ekolive - a new approach to creating local sources of metals and minerals

ekolive
Type of organisation or company
Country
Slovakia
City
Košice
Language for original content
Project elaborated in partnership
No
Submitted by
Darina Štyriaková
Start/End date
to
Ongoing
No
Expected end date
04/2030
Darina Štyriaková
Description

Manufacturing industries in EU countries depend on the import of metals and high-quality mineral raw materials (RM) which are not available locally. This requires expensive long-distance transport, has a negative environmental impact and amplifies competitive disadvantages.

ekolive provides a new innovative eco-/biological method of zero-waste mining and processing of local primary and secondary RM (mining or industrial waste) in order to create local resources of metals, and high-quality and purity minerals.

Proven on an industrial scale (150 and 300 tonnes produced), the use of bioleaching with heterotrophic bacteria will increase the quality and value of local resources, curb imports/transport of RM, decrease negative environmental impacts, replace hazardous mining techniques, increase competitiveness, decrease CO2 production, and thus boost the circularity of the RM-related economy. By-products can replace the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Main activity field
Main results
  • Successful bioleaching of more than 70 different raw materials, including mine tailings, industrial waste and contaminated soils/sediments
  • Wide range of metals extracted, including Rare Earth Elements (REE)
  • High purity and quality of minerals achieved (over 95% of metals removed)
  • Successful industrial operations, with quantities totalling 24, 150 and 300 tonnes produced; contracts with glass, construction and mining companies