RIS-CuRE

Title Zero waste recovery of copper tailings in the ESEE region
Link to website RIS-CuRE
Programme KIC EIT RawMaterials
Project duration 01/2019 – 12/2021
GeoZS role in the project Project partner
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Content:

Mining and processing tailings can present a substantial risk to the environment, on the other hand they represent valuable sources of secondary raw materials. In the ESEE region have an abundance of Cu mines which have been exploited since ancient times. These activities generated different types of mining, floatation and metallurgical tailings, containing Cu, Ag and Au, which could be a valuable resource for the European raw materials market sector.

Project objectives:

  • A continuous creation of zero-waste Cu-value chain in the ESEE region and raising awareness among stakeholders (policy-, decision-makers) and actors along the value chain.
  • Building capacity of students, entrepreneurs and industrial partners in the zero-waste extraction approach and circular economy.
  • Development of strategies for the further uptake of developed service and technologies in the area in order to increase competitiveness, innovation, and socio-economic development in the region, pushing for secondary raw materials production major strength of the region.
  • Validation of existing data by a studying of previous research results and technological data, and in‐situ sampling in different Cu tailings.
  • Detailed sampling of two selected Cu-mines in the region: Bor (Serbia) and Bučim mine (North Macedonia).
  • Beneficial recycling of tailings with low concentrations of economic minerals as well as residuals after metal extraction into building composites (the zero-waste approach).