ITRB LTD

Their core work

ITRB is a Cyprus-based SME specializing in critical raw materials recovery, recycling technologies, and circular economy solutions for the metals industry. They focus on extracting value from industrial by-products — particularly bauxite residue (red mud), WEEE (electronic waste), and metallurgical waste streams — to recover rare earth elements, scandium, magnesium, and other strategic materials. Their work spans the full chain from waste characterization and processing to the production of high-performance alloys and energy storage materials, consistently bridging primary metals production with secondary resource recovery.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ITRB's early work (2015–2018) concentrated heavily on recovering rare earth elements and magnesium from metallurgical waste, with projects like REMAGHIC and SCALE focused on producing REE alloys and scandium from bauxite residue. From 2019 onward, they broadened into electronic waste recycling (CREAToR) and energy storage (CUBER), while maintaining their core in industrial waste valorization. This trajectory shows a company expanding from metals recovery into adjacent circular economy applications — adding energy systems and consumer waste streams to their original industrial waste expertise.

ITRB is moving from pure metallurgical waste recovery toward broader circular economy applications including energy storage and electronic waste, signaling readiness for projects that connect raw materials with green energy transitions.

How they like to work

ITRB operates exclusively as a consortium participant — they have never coordinated a project, which suggests they contribute specialized technical expertise rather than managing large partnerships. With 78 unique partners across 20 countries in just 6 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia (averaging 13+ partners per project). This makes them an experienced, low-friction partner comfortable integrating into complex multi-national teams without requiring a leadership role.

ITRB has built a broad European network of 78 unique partners across 20 countries through 6 projects, giving them connections well beyond what their size would suggest. Their network spans the full raw materials value chain — from primary metals producers to recyclers and materials researchers.

What sets them apart

ITRB combines deep expertise in critical raw materials recovery with a consistent focus on turning industrial waste into valuable alloys and materials — a niche where few SMEs operate at this scale of EU involvement. Their progression from metals recovery into energy storage (flow batteries) and electronic waste positions them at the intersection of raw materials, circular economy, and clean energy. For consortium builders, they offer a rare combination: a flexible SME partner with hands-on CRM processing knowledge and an extensive pan-European network from six major projects.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CUBER
  Their largest funded project (EUR 702K) and a strategic pivot into copper-based flow batteries for renewable energy storage — connecting their metals expertise with the energy transition.
• SCALE
  A long-running project (2016–2021, EUR 559K) on scandium production from bauxite residue, representing their deepest investment in a single critical raw material value chain.
• CREAToR
  Marks their expansion into consumer electronic waste (WEEE) recycling with advanced purification technologies like supercritical CO2, broadening their scope beyond metallurgical waste.