Home ⟩ Research ⟩ Research Projects ⟩ Sustainable, Decarbonised Vanadium, Titanium and Iron Extraction From Europe’s Low-Grade Vanadium Bearing Titanomagnetite Deposits (AVANTIS)
Sustainable, Decarbonised Vanadium, Titanium and Iron Extraction From Europe’s Low-Grade Vanadium Bearing Titanomagnetite Deposits (AVANTIS)
- Project research area
- Availability of Critical Raw Materials
- Project duration
- 01.01.2024 - 31.12.2027
Introduction
AVANTIS is a project funded by Horizon Europe that aims to promote sustainable and decarbonized extraction of vanadium, titanium, and iron from low-grade vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite deposits in Europe. AVANTIS further impacts on co-extracting of LREE and P from some of the deposits that contain RRE-bearing apatite. The project aligns with the broader objectives of the EU in terms of resource sustainability and reducing dependence on critical raw material imports. AVANTIS targets the domestic extraction of two critical raw materials, ‘vanadium’ (V) and ‘titanium’ (Ti metal) to meet the first target of the European Commission’s Critical Raw Materials Act, which requires over 10% domestic extraction of V and Ti.
Europe has significant reserves of vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite with low-grade deposits. However, the extraction of these deposits using traditional methods poses challenges due to their complex mineral assemblages. AVANTIS intends to overcome these challenges by implementing innovative and environmentally friendly practices. This includes the use of selective blasting, fragmentation, and pre-concentration technologies, as well as a tailored forensic geometallurgy protocol. The project’s objective is to extract V and Ti in the form of ilmenite-rich Ti-preconcentrate and ilmenite-free V-preconcentrate.
KU Levuen is leading a project, in collaboration with major partners such as the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), the University of Oulu, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the Technical University of Crete (AGH), and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). The project also includes key industrial players in the responsible mining field such as Titania, Proxis, IMA Engineering, Otanmäki Mine, Strategic Resources, and Australian Titanium (Neometals Ltd). The project commenced in January 2024 and is scheduled to run for four years.
Contact person: Tegist Chernet
