TOWARDS THE CREATION OF A

EUROPEAN INSTITUTE OF

HYDROMETALLURGY

NOVEMBER 2012

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

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In this context, we wish to federate the creation o f a European Institute of Hydrometallurgy strongly link ed to Marcoule

� Ensure independent R&D on hydrometallurgy in Europe� Make the best synergy and use the R&D capitalization knowledge

from nuclear to innovative and complex domains.� Achieve EU’s ambitious goals concerning extraction (versatility,

flexibility, sustainability) and recycling of critical materials.

Critical Minerals are strategic elements for Europe Economy � Europe is dependant on imports for its critical material supply which demand

increases as a result of their increasing use in New Technologies Applications� Europe is evolving to adapt to the new situation, with, for example, the Horizon 2020

funding scheme, which will encompass up to 3.2 b€ for raw materials issuesHydrometallurgy is a technical solution towards inc reasing recovery from existing critical mineral ores or recycled mat erials

� To cover the increased needs for non energetic raw materials, new resources (primary and secondary deposits, resources issued from recycling) must be exploited; those are often lower grade and polymetallic ores, for which conventional purification techniques (Pyrometallurgy) might not be best as well suited as Hydrometallurgy

� As a state owned Research and Development organism, created in 1945, to ensure national security and scientific and technological work in the nuclear field; the CEA1, together with its industrial partners, has developed strong competences and skills in hydrometallurgy an d industrial project management.

1Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives / Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies CommissionMarcoule

Around 120 persons

� Process development lab� Pilot scale plateform� Training professionals

OBJECTIVES OF THE INTERVIEW

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Understand � Your needs with regards to R&D services for the pre-industrialization of

new hydrometallurgical processes� Your level of satisfaction with your current practices (internalization,

subcontracting, others…).

Listen to your feedback regarding the creation of a European Institute of Hydrometallurgy and validate that the Institute’s offer would match your needs and expectations.

Assess if you would be interested in a collaboration with the European Institute of Hydrometallurgy, as a partner or as a customer.

Provide professional training for all level of the organization based on a wide academic network

Provide professional training for all level of the organization based on a wide academic network

Provide technical expertise at all levels of the development process and at all scaleFrom lump-sum turnkey deliveries to comprehensive operational supportFrom detailed process research & development to industrial scale-up expertise

Provide technical expertise at all levels of the development process and at all scaleFrom lump-sum turnkey deliveries to comprehensive operational supportFrom detailed process research & development to industrial scale-up expertise

A EUROPEAN INSTITUTE OF HYDROMETALLURGY : 120 PEOPLE, MEANS & SERVICES

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INNOVATEINNOVATE

TRANSFERTRANSFER TRAINTRAIN

Fit for purpose R&D servicesFit for purpose R&D services Professional education & trainingProfessional education & training

24h/24Pilot test platform

24h/24Pilot test platform

Process development lab

Process development lab

Continuous process developmentPhysico-chemical feasibility and robustnessInstrumented test linesProcess Life-cycle Management

Continuous process developmentPhysico-chemical feasibility and robustnessInstrumented test linesProcess Life-cycle Management

R&D at the lab scaleMicro-pilot (integrated tests)Online process tracking

R&D at the lab scaleMicro-pilot (integrated tests)Online process tracking

Simulation expertise & toolsSimulation expertise & tools

From the lab to the pilot testTransient modeling softwareChemical databasesProcesses modeling

From the lab to the pilot testTransient modeling softwareChemical databasesProcesses modeling

Testing Modular Halls•Equipment designed to perform any process steps (leaching tanks, mixer-settler, agitated columns, precipitators, electrolyser)

• Online instrumentation for real-time process piloting

Utilities and materials management

• Preparation hall for treatment of material batchs• Workshops, equipment and accessories storage• Utilities space (gas reactants, demineralized and cold water,

steam, compressed air)• Treatment rooms of liquid and gaseous effluents

EIHEIH

Laboratories in support of theTesting Halls• Chemical analysis services • Research & Development Laboratories in support of

pilot trials

Operation by test campaigns• Duration 1-12 weeks continuously (24/24, 7/7)• Processing capacity: up to 50 kg/h

SOME FEATURES OF THE 5,000 M2 TEST FACILITIES

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SKILLS AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO ASSIST IN HYDROMETALLURGY PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

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Ski

llsT

ypic

al E

quip

men

t

Generic Competencies� Chemical Engineering� Fluid mechanics� Analytical chemistry and analytical techniques� Process modeling� Materials Engineering� Operating system� Structural Chemistry

From tube test to modeling and preindustrial work : a powerful and innovative science

� Extracting molecule selection� Characterization of extractant properties� Models development � Process flowsheet design for selected molecules� Devices experimentation� Flowsheet test works� Understanding at the atomic scale of the interactions between

metal and extracting molecules

Modeling/Simulation, for development cost saving an d to limit trials PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE : transient modeling software with chemical database, liquid/liquid extraction and other hydrometallurgical processes

modeling(process tracking, sensitivity analysis, safety with new molecules, rapidity of simulation, process optimization, analytical control…)

Analytical tools, supporting R&DGC/LC, ICP, MS, XRF…

Pretreatment Leaching Metal Recovery Eflluent management

From Concentrate, ores, mattes/laterites, fines, Leaching Tanks : 600LReactors/autoclaves 600LBioreactorsClarifiers : 20L/hLeaching columns up to Ø500 mm

Solid/liquid extractionPrecipitationColumns 10kg/hMembrane processes/Reverse osmosis/nanofiltrationMicro-algae decontaminationEnvironmental expertise

