Improve Resource Efficiency and Minimize
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Luleå tekniska universitet - SBN, avdelningen för Geovetenskap och Miljöteknik |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 5 926 350 |
| Project duration | December 2015 - August 2019 |
| Status | Completed |
Important results from the project
The overall goal of the project was to evaluate if recycling of historical mining waste is favorable from a technical, economic and environmental perspective. The project included case studies in three European countries; Portugal, Romania and Sweden. The results show that recycling of mining waste would be environmentally beneficial if all problematic metals are extracted and stabilised. Technological challenges still remain in order to effectively separate, extract and stabilize minerals and metals from an environmental perspective.
Expected long term effects
Methods for separation and extraction of W have been developed as expected. A useful methodology for characterizing historical mining waste and downstream watercourses has been developed. The results have given increased knowledge about the so-called technologically critical metals´ mobility in mining waste and in natural systems. The results are expected to lead to recovery of mining waste including environmental aspects, where valuable and toxic metals are extracted, and toxic elements stabilized, and the remaining materials are used as a resource.
Approach and implementation
The project group consisted of researchers from Sweden, Portugal and Romania. Continuous project meetings including field visits were conducted during the project period i all participating countries. The wastes has been characterized, water quality downstream determined, and new separation and extraction techniques have been developed in collaboration. The results have been published at national and international conferences and in journals