Page 163 - CW E-Magazine (28-5-2024)

News from Abroad

AIDING CIRCULARITY
Umicore announces partnership in Congo

for germanium recycling

Belgian circular materials techno-
logy company, Umicore, and STL, a sub-
sidiary of Congolese commodity trad-
ing and mining company, Gécamines,
have signed an exclusive, long-term
partnership agreement whereby
Umicore will support STL to valorise
germanium from the Big Hill tailings
site in Lubumbashi, DRC (Democratic
Republic of Congo).

Big Hill is a tailings site from STL’s germanium previously entered with a guaranteed, multi-annual offtake
historical mining residues in Lubumbashi, the market through third-party refiners of substantial volumes. Umicore’s
DRC’s second largest town and located outside of DRC. STL is now seeking Electro-Optic Materials (EOM) busi-
in the Katanga province which is rich to further increase the value generated ness unit uses and recycles germanium
in mining. from DRC’s mining materials itself and to create material solutions for optical
inside the country by optimising the and electronic applications. These
Umicore will optimise STL’s new valorisation of Big Hill’s germanium include fibre optics, solar cells and
processing facility at the site, using its concentrates with the new hydro-meta- electronics.
refining and recycling expertise and in llurgical facility it commissioned in
return will get exclusive access to the 2023. In this it will be supported by STL will benefit from Umicore’s
processed germanium in order to pro- Umicore as its technology partner. expertise in non-ferrous metals refining
duce material solutions for high-tech and recycling to optimise the flowsheet
applications. The first test volumes of germanium of its new facility and ramp up capacity.
concentrates are expected to be refined In addition to the operational and tech-
For many years now, STL has been by Umicore in the last quarter of 2024, nical support, Umicore will help in skill
mining Big Hill’s 10-mt of metals-con- with a subsequent ramp-up of STL’s development to analyse the germanium
taining slags – accumulated from a germanium extraction capacities. content in the tailings for recycling
century of mining activity – for zinc, and support STL’s ambitions to further
silver, cobalt, copper and germanium For Umicore the agreement will develop downstream germanium pro-
and selling these metals on the market. diversify its germanium supply sources ducts.

FAÇADE INDUSTRY
Dow announces capacity expansion at SAS Chemicals

Dow has announced a capacity been used in various commercial struc- capacity expansion at SAS Chemicals,
expansion from its minority equity tural glazing applications, providing Dow has a broader range and capacity
investment in SAS Chemicals GmbH, a UV resistance and structural capability, of high-performance adhesives and
German-based speciality chemical pro- as well as inspiring designers to create sealants solutions for insulating glass
ducer of sealants and components used unique architectural possibilities for manufacturers. As part of this capacity
in insulating glass manufacturing, to glass façades. More than 70% of the expansion, SAS Chemicals will
create a more holistic façade offering. top 20 tallest buildings in the world as strengthen its operations in Germany
ranked by the council of Tall Building and expand production in Turkey. SAS
For over five decades, silicone and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), are bonded Chemicals’ Turkey plant is expected to
insulating glass sealants from Dow have using Dow technology. Now, with the start up in June 2024.

Chemical Weekly May 28, 2024 163

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