A fine future

Flotation in times of circular economy and energy transition

Quelle/Source: Links: HZDR/3D Kosmos, rechts: HZDR/Frank Schinski

1 Schwerpunkte der Flotationsforschung in Deutschland liegen u.a. auf der physikochemischen und hydrodynamischen Erweiterung des Flotationsprozesses in den Bereich der Feinstpartikel • Focal points of flotation research in Germany include the physicochemical and hydrodynamic extension of the flotation process into the sector of ultrafine particles

Quelle/Source: Links: HZDR/3D Kosmos, rechts: HZDR/Frank Schinski

Quelle/Source: HZDR/Tina Schulz

Einbettung des Flotationsprozesses in die Kreislaufwirtschaft im Kontext der Energiewende • Embedding the flotation process in the circular economy in the context of the energy transition

Quelle/Source: HZDR/Tina Schulz

Quelle/Source: HZDR/Martin Rudolph

2 Mehr als 150 t Anfang Juli 2018 gefördertes Komplexerz der Lagerstätte Pöhla/Hämmerlein vor der pilottechnischen Weiterverarbeitung im Hinterhof des HIF • More than 150 tonnes of the complex ore extracted from the Pöhla/Hämmerlein deposit at the beginning of July 2018, stored in the backyard of the HIF prior to further processing in a pilot plant

Quelle/Source: HZDR/Martin Rudolph

Quelle/Source: Oben: HZDR/Martin Rudolph, unten HZDR/Anna Vanderbruggen

3 Oben: Konzentrat und Berge von flotierter < 100 µm Schwarzmasse von aufgeschlossenen, pyrolisierten Lithium Ionen Batterien, Falschfarbendarstellung aus Überlagerung von Sekundärelektronen und Rückstreuelektronen Rasterelektronenmikroskopie der MLA der Graphitpartikel des Konzentrats (links unten) und metallhaltigen (Co, Ni, Mn und Li) Batterieaktivmaterialien (rechts unten) • Top: Concentrate and tailings of floated <100 μm black mass of crushed, pyrolyzed lithium ion batteries. False color representation of superposition of secondary electrons and backscattered-electron scanning electron microscopy of the MLA of the graphite particles of the concentrate (bottom left) and metal-bearing (Co, Ni, Mn and Li) active materials of the batteries (bottom right)

Quelle/Source: Oben: HZDR/Martin Rudolph, unten HZDR/Anna Vanderbruggen

Quelle/Source: Oben: HZDR/Martin Rudolph, unten: HZDR/Bent Babel

4 Oben: Schematische Darstellung des langfristigen Entwicklungsziels der Nutzung der Partikelsonden Rasterkraftmikroskopie (CP-AFM) zusammen mit oberflächensensitiver Ramanspektroskopie. Unten: Ein Screening-Substrat mit unterschiedlichen Mineraleinbettungen, u.A. Scheelit, Kassiterit, Quarz, Kalzit, Apatit und verschiedene Sulfide • Top: Schematic representation of the long-term development goal of the use of colloidal probe atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM) together with surface-sensitive Raman spectroscopy. Bottom: a screening substrate with different mineral embeddings, including scheelite, cassiterite, quartz, calcite, apatite and various sulfides

Quelle/Source: Oben: HZDR/Martin Rudolph, unten: HZDR/Bent Babel

Quelle/Source: HZDR/André Wirsig

Summary: The invention of flotation about 140 years ago was one of the great achievements of modern processing technology. For many metallic/mineral raw materials, processing without a flotation stage would be unthinkable. This article presents the especially important topics in the field of basic research and technological development of flotation in times of the circular economy and energy transition.

1‌ Resource-related challenges in the context of circular economy and energy transition

Humanity has always felt itself to be in the area of conflict between innovative technological developments aimed at positively influencing the quality of life, the limited available resources and the sometimes destructive effects on our environment. In 2011, motivated by the demonstrably severe impact on the Earth‘s climate of greenhouse gases, such as CO₂ produced by the burning of fossil fuels, as well as the nuclear reactor disaster in Fukushima, political leaders called for a transition to renewable...

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Flotation in times of circular economy and energy transition

1‌ Resource-related challenges in the context of circular economy and energy transition

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