FAME is a transnational research and innovation project to identify economically viable, technology to exploit European ore deposits that are often relatively small in tonnage terms. Technologies will be optimised to enable the efficient and sustainable exploitation of the relatively small mineral deposits common in Europe.
This project specifically addresses three different primary ore types: skarn, greisen and pegmatite. These ores carry significant potential for the extraction of Critical Raw Materials. Although these ore types are complex mineralogically and have variable metal grades, they are of great strategic significance in relation to the overall resource balance of the EU.
As part of the project, a group of industry partners visited Kokkola/Kaustinen in Central Ostrobothnia in Western Finland. The region comprises a cluster of resource, research and manufacturing on ore-based chemicals, especially in energy storage.
The lithium spodumene deposits found in Central Ostrobothnia are the most significant in Europe. The FAME project’s Finnish industrial partner, Keliber Oy, is currently searching for and developing suitable ore deposits in the region.
The growing global importance of lithium and other metals such as cobalt, manganese, zinc and nickel for the battery industry has been the driving force for this project to link industry with education, including the recycling of metal chemicals and study of the waste streams, as well as developing business operations linked to them.
The focus group visited Oulu University’s Research group of Applied Chemistry at Kokkola University Consortium, which has long-term experience of chemical processes related to metal battery chemical production and recycling, and is working with local business on the recycling of lithium-ion batteries, as well as alkaline battery recycling.
FAME Project Team – http://fame-project.eu/
