Abstract

Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) are crucial to world’s economy. These materials are an important sustain for industrial processes, generating a broad range of applications usually used in everyday life and modern technologies. Examples of these technologies are battery manufacturing industry, construction tools, sensors and electronic devices, medical devices, metals materials, automotive, defence and renewable energy sectors. However, limited supply and difficult substitution to CRMs is increasing the concern worldwide. RAWMINA project aims to develop and to demonstrate the RAWMINA pilot system (RPS): an industrially scalable and flexible innovative pilot in continuous operation for Mine Waste (MW) valorisation. RAWMINA will implement and standardize an innovative energy, water- and cost-effective pilot system able to treat up to 100-150 kg MW/day on an industrial demonstration (TRL7) including efficient and robust process control. The RPS use novel nanofiber composite materials (NCMs) with selectivity towards Co, Sb, Ge and W, these will include tailored-made membranes of polymeric nanofibers produced by electrospinning and centrifugal spinning processes. The selectivity is conceded by different particles and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which have been synthetised and their adsorption capacity have been evaluated. Once this was tested, the most promising particles and MOFs have been incorporated into polymeric nanofibers and the adsorption capacities of the NCMs were evaluated. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 958252.