Call: ERA-MIN 2 Joint Call 2017
Role: partner
Responsible for UniBS: Prof. ssa Elza Bontempi – Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact: elza.bontempi@unibs.it
Start date 01/04/2018 – End date 31/03/2022
Abstract
Phosphate rock production (included in the “List of critical raw materials for the EU”) is abundant but finite, and controlled by few countries with Morocco and Western Sahara controlling 77% of the reserves. However, P-depletion is not the P-problem but the phosphorus market.
During the high-volatility phosphate rock market prices , two major spikes occurred: in the mid 1970’s and in 2008, where the prices jumped at level 10 times higher before the jump, and came down again but the price’s after the 1975 and 2008 jump–slump held PR prices at a level 3–4 times higher than before the jump.The opportunity for P-recycling, however, is being implemented due to public awareness and new policies reflected in the European Union legislation (“zero waste”, “Circular Economy Package”, new rules on organic and waste-based fertilizers, considering phosphate rock a
critical raw material, risks of trace elements in agro-ecosystems), and funding (e.g. ERA-MIN2).
The project DEASPHOR aims P-recycling from poultry litter ash since the direct utilization of poultry litter has eight times more P than plants need. However, further P-concentration is needed to make poultry litter capable of substituting phosphate rocks. Therefore exploratory and
innovative solutions are proposed:
- Increasing P-concentration through pre-combustion (improved by poultry litter collection) and post-combustion (beneficiation) measures, to produce poultry litter ash with an ore grade close to that of phosphate rocks.
- Product optimization through combustion measures to increase P-extraction efficiency.
- Research of metallurgical applications for the beneficiation tails to comply with the “Zero waste” policy.
Evaluation of the phosphate rocks substitution based on embodied energy and the CO2 footprint.
Participants
- Universidade do Porto (Coordinator), Portugal
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Brazil
- Università degli Studi di Brescia, Italy
- Central Mining Institute (Glowny Instytut Gornict), Poland
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, Romania
- Swerea MEFOS Sustainable Process Technology, Sweden
- Ege University, Solar Energy Institute, Turkey
- UMR GeoRessources, France
- Campoaves – Aves do Campo, SA, Portugal
- P.U.P.H „PROGEO” Sp. z o.o., Poland
Total project costs: € 1,533,318.00
EU contribution: € 1,405,498.00
Overall fundinn assigned to UniBS: € 70,000.00