Project

TARANTULA - Recovery of Tungsten, Niobium and Tantalum occurring as by-products in mining and processing waste streams

The EU-funded TARANTULA project aims to recover refractory metals from low-grade waste by developing a suite of cost-effective, scalable, and eco-friendly metallurgical processes. Following systematic research activities at a laboratory scale, the new technologies will be brought to technology readiness level TRL5, and based on performance they will be validated at prototype level.

Contact person

Ana Maria Martinez

Senior Research Scientist

Circular economy concept. Metal roller and arrow infinity recycling symbol, on dirty mottled concrete wall background. — Copyright: Shutterstock

12. February 2021

Refractory metals like tungsten, niobium and tantalum have special characteristics that make them more durable and resistant than other standard metals. Features include a high melting point, high resistance to corrosion, and good heat and electricity conduction. Despite being classified as critical raw materials by the EC, fractions of these indispensable metals end up in mining waste streams and process scrap.

TARANTULA’s overarching objective is to develop a toolkit of novel, efficient and flexible metallurgical technologies with high selectivity and recovery rates with respect to W, Nb and Ta. As such, the project will promote (i) sustainable annual supply of secondary W at an amount equivalent to 50 percent of current EU W primary production, (ii) exploitation of Ta content equivalent to at least 120 percent of EU annual demand (iii) exploitation of Nb content equivalent to at least 5 percent of EU annual demand. TARANTULA will blueprint tailored Communication, Dissemination and Civil Society Engagement strategies with respect to obtaining and maintaining the 'Social License to Operate' for future heavy-duty metallurgical processing.

SINTEF is work package leader contributing with the development of novel production routes for Metal (M) and Carbide (MC) layers by electrochemical methods. Besides, SINTEF will optimize the production of metal oxide (MO) slurries for the manufacture of metal oxide coatings by thermal spray methods.