Imagine turning common sand from local quarries into high-tech silicon, which is usually imported from halfway across the world. Instead of using dirty coal to melt it, this method uses a cleaner process to separate the good minerals from the waste. It's like upgrading a basic sandbox into a goldmine for electronics and green energy materials.
The EU relies on imports for over 80% of its metallurgical silicon, creating a strategic vulnerability. Current production is also carbon-intensive due to heavy coal usage.
A mineralogical separation process based on flotation for extracting high-purity quartz and Potassium Feldspars from quarry sands.
If you are a silicon smelter dealing with high import costs and carbon taxes — this project developed a flotation-based separation process that allows you to use local quarry sands. This reduces reliance on Chinese imports and aims to save 232,000 Mt of CO2 by replacing coal.
If you are a quarry operator dealing with underutilized sand deposits — this project developed a way to refine high-purity quartz and Potassium Feldspars. This turns your basic sand site into a strategic reservoir for metallurgical silicon.
If you are a waste processor dealing with mineral by-products — this project developed a circular economy approach that leverages waste materials during the silicon refinement process. This creates a near-zero waste production cycle.
Based on available project data, specific price points are not provided, but the project aims to reduce costs associated with importing over 80% of MG-Si from external sources like China.
The project plans to conduct pilot tests at TRL 7, aiming to eventually recover more than 300Mt of MG-Si from sands.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project involves a consortium of 11 industry partners who will likely drive the commercial application.
The project runs from November 2024 to October 2028, with a target to cover 56% of EU MG-Si demand by 2032.
It integrates by substituting imported raw materials with European quarry sands and replacing coal with cleaner materials in the production process.
The project is heavily industry-driven, with 11 industrial partners representing 73% of the 15-member consortium. This high ratio of commercial entities, including 2 SMEs, suggests a strong focus on market viability and industrial application rather than pure academic research. The geographic spread across 8 countries ensures a diverse range of quarry types and market access points across Europe.
Contact the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya for technical partnership inquiries.
Contact us to connect with the QUEEN consortium for early adoption of TRL 7 pilot results.
