FP6 - 500329 BIOMINE - Biotechnology for Metal bearing materials in Europe

Contacts
Website: biomine.brgm.fr




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Nanotechnology and Materials

Type of Project	Integrated Project
Contract No	FP6 - 500329
Total Cost	17,820 KEuro
EC Contribution	11,570 KEuro
Start Date	21-4-2005
Duration	48 Months

Abstract

This project is aimed at "the production of tomorrow" and involves biotechnological research to provide "radical changes in the Basic Materials industry for cleaner, safer and more eco-efficient production". The objective is to develop sustainable solutions covering the whole life cycle of products and equipment. Technological breakthroughs will allow the integration of innovative biotechnology based processes for recovery of metals from primary materials such as ores and concentrates, and secondary materials such as mining wastes, metallurgical slags, scrap and combustion ashes.

Processes will be developed which give consideration for eco-design, eco- and renewable materials and zero waste, with the aim of protecting people and the environment. The (bio) -technologies to be investigated will include

• bio-leaching,
• oxidation,
• sorption,
• reduction,
• accumulation,
• precipitation,
• flotation,
• flocculation
• bio-sensors
• microbiological research.

The ultimate objective will be the establishment of environmentally friendly biotechnologies, which are economic particularly at a small scale and will provide an alternative to current technologies such as roasting and smelting. The anticipated breakthroughs under the RTD programme will be commercially evaluated through integrated piloting of the new processes together with preliminary economic assessments.

This will provide a sound basis for decisions by industrial companies on whether to then proceed to commercial demonstration. The work will be enhanced by Training and Educational activities. The Project will adopt a multi-discipline approach involving mining companies, waste treatment facilitators and equipment/instrument suppliers. The Consortium has achieved a critical mass being comprised of 35 partners. A strong management structure will be put in place with a Management Committee mandated by a governing Council with representatives of all partners and the EC.

Coordinator

Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres, Service "Environment et Procédes", France

Partners

• Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovacao, Portugal
• Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France
• Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain
• University of Warwick, United Kingdom
• Lulea University of Technology, Sweden
• Instytut Metali Niezelaznych, Poland
• PE Europe GmbH, Germany
• Umea University, Sweden
• Universitaet Stuttgart, Germany SA
• Umicore NV, Belgium
• Universität Duisburg-Essen, Germany
• University of Cape Town, South Africa
• University of Wales - Bangor, United Kingdom
• Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
• Tecnicas Reunidas S.A., Spain
• Bioclear b.v., Netherlands
• Paques B.V., Netherlands
• National Technical University of Athens, Greece
• Institute for Nonferrous and Rare Metals, Romania
• Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration, Greece
• Imperial College of Science & Technology, United Kingdom
• Milton Roy Mixing, France
• Outokumpu Research OY, Finland
• CellFacts Instruments Ltd, United Kingdom
• MEAB Metallextraktion AB, Sweden
• De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd, South Africa
• University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
• Wageningen University, Netherlands
• MINTEK, South Africa
• Skelleftea Kommun, Sweden
• Rio Tinto Technical Services Limited, United Kingdom
• Greenwich Resources plc, United Kingdom
• Hellenic Copper Mines Ltd, Cyprus
• Tampere University of Technology, Finland

Contacts

Contact

• BioMinE Secretariat / Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres FRANCE