August 1.08.2019, XNUMX - The Audi Environmental Foundation is funding a research project for the extraction and processing of the high-tech elements indium and germanium at the Technical University of Freiberg. The focus of the project is a newly installed membrane system in the TU research and teaching mine.

The plant erected in 142m Teufe is connected to a leaching section. On this first metal ions are dissolved from the ore with the help of naturally occurring in the mine microorganisms and supplied as a metal-rich solution of the new membrane system. This not only separates the microorganisms, which are then returned to the leaching process, but also selects and concentrates the desired ions. From this multicomponent mixture the Freiberg scientists then enrich indium and germanium. The coveted elements can be found in many high-tech products such as flat screens, touch screens, navigation systems, computer chips, photovoltaic systems as well as in sliding bearings of automobiles.

Inauguration of the experimental facility (from left) Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Bräuer (ITUN), dr. Matthias Rossmann (AUDI Foundation for the Environment), Katja Götze (ITUN), dr. Roland Haseneder (ITUN). Photo: T. Krichler / TU Bergakademie Freiberg

"With the newly developed process, we can avoid unnecessary treatment steps or reduce them to a minimum and make an important contribution to the environmentally friendly and economical production of high-tech elements such as indium and germanium. In the future, the process will also be used to extract additional elements, such as cobalt, in other deposits, "explains Dr. med. Roland Haseneder from the Institute of Thermal Process Engineering, Environmental and Natural Product Process Engineering.

The two-year project will be carried out at the Institute of Thermal Process Engineering, Environmental and Natural Product Process Engineering (ITUN) within the Biohydrometallurgical Center (BHMZ) of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg and funded by the Audi Foundation for the Environment.

Contact: Dr. med. Roland Haseneder, phone: + 49 (0) 3731 393488

Source / Image 2: Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg Cover image: Audi Foundation

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