Currently, TiO2 waste is neutralised and eventually landfilled. Although the term used is neutralised, it tends to remain alkaline and hazardous because of its vanadium and TiO2 content.
GSA has developed and patented a route whereby TiO2 waste can be separated to recover useful elements, such as vanadium, scandium and niobium as main products. It also produces several co-products, such as goethite, gypsum, aluminium hydroxide, into which any radio-nucleotides that may be present are attracted, where they remain below their threshold levels for concern.
The key benefit here is no waste goes into landfill.
As well as a process that results in no solid waste for landfill, metals recovery is maximised by treating the aqueous effluent to recover and recycle useful metal ions. This leads to a liquid waste stream that is suitable for sea and/or river discharge.
The GSAe metals extraction plant in Harwich, UK, was built and operated at a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which should provide some indication of the cleanliness of the liquid effluent.
After all, why dig limestone out of the ground to neutralise acidic waste, only to then bury the solids back into the ground, when you can utilise the elements within it?
Instead of throwing useful raw materials away, we should all be striving to reduce landfill and make our waste more efficient.
Find out how vanadium can be used in many industries, including aerospace, construction and energy.
To find out more, contact a member of our team today.