Cobre Las Cruces mining company leads trial to take advantage of metal mining residues

The Cobre Las Cruces(CLC) mining complex has begun a pilot test to produce cobalt, tungsten, gold and silver sustainably from mine waste. This initiative is part of the European RAWMINA project, which seeks to develop innovative technologies to obtain essential raw materials.

The Cobre Las Cruces mine

One of the experimental methods is bioleaching, a hydrometallurgical process that uses microorganisms to extract metals from ores. Unlike conventional metallurgical methods, bioleaching is characterized by its lower consumption of energy and chemical additives.

Official testing will be conducted of the CLC pilot mining complex, which was built in 2016 as part of the PMR polymetallurgical refinery project. This project seeks to produce pure metals such as copper, zinc, lead and silver. According to Joaquín Gotor, CLC’s Director of Technology, Innovation and Environment,“the RAWMINA project offers the opportunity to add new metals to our production, using circular economy principles and contributing to environmental sustainability“.

In addition, the capacity to produce raw materials from mining wastes mining waste could reduce Europe’s dependence on external markets, such as China. The RAWMINA project, launched in 2021, is in its final phase and involves an international consortium of 19 specialized partners from 10 countries.

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The RAWMINA project

CLC is one of the most active Andalusian companies in the European research programs Horizon 2020. Its collaboration in RAWMINA joins other projects, such as the European METALLICO consortium, which is developing innovative and sustainable methods to obtain strategic metals for batteries, including lithium, cobalt, copper, manganese and nickel.

To take advantage of the residues of the Mine to Metal. Source: Las Cruces Copper FQM

In addition, CLC is part of the University Innovation Center of Andalusia, Alentejo and Algarve (CIU3A), researching the use of metals from the Andalusian Pyrite Belt to manufacture new generation batteries. It is also a member of the European Raw Materials Alliance(ERMA), an agreement to secure the supply of essential metals for European industry.

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Source and photo: Cobres Las Cruces