On September 9-11, the Solvomet R&I centre hosted the inaugural International Circular Hydrometallurgy Symposium (ICHS 2024) in Mechelen (Belgium), bringing together over 150 attendees from global companies, universities, and research institutions. With 16 keynote lectures and 38 poster presentations, the event was widely attended platform for advancing knowledge in circular hydrometallurgy. Sessions covered a range of topics aligned with the “12 principles of hydrometallurgy,” from “regenerating reagents” to “electrifying processes wherever possible”.
Prof. Mari Lundström from Aalto University in Finland, delivering her speech “Electrify whenever possible; story of Electrodeposition-Redox Replacement (EDRR) and more”
Prof. Koen Binnemans, head of Solvomet R&I centre and creator of “12 principles of hydrometallurgy” presented a solution to the sodium sulphate salt problem, which is an important issue in many hydrometallurgical processes. In his conceptual flowsheet, sulphate salt is split back into NaOH and H2SO4. This process, called Adonis, is based on robust 19th century and early 20th century inorganic chemistry. Adonis does not use bipolar membranes, instead it makes use of ingenious shifting of chemical equilibria. The key component in acid generation is ammonium sulphate, since ammonium ion can be hydrolysed to ammonia gas, which can be reused in a cyclic process. A preliminary patent application for Adonis (EP24189468.2) was filed in July 2024. Companies who are willing to learn more about this process and its further development may contact Peter Tom Jones.
Presentations from ICHS, including Prof. Binnemans’ talk, are available on the symposium website for those interested in the latest developments and opportunities for collaboration.
