Acknowledging the elephant in the room, Day 3 of #ICHS2024 put the spotlight on probably one of the biggest issues in the hydrometallurgical industry: the sodium sulphate salt problem! In his lecture Koen Binnemans presented his conceptual flowsheet to split sulphate salt back into NaOH and H2SO4, thereby satisfying the first principle of circular hydrometallurgy: “regenerate reagents!”. The “ADONIS” process does not use bipolar membranes; instead it makes use of ingenious chemistry. The key component in acid generation is ammonium sulphate, since ammonium ion can be hydrolysed to ammonia gas.
Binnemans was preceded by two other magnificent invited lectures. The South African-Australian hydrometallurgist Jacques Eksteen presented the glycine leaching technology, an eco-friendly alternative for cyanide leaching. GLT satisfies all principles of circular hydrometallurgy. Anne-Gwénaëlle Guezennec (BRGM) gave a truly inspiring lecture on how biometallurgy can complement hydrometallurgy when working with low-grade ores or tailings. All remaining doubts about the usefulness of bacteria were quenched for once and for all.
🔦 Hydrometallurgical research: quo vadis?
The closing debate targeted a better synergy between academic and industrial hydrometallurgical research, as "there is a schism between academic and industrial hydrometallurgical research, which often results in “industrially-not-so-very-relevant” research”, the five panelists – Jacques Eksteen, Päivi Kinnunen, Mari Lundström, George P Demopoulos and Ryan Ravenelle - discussed various ways on how to overcome this gap. Translator/mediators are key. Batcircle in Finland served as an inspiring example. Another key topic that was addressed was the discussion about which research topics should be prioritised in future (circular) hydrometallurgical research. Salt splitting came out on top, while more work is required for recycling multi-material EoL metal-containing waste streams. A more extended report of this debate will follow.
💡 Shiny, happy people (and organisers)
Never before have we, as organisers, felt so good about the insanely positive feedback and handshakes we received from, almost literally, all 150+ participants, both young and old, academia and industry. Why?
✅ 30-minute invited lectures by genuine experts with ample room for discussion involving the “living legends” of hydromet;
✅ Extended coffee breaks for poster discussions and networking;
✅ A closing debate keenly involving the audience;
✅ Symposium moderation with a British sense of humour 😉 ;
✅ A refreshing conference location;
☑ “Probably the best conference organisation team in the world” 😉 (Rabab Nasser, Elisabeth De Decker, Ionuț-Alexandru Popa supported by all members of SOLVOMET R&I Centre)
In two years’ time we will be back with the 2nd International Circular Hydrometallurgy Symposium!
Photos: EDD, AO
Kathy Sole David Dreisinger Kerstin Forsberg David Robinson Markus A. Reuter Peter Ehren Mohammad Khoshkhoo
