About the innovator

SINTEF AS is a broad, multidisciplinary research organisation with international top-level expertise in the fields of technology and the natural sciences. We conduct contract R&D as a partner for the private and public sectors, and we are one of the largest contract research institutions in Europe. Our vision is "Technology for a better society".

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What is the innovation

SINTEF has optimized at lab-scale a process for recovering highly valuable and critical platinum group metals (PGM) from PGM-containing wastes. The process is far simpler than currently methods, allowing the selective extraction of the PGMs from the waste matrix, and its subsequent recovery in the same reactor. Moreover, there is no need of pre-treatment of the waste material. The technology could be applied to a wide range of PGM-containing wastes, i.e. ores, tailings and spent catalysts.

SINTEF is working on developing this innovation in the EU-funded project PLATIRUS.

Out of the lab. Into the market

SINTEF has developed the know-how and optimized the process at a lab-scale level. Demonstration of the process at a pilot scale would be highly necessary before the eventual exploitation at industrial scale either by the EU-funded project consortium or technology transfer to other potential stakeholders. Moreover, the flexibility of technology could be demonstrated to the valorisation of other types of wastes and the recovery of other valuable elements like rare earths or cobalt.

Benefits of participation in the Framework Programme

The financing of the EU-Commission has been essential. On one hand, SINTEF has had the opportunity to optimize the technology at lab-scale. Besides, it has allowed to establish contacts with important stakeholders in the PGM value chain Participation in clustering events with other projects allowed the SINTEF team to think broader in the replication of the technology to other cases. Hopefully it will also help the further exploitation of the technology by supporting its feasibility at a pilot scale.

This innovation was funded via H2020 project PLATIRUS

Team behind the innovation

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Video

/futurium/en/file/sintef-technology-better-societySINTEF - Technology for a better society