Critical Minerals & Tailings Monthly Webinar (MRIWA)

The transition towards a circular and low-carbon economy requires innovative and integrated approaches to secure the supply of critical raw materials (CRMs). This presentation will focus on the development of advanced process routes for CRM recovery from primary and secondary resources, while ensuring the valorisation of all process streams across the value chain. The work covers a holistic approach that integrates resource pre-treatment, hydrometallurgical processing, separation and refining steps, as well as the treatment and reuse of process waters. Particular emphasis is placed on the design of sustainable and efficient recovery strategies that maximise resource efficiency, reduce chemical consumption, and minimise waste generation.

The use case presented is centred on lithium extraction from spodumene as a representative primary resource. This case demonstrates a validated TRL 5 process concept for sustainable lithium recovery, combining selective processing strategies with integrated residue management. In addition to lithium production, the approach enables the valorisation of the remaining solid residues, contributing to a more circular and resource-efficient flowsheet.

Although the case study focuses on lithium, the developed methodologies are transferable to other critical raw materials and are aligned with the increasing need for more sustainable mining and processing practices. Overall, the presentation highlights how integrated process design can bridge efficiency, sustainability, and circularity in primary CRM production systems.