NEWS
CEINNMAT develops a new prototype to valorize bauxite waste using microwave technology
The Valencian company, with laboratories at the University of Valencia Science Park, has signed two long-term R&D collaboration agreements with the Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol) of the University of Valencia and the University Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (ITACA) of the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
The University of Valencia Science Park company will apply electromagnetic radiation to extract recoverable metals from the waste generated when manufacturing aluminum. The development of this prototype is part of RemovAL, a project with 26 European partners and funded by Horizon 2020 with a budget of more than 14 million euros.
The prototype developed by CEINNMAT, within the framework of the European RemovAL project, aims to apply electromagnetic radiation to extract recoverable metals from waste generated in the manufacture of aluminum from bauxite ore. At present, the main outlet for this type of waste, which is highly corrosive due to its high pH and toxic due to its metal content, is storage, which implies a high environmental impact, as well as a great risk of soil and groundwater contamination.
Angel López, CEO of CEINNMAT, assures that «the new microwave process will make it possible to transform this waste into a by-product with high added value, both from an economic perspective and from an environmental sustainability perspective, in line with European action plans for the circular economy». The company’s CEO remarks that «the use of microwave-based technologies adds additional advantages such as the reduction of the carbon footprint of the process and energy savings».
Funded by the European H2020 program, the RemovAL project has 26 European partners and a budget of more than 14 million euros, involving the European Aluminum Association (EAA), the main European aluminum processing plants, as well as technology development companies and research centers.
Development of technology for materials processing
CEINNMAT is an innovative SME whose main line of business lies in the industrial implementation of emerging and sustainable technologies based on the application of electromagnetic radiation. The company’s developments are aimed at the processing of raw materials and materials whose conventional transformation requires extreme temperature conditions. With a broad scope, its application affects various sectors, including metallurgy, mining and ceramics, as well as the chemical and food industries.