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News from Abroad News from Abroad

ENSURING CIRCULARITY the export of rare earth processing The ‘PERMANET’ project is part would cover almost 50% of the EU’s
Respol to invest over €800-mn in project to turn urban technologies. of this effort to overcome the European needs in that year.
limited production capacity and the
weak development of certain segments
As a result, the European Commis-
The project involves 34 partners (17
waste into renewable methanol sion has passed a ‘Key Raw Materials that currently affect the EU’s perma- large companies, seven SMEs, four re-
Act’ last year, and has also established nent magnet production value chain. Its search centres, two universities and four
Spanish energy and chemicals non-recyclable plastics. The plant is its regulation on last March, “as the aim is to achieve that the European pro- clusters from eleven European coun-
group, Respol’s board of directors has expected to be operational by 2029. demand for rare earths is expected to duction of permanent magnets reaches tries). Its budget reaches around Euro
approved the construction of the ‘Eco- increase exponentially in the coming 2,800 tons per year in 2037, 7,800 tons 21-mn, with a grant of around Euro
plant’ project in Tarragona (Spain), The ‘Ecoplant’ will be integrated years.” in 2040 and 21,600 tons in 2050. That 16-mn. It is estimated to last 40 months.
with an investment of €800-mn. into Repsol’s industrial complex in
Tarragona to take advantage of exist- NUTRITION PRODUCTS
The project aims to transform ing infrastructures and accelerate the
urban household waste into renewable transformation of the centre into a multi- Epax upgrades facility processing fi sh oil to Omega
fuels and circular products, which are company in which Repsol is a partner – energy hub that will continue to manu-
designed to be reused or repurposed in gives a second life to waste that would facture renewable fuels and circular fatty acids
the circular economy, the company said otherwise end up in landfi lls or be materials.
in a press note. incinerated. Epax Norway, a manufacturer of expansion of the tank farm where
“The Ecoplanta has been selected concentrated marine oils and part of crude fi sh oil is stored. This will further
The company said the project will The plant will be able to process up to by the European Union, from among the Norwegian fi shery giant Pelagia, is improve Epax’s ability to make optimal
be the fi rst in Europe to produce re- 400-ktpa of solid non-recyclable waste, more than 300 projects, to receive upgrading its main production facility, use of the various fractions of the oil,
newable and circular methanol from converting it into 240-ktpa of renewable funding from the Innovation Fund pro- to develop next-generation marine oil with more being used in products for
waste through gasifi cation, the “world’s fuels and circular products. The renew- gramme, due to its high potential for products, besides improving sustain- human nutrition.
most advanced waste valorisation pro- able methanol will originate from organic reducing emissions and its innovative ability.
cess”. This technology, developed by waste, while the circular products will nature and for being unique in Europe,” Mr. Bjørn Refsum, CEO of Epax,
Enerkem – a Canadian clean technology come from non-organic waste, such as the company informed. The $10-mn investment in the faci- said, “This investment is a demonstra-
lity in Aalesund, Norway, includes the tion of our dedication to harnessing the
RARE EARTHS VALUE CHAIN construction of a new synthesis plant. Atlantic pelagic fi sh species, which are full potential of marine lipids, includ-
Técnicas Reunidas to lead European project to create It will use Epax’s novel fractionation an unusually rich source of Omega-9 ing next-generation fatty acids like
technology to modify fi sh oil and and Omega-11. This represents a shift Omega-9 and Omega-11. The expan-
to push permanent magnets production extract different fatty acids for bespoke towards greater use of local resources – sion of our facility is designed to ensure
nutrition products. a key element of Epax’s sustainability that we make the best possible use of
Spanish EPC fi rm, Técnicas Reunidas, Reducing import dependency strategy. the rich resources on our doorstep.”The
is set to lead a project for creating At present, EU production of per- Developed by Epax’s R&D team, new plant is scheduled to be on-stream
the fi rst complete European value manent magnets is extremely low, barely the new technology has been success- The investment also includes an by early 2026.
chain for the production of permanent reaching 1,000 tons per year, and is fully tested and piloted, allowing it to
magnets. not expected to cover more than 20% be implemented on an industrial scale. UV DISINFECTION SYSTEMS
of European needs by 2030. Rising this As well as supporting its position as a DKSH to partner with Dinies Technologies
The PERMANET (PERmanent capacity would require a sharp increase leader in the Omega-3 category, it will in Thailand
MAgnet Network for the European in imports of rare earths from China, help Epax create new patented products
Transition) project is promoted by the the project, will address in its technology the world’s leading producer, which containing Omega-9 and Omega-11. Swiss fi rm, DKSH, is partnering offers a range of safe and environmen-
European Commission (EC) within centre the development of the tech- currently supplies almost all of the Less well known than Omega-3, these with Dinies Technologies GmbH to dis- tally friendly UV-C air and surface dis-
the framework of its ‘Horizon Pro- nology that will allow the production of EU’s demand for these materials. long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids tribute their innovative UV disinfection infection devices. These systems are
gramme’. This chain will include the rare earths from minerals and secondary (LC-MUFAs) offer particular potential systems in Thailand. By leveraging the designed for diverse applications across
extraction, processing and refi ning of sources for manufacturing perma- This over-dependence on China in nutraceutical applications targeting strength in market expansion of DKSH, industries such as food and beverage,
rare earths – which are the basis for nent magnets. The company has prov- may become even more serious in skin and metabolic health, as well as Dinies Technologies GmbH’s system hospitality, healthcare, and logistics.
the production of permanent magnets–, en experience in this fi eld, as it already the next future, due to the growing products for beauty and personal care. will be extensively introduced to custo- This partnership with DKSH will help
the manufacture of the magnets, and supplies the market with its own tech- demand for permanent magnets to drive mers across Thailand. streamline access to Dinies Techno-
their recycling. nology, Raretech, which allows obtain- the electrifi cation required by the energy The new plant will have the capa- logies’ products and address the
ing rare earth concentrates in the form transition and the recent decision by city to process 5,000 tonnes of crude With over 35 years of expertise in growing demand for UV disinfection
Técnicas Reunidas, besides leading of carbonates from ores. the Chinese authorities to restrict fi sh oil per year, all derived from North UV-C technology, Dinies Technologies solutions in Thailand.

158 Chemical Weekly February 11, 2025 Chemical Weekly February 11, 2025 159

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