"In conjunction with SIDENOR and other players in the European steel sector, we promote solutions for a more efficient use of recycled scrap"
We are working on the decarbonisation of the steel industry for efficient scrap management and waste recovery.
TECNALIA is leading research into pyrometallurgical technologies based on an innovative High Power Thermal Plasma heating system. The system recovers different types of steel waste, such as slag, sludge and dust, recovering strategic metals like copper.
SIDENOR, one of Europe’s main producers of special steels, provides its industrial experience in the use of scrap and process optimisation, which is necessary to implement the innovations in a real production environment.
Decarbonisation through the use of recycled scrap metal
The MEDALS initiative seeks solutions to optimise the use of scrap in steel production; improving the sorting and separation of materials; removing unwanted elements in the liquid phase; recovering high-value elements from process residues; and developing steels that are more tolerant to higher copper concentrations without affecting quality.
The increasing demand for scrap has created new challenges, such as the use of lower quality materials containing undesirable elements, including copper and tin, which can negatively affect steel properties.
The steel industry is moving towards decarbonisation through the use of recycled scrap as an alternative to iron ore, a necessary measure to reduce carbon emissions.
