On 21 Feb’ 2017, SIM² KU Leuven attended the closing conference of the INSPIRE project in Cardiff (Wales). Joris Roosen presented KU Leuven’s perspective on the challenges for the zero-waste valorisation of low-grade resources.

In this article “Five lessons learned” Peter Tom Jones reflects on the Artefact Symposium on the Social License to Operate for mining & recycling of critical metals and summarises some key take-home messages. Reactions are welcome.

In the framework of the ERC SOLCRIMET project KU Leuven researchers have synthesised trichloride ionic liquids which can be used for oxidative dissolution of metals and alloys under mild conditions.

The ELFM IV organising committee has released a 5-minute video (Feb’ 2018), which integrates multiple testimonials and perspectives from the EC, national public bodies, academia, industry and civil society. A great executive summary!

Following their previous, widely-cited work with respect to the rare-earth element Balance Problem, Prof. Binnemans and colleagues have just published a thorough update of this key issue in the Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy.

On February 8, 2018, Umicore reported a net profit of 267 million euro in 2017. Concurrently, Umicore announced an investment of 660 million euro to ramp up the production of battery (cathode) materials for a.o. electric vehicles.

The organising committee of the ELFM IV Symposium (Feb’ 5-6, 2018) is happy to share the ELFM IV Symposium Book (ed. Jones & Machiels, Feb’ 2018). ELFM IV offers a total of 50 papers, grouped according to 4 thematic categories.

C2W, the Dutch Journal for Chemistry and Life Sciences, has published a feature article on the EU List of Critical Raw Materials (Nr. 1, 2018). SIM² KU Leuven provided its view on this crucial issue for Europe.

The EU H2020 NEMO project (“Near-zero-waste recycling of low-grade sulphidic mining waste for critical-metal, mineral and construction raw-material production in a circular economy”) has secured funding by the European Commission.

In this first EU MSCA-ETN SOCRATES Policy Brief, guest authors - Justin Salminen and Sirpa Olaussen from Boliden - provide their view on the challenges with respect to the zero-waste valorisation of low-grade ores and metal-containing industrial process residues.