The prestudy for LKAB's project, of which the aim is to industrialize a process whereby critical raw materials such as phosphorus and rare earth metals are recovered from mine waste, will now continue with an assessment and comparison of several possible production technologies and partners.
Since the start of the project in 2018 LKAB has collaborated with Easymining, a subsidiary of Ragn-Sells, to assess the possibility of industrializing their patented technology for extracting phosphorus. The agreement regulating this collaboration has been terminated by LKAB.
“We will now take this development further and involve several possible partners, nationally and internationally, to evaluate all of the process routes which we have identified as interesting and viable. We have focussed on developing a process for LKAB's material recovery that is energy-efficient, ready to be implemented in industrial scale and produces pure, high-quality products,” says Leif Bostrm, Senior Vice President Special Products Division, LKAB.
The production technologies to be assessed are either already employed in industrial processes or require only a minor degree of innovation, which probably means that they can be developed quickly. After conclusion of the prestudy the project will move into a pre-project planning phase that will provide a basis for an investment decision.
Production and upgrading will take place in two stages. Flotation and production of apatite concentrate will take place in facilities that are directly adjacent to existing iron ore production in Malmberget and Kiruna. The concentrate will then be shipped by rail to a plant at an as-yet-to-be-decided location near the coast, where further processing will take place. Here, the apatite will be dissolved, and phosphorus, rare earth elements and gypsum will be separated to create pure, high-quality products.