Cobre Las Cruces Converts Mine Waste for EV Batteries

Spanish mining company Cobre Las Cruces (CLC) is at the forefront of an innovative project aimed at extracting critical raw materials (CRM) from mine waste as part of the EU-funded RAWMINA initiative. 

Its groundbreaking effort focuses on developing renewable energy and energy storage systems, including cobalt for EV batteries, and aims to enhance the EU market by reducing reliance on external CRM sources.

Ethical extraction of cobalt is crucial due to the significant environmental and social impacts associated with traditional mining practices. 

Cobalt is a critical component in EV batteries and other renewable energy technologies, yet its conventional extraction often involves severe ecological degradation, human rights violations and hazardous working conditions, particularly in regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Ethical extraction ensures that the sourcing of this vital metal does not contribute to environmental harm or exploit vulnerable communities.

Extracting cobalt from mine waste offers a sustainable and ethical alternative. The process not only minimises the need for new mining operations but addresses the issue of existing mine waste, which can be a major environmental pollutant. 

By utilising advanced technologies such as bioleaching, which uses microorganisms to extract metals with minimal energy and chemical inputs, we can recover valuable materials from waste efficiently and responsibly.

“With this project, we will be able to add new metals to our production portfolio using circular economy principles, contributing to the green transition and greater environmental sustainability.” CLC's Director of Innovation and Environment, Joaquín Gotor said, highlighting the project's impact.

The approach supports the principles of a circular economy, reducing the overall environmental footprint of cobalt extraction. It further enhances resource efficiency, ensuring that existing materials are fully utilised before new resources are tapped.

Ultimately, ethical and waste-based cobalt extraction helps meet the growing demand for EV batteries in a way that prioritises environmental sustainability and social responsibility, fostering a more just and sustainable global supply chain.

Transforming mine waste into valuable resources

Under the RAWMINA project, CLC will test new technologies to extract cobalt, tungsten, gold and silver from mine waste. These critical raw materials are essential for the energy transition, supporting both the development of renewable energy sources and new energy storage systems like electric vehicle batteries.

One of the key methods being tested is bioleaching, a hydrometallurgical process that uses microorganisms to extract metals from rocks. 

Bioleaching offers several advantages over traditional metallurgical processes, including lower energy and chemical consumption, a reduced CO₂ footprint and lower capital and operational costs.

The testing will take place at a pilot plant built in 2016 by CLC as part of its future polymetallic refinery project. 

The initiative aligns with the principles of the circular economy, which aims to reduce waste and make the most of resources.

Reducing European dependence on external markets

The ability to produce critical raw materials from mine waste could significantly reduce Europe’s dependence on external markets, such as China. 

The RAWMINA project, which began in 2021, is now entering its final phase and involves an international consortium of 19 specialist partners from 10 countries.

Leading innovation in mining and metallurgy

CLC is one of the most active Andalusian companies in Horizon 2020 programmes. Its participation in the RAWMINA project complements other R&D initiatives, including the European consortium METALLICO, which focuses on developing sustainable methods to obtain strategic metals for battery manufacturing, such as lithium, cobalt, copper, manganese and nickel.

Additionally, CLC is involved in the University Innovation Center of Andalusia, Alentejo and Algarve (CIU3A), researching the use of metals from the Andalusian Pyritic Belt to manufacture next-generation batteries for efficient renewable energy storage. 

CLC is part of the European Raw Materials Alliance, a major agreement to ensure the supply of key metals for European industry.

The RAWMINA project exemplifies CLC’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, aiming to provide critical raw materials necessary for the green energy transition and reinforcing the EU's position in the global market for renewable energy and storage solutions. 

Through these efforts, CLC is not only advancing its technological capabilities but contributing significantly to the EU's environmental and economic goals.

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