Ensuring zero waste production of alumina in Europe
The concept of the ENSUREAL is to develop and optimise a different alumina production process, capable of accepting lower grade ores while producing useful by-products such as cast-iron, fertilisers and soil improver and critical raw material concentrates (REE, Ga)
The ENSUREAL process
The ENSUREAL process is an investment in innovative processes that make the sector more sustainable, from the environmental and economic point of view:
- Less dependent on raw materials i.e. bauxite, as it can recirculate low quality bauxites from the process’ tailings;
- More flexible, as it can use other sources of alumina;
- Environmentally sustainable, as it swaps “red mud” waste for “grey mud”, which is highly valorisable;
- More energy efficient, as it eliminates the need of treating “red mud” (3,5 million € savings in AoG’s case);
The process also is an investment in circular economy, as it integrates the iron and agriculture sectors, as well as taking into account other valorisation routes like the construction sectors and high added value applications of alumina. Besides, other applications related to the construction and fire protection applications will be assessed.
The ethical commitment
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The aluminium industry is still heavily invested in traditional waste generating processes
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ENSUREAL proposes a method for environmentally sustainable and resource-efficient alumina production
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ENSUREAL endorses the values of Circular economy
MEMBERS OF THE ENSUREAL CONSORTIUM
