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Organisationseinheit der BAM
Since the recycling of tantalum bearing post-consumer waste is practically not existent, metallurgical residues are the most important feed for the tantalum recycling. Most tin ores naturally contain significant quantities of refractory metals. During the smelting process in primary tin production these elements are enriched in the slag phase. This slag is a highly valuable raw material for tantalum production due to its considerable concentration of tantalum and its functioning as an additional slag former in further pyrometallurgical treatment.
In this paper the first process stage of an existing pyrometallurgical process for tantalum recovery, mainly from low grade pyrometallurgical residues, is discussed. Smelting trials were carried out in a pilot-scale electric arc furnace to analyse the effect of feeding on the activity of carbon as a reducing agent. Therefore, blowing petroleum coke through an iron lance and the manual adding of coke into the melting bath were tested. During the pyrometallurgical treatment elements with a high affinity to carbon were reduced to their carbide form and enriched in the molten iron-based metal phase. The objective of the process was to reduce the oxidic tantalum completely and to enrich it into the metal phase. Furthermore, the transfer of unwanted elements such as titanium into the metal phase was aimed to be avoided.
Spoon test specimens were taken from the liquid mineral melt to follow the evolution of the reduction process. The cooled down solidified melting bath was investigated by using the XRD and EDX method to characterise the slag system and to identify relevant mineral phases.
Tantalum and niobium are essential for the development of electronics towards a more and more compact design, but without reducing their performance today. Especially in smart phones and tablets, tantalum and niobium capacitors with high charge densities have already become almost indispensable. However, tantalum as a critical raw material is still a problem for the sustainable production of electronics. Due to this fact, the existence of efficient recycling processes especially in Europe is becoming even more important nowadays.
The Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) is currently working on the optimisation of an existing pyrometallurgical tantalum recycling process. Optimisation of this industrial process is carried out in a small-scale electric arc furnace (480 kVA, capacity approx. 150 kg/h) at BAM using a new and innovative equipment for on-line analysis of high temperature processes.
The aim of this project is to identify the best timing for an optimum slag tapping, when the slag is lower than minimum targeted tantalum concentration. Hence, LIBS (Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy) is used to identify the chemical composition of the slag layer and during slag tapping. The on-line-LIBS prototype of BAM enables an in-situ measurement of the element distribution in the melt after calibration on the slag system.
First results of this joint research project will be presented including LIBS-measurements and thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of the process.
The material properties of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) are
correlated to the sorting accuracy of the former demolition waste. Impurities like
wood, clay bricks or gypsum can lead to inferior building material properties. Harmful
substances like heavy metals or organic pollutants should be minimised as well.
Hence the non-concrete materials have to be separated from the concrete material
stream. This can be done during the demolition process by using selective
dismantling techniques. Alternatively a variety sorting and classifying techniques to
purify the crushed concrete can be utilized.
A research project, funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature
Conservation and Nuclear Safety, investigated the possibilities of gaining recycled
concrete aggregates of a high quality for the reuse in the production of concrete. The
work focuses especially on how gypsum respectively sulphates in the crushed
concrete can be reduced. Sulphates can impair the setting behaviour of concrete
and also damage set concrete by causing expansion. Therefore the content of
sulphates in RCA is restricted by guidelines and standards in Germany.
Generally, gypsum in construction waste originates from interior fittings like gypsum
walls, floor screeds, plaster boards and also plaster. Most of these materials can be
reconstructed using selective dismantling techniques. This can be achieved either by
manual labour or by using mechanical equipment e.g. to remove floor screeds by
milling. Depending on the specific deconstruction site it can be more effective and/or
more environmentally compatible to remove sulphates by treating the crushed
concrete. Applicable treatments for sulphate reduction include dry processes like
manual sorting of gypsum wall blocks as well as wet treatments e.g. jigging.
In addition this research project an environmental performance evaluation was
undertaken to assess different techniques for reducing sulphates in recycled
concrete aggregates.