Mixer-settlers with optimized agitating systems (up to 100L/hr)Pulsed columns (from Ø15mm to Ø100mm)

Crushing millsRotary ovens…

Thickeners (Ø500 mm)Reactors

Tankhouse equipment and processes, cathode stripping machine, polymer concrete cells, …

Solvent Extraction

Electrochemistry

Resin columnsReactors 200L

PRECIPITATION Liquid/Liquid extraction

Solid/liquidextraction

Electrochemistry

A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF MANY CHEMICAL ELEMENTS

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CEA has a deep expertise in chemistry separation of different significant elements, such as Rare Earths, Uranium, Plutonium, coming from histor ical and current activities

1

H

3

Li

11

Na

19

K

37

Rb

55

Cs

87

Fr

4

Be

12

Mg

20

Ca

38

Sr

56

Ba

88

Ra

21

Sc

39

Y

22

Ti

40

Zr

72

Hf

23

V

41

Nb

73

Ta

24

Cr

42

Mo

74

W

25

Mn

43

Tc

75

Re

26

Fe

44

Ru

76

Os

27

Co

45

Rh

77

Ir

28

Ni

46

Pd

78

Pt

29

Cu

47

Ag

79

Au

30

Zn

48

Cd

80

Hg

5

B

13

Al

31

Ga

49

In

81

Tl

6

C

14

Si

32

Ge

50

Sn

82

Pb

7

N

15

P

33

As

51

Sb

83

Bi

8

O

16

S

34

Se

52

Te

84

Po

9

F

17

Cl

35

Br

53

I

85

At

57

La

89

Ac

58

Ce

90

Th

59

Pr

91

Pa

60

Nd

92

U

61

Pm

93

Np

62

Sm

94

Pu

63

Eu

95

Am

64

Gd

96

Cm

65

Tb

97

Bk

66

Dy

98

Cf

67

Ho

99

Es

68

Er

100

Fm

69

Tm

101

Md

70

Yb

102

No

71

Lu

103

Lr

2

He

10

Ne

18

Ar

36

Kr

54

Xe

86

Rn

LANTHANIDES

ACTINIDES

ASSETS OF THE SITE OF MARCOULE

CEA Marcoule Key Figures1500 employees

700 researchers included

100 PhD/Doctors

500 Millions € annual budget

30 research laboratories

260 priority patents delivered and alive

300 annual scientific publications

� Two renowned research organizations: CEA and ICSM

� R&D at different stages of hydrometallurgical process : development of extracting molecules, separation techniques, development of decontamination processes

� Collaborations with Labex CHEMISYST, BRGM, COMES (French Committee for strategic materials)

� International recognition of R&D

� Ability to carry out large projects (including EU-wide)

� Extensive experience in favor of industrial activities.

� Support of the mining activities of Areva and of fields using rare metals (Renewable energies techno., ICT ...).

� Ability to develop processes from the laboratory to the plant, in collaboration with one or more industrial partners

� Capacity to set up new platforms

An Industrial & Academic Siteof Reference

1ISCM Marcoule Key FiguresMix unity of research between CEA, CNRS, ENSCM and UM2

~70 employees including ~20 PhD/postdocs

20 Millions € support from partnersand contractorsAxis of research: Green chemistry, understand separation, methods and theory, anticipation of life-cycle andoptimization of separation.

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Marcoule

1Institut de Chimie Séparative de Marcoule / Marcoule Institute for Separative Chemistry

CEA HYDROMETALLURGICAL SUCCESS STORIES

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Successful lab test, performances validation and elaboration of a new process to purify uranium for Malvesi refinery

� Development of an innovative eco-friendly waste recycling process� Minimization of experiments and industrial extrapolation thanks to PAREX

From CEA to the Recycling Plant, La HagueCollaboration AREVA/CEA – nuclear reprocessing method for the recovery of uranium and plutonium from spent nuclear fuel. CEA contributions: � Full development from the lab scale to the industrial scale of all the processes,

technologies to the pilot� Development of the process modeling code (PAREX) for the liquid / liquid

extraction steps of the PUREX process

Conception of extraction operating equipment at the industrial scale� Characterization of the flow from the lab scale to the industrial scale

Development of a new precipitation reactor for liquid waste treatment� Process intensification: installation size reduced, higher decontamination

efficiency, reduction of sludge volumes

CONTACTS

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Christine ROSTAINGEIH Project Manager

CEA, Nuclear Energy Direction (DEN)CEA Marcoule, BP 17171 – 30207 Bagnols sur CèzeTel: + 33 (0)4.66.79.65.24E-mail : christine.rostaing@cea.fr

Marie-Noelle DESSINGESTechnology Transfer Officer

CEA TechTechnology Transfer OfficeCEA Grenoble, 38054 Grenoble CedexTel: + 33 (0)4.78.38.13.44E-mail: marie-noelle.dessinges@cea.fr

CEA key figures

15867 employees

10 research centres

4,3 b€ budget

1608 priority patents delivered and alive

>650 priority patents filing

150 start-up since 1984 in innovative

technologies

Key technologiesTechnological

ResearchDivision

Tech

no

log

y S

cien

ce

DefenseSecurity

MilitaryApplications

Division

NuclearEnergy

Nuclear EnergyDivision

Mission DAM : French strategic independance

Mission DEN : French energetic independance

Mission DRT : French industrialisation by innovation

Fundamental Research

Physical Science DivisionLife Science Division

French leading technological research organisation, from fundamental research to applied research

PRESENTATION OF CEAATOMIC ENERGY AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES COMMISSION

Marcoule

http://www.cea.fr/english_portal | PAGE 11