Selective Recovery of Critical Raw Materials by Using Metal-Organic Framework Based Adsorbents

Selective recovery of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) from underexploited mining side streams can contribute to reducing the European dependence on imports of these refractory metals.

RUMBA: “Selective Recovery of CRMs (Nb, Ta, W) by Using MOFs Based Adsorbents” aims to improve the efficiency of conventional hydrometallurgical methods.

These methods require the digestion of ores under strong acid or alkaline conditions and the recovery of CRM via liquid-liquid extraction. RUMBA innovative approach is based on the use of solid adsorbents known as Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs). MOFs are crystalline materials with porous and flexible frameworks.

Their properties (porosity, flexibility, adsorption capacity, chemical and thermal stability) make them capable of extremely fast sorption with unprecedentedly high selectivity toward targeted ionic species. Despite their suitability for heavy metals capture, MOFs have never been used for recovering CRMs.

RUMBA involves the first study of the interactions CRM-MOF to guide the design of frameworks with high affinity/selectivity toward target CRMs. Extraction experiments will be performed in samples from real mining streams. Additionally, the CRM-MOF systems will be studied for possible added-value applications of environmental relevance.

The feasibility for succeeding in the scientific and training objectives pursued in RUMBA is supported by the strong expertise of the host institution (ICAMCyL) in advanced mining technologies and the solid background of the researcher in synthesis and characterization of MOFs.

RUMBA offers the researcher the opportunity of resuming her research career through the exploration of a completely different application for materials she is familiar with. She will gain scientific skills in mineral processing, CRMs regulation, and catalysis.

Furthermore, her profile will grow in IPR management and patent exploitation thanks to the supervisor expertise in mining industrial innovation.