PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Fluorspar (also called fluorite) is the mineral form of calcium fluoride (CaF2) and is an essential raw material in the steel, aluminium and chemical industries.
The EU is the world's largest importer of fluorspar, accounting for 66% of its global demand, with the most part coming from Mexico, South Africa, China and Vietnam. Approximately 755 000 tonnes/year of flurospar are used in the EU mainly to produce hydrogen fluoride and aluminium fluoride, which are then partly exported, making EU the 4th largest exporter of fluor-chemicals.
Fluorspar has been included in the European Critical Raw Materials list (CRMs) since it was first published in 2011. Moreover, the 2020 CRMs list update underlined the non-significant End of Life Recycling Input Rate (EoL-RIR) of fluorspar, meaning that the use of recycled fluorspar or secondary raw material in the chemical industries is still limited and could be greatly improved.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE SYNFLUOR project aims to prove, optimise and validate an innovative technology to recover synthetic calcium fluoride (s-CaF2) and precipitated silica dioxide (SiO2) from fertiliser waste as a substitute for natural fluorspar. The coordinating beneficiary FLUORSID SPA has already patented a technology to recover synthetic s-CaF2 starting from a waste product from fertiliser industry (namely, the hexafluoroslicic acid FSA).
The specific objectives of the project are to:
- build and start-up a pilot plant using FLUORSID SPA's patented technology to recover synthetic s-CaF2 from FSA waste from the fertiliser industry
- achieve a production rate of 150 kg/h s-CaF2 and 35 kg/h SiO2 at the FLUORSID SPA industrial site
- define the mass and energy balance of the process operated on an adequate scale, producing sufficient material for pre-industrial trials (about 1 000 tonnes of s-CaF2 and 250 tonnes of SiO2)
- validate product quality for the production of 660 tonnes of hydrogen fluoride and aluminium fluoride at FLUORSID SPA's industrial plant and of 4 tonnes of SiO2 at the PIRELLI TYRE SPA premises
- create synergies between the fertiliser, fluorine and tyre industries, as the main targets of the project, and thereby contribute to the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan
- provide a viable application for the large quantities of FSA produced by the fertiliser industry
- provide an alternative raw material to natural fluorspar to the fluorine industry
- offer an alternative to silica that has a lower carbon footprint to tyre manufacturers
The consortium, composed of 2 multinational industrial companies, has a strong commitment in the future replication and full industrialisation of the technology, to insert s-CaF2and precipitated SiO2 into the market as a substitute to natural fluorspar.
RESULTS
The expected results of the LIFE SYNFLUOR project are:
- recovery of 1 000 tonnes of fluorite at the end of the project and an estimated 120 000 tonnes/year 5 years after the project ends
- avoidance of the disposal of dangerous waste including 2 760 tonnes of FSA at the end of the project and an estimated 328 000 tonnes/year 5 years after the project ends
- energy savings of 2 141 MJ/tonne for SiO2 production, reaching a total of 260 250 MJ/tonnes/year at 5 years after the end of the project
- savings of 155 tonnes of CO2eq in emissions from the production of SiO2 at the end of the project, resulting in the avoidance of 18 900 tonnes/year of CO2 equivalent
- savings of 1 280 m3 of water in the mineral extraction of fluorite at the end of the project and up to 153 600 m3/year 5 years after the project ends
- reduction of soil waste from the mineral extraction of fluorite by 4 543 tonnes at the end of the project, and an annual reduction of 545 143 tonnes/year 5 years after the end of the project