Plenary speakers

Susan A. Bernal Lopez

School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, United Kingdom

Prof. Susan A. Bernal Lopez, holds the Chair in Structural Materials & a prestigious EPSRC Early Career Fellowship in multi-scale engineering of sustainable concretes at the University of Leeds, UK. She was awarded the 2016 RILEM Gustavo Colonnetti Medal and 2020 IOM3 Rosenhain Medal in recognition to her distinguished contributions to cementitious materials science and engineering. Susan and her team’s research centres on development of solutions for decarbonise future infrastructure including waste valorisation for developing new low carbon cementitious materials; understanding interaction between concrete materials and the environment; development of infrastructure for wellbeing and others. She is the Materials and Structures Group Directors at the School of Civil Engineering at University of Leeds, and Deputy Chair of the largest international RILEM Technical Committee – RILEM TC 281-CCC on carbonation of concretes with supplementary cementitious materials. She holds one patent related to alkali-activation technology, has co-authored nine book chapters, published 120 refereed international journal papers with a Scopus h-index of 44, and 105 conference presentations in the field of alternative cements, wastes valorisation for production of construction materials, and hazardous and nuclear waste cementation.

Correlating blast furnace slag features with the performance of low carbon slag-based cements

The majority of modern Portland blended concretes are produced with blast furnace slags, whose efficiency as cement replacement is strongly dependent of physical, chemical and mineralogical features of the slags. These factors are dependent on the slag source, thermal history, mechanical processing, among others features. Quality coefficients solely considering chemical composition, have been used for several decades as a means to determine the potential reactivity/quality of slags, and consequently properties of the blended cements produced with them. However, conventional quality coefficient do not capture the relevant slags properties to determine whether they will be suitable precursors for producing low carbon non-Portland cements. For example, a given alkali-activated slag cement can present a completely different phase assemblage and performance depending on the activator used, or curing conditions adopted. In this presentation it will be discussed the potential correlations between blast furnace slag features and its reactivity when used as main precursors for producing non-Portland cements, particularly in the context of alkali-activated or supersulphated cements.

Miguel Angel Estrada Moreno

Atlantic Copper, Huelva, Spain

Strategies for slag valorisation in the copper industry

Vojtech Ettler

Head of IGMMR, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague

Vojtech ETTLER is a professor of Applied Geology at Charles University in Prague (Czech University). He obtained his BSc and MSc in Environmental Geology from the Charles University (Czech Republic) and his PhD in Environmental Mineralogy and Geochemistry from the University of Orléans (France). In his research he focuses on mineralogy, geochemistry and environmental behaviour of mining and smelting wastes (slags, flue dusts), soil pollution, contaminant mobility in the environmental systems and geochemical modelling. He has been involved in many research projects in active and abandoned mining/smelting districts (Europe, Africa, South America). He also serves as the Associate Editor of Applied Geochemistry.
ORCID: 0000-0002-0151-0024
Researcher ID: B-3014-2013

The leaching behavior of smelting slags: from contaminants to critical metals

Laboratory leaching tests are used to simulate the leaching behaviour of smelting slags under variable environmental conditions. The combination of various leaching tests with the speciation-solubility modelling and detailed mineralogical investigation of the primary slag phases as well as the secondary products formed during the leaching are useful tools for depicting (i) the geochemical processes affecting the releases of metal(loid)s into the environment and (ii) the extractability of valuable metals during the hydro-metallurgical processes. This paper will demonstrate the typical leaching scenarios relevant for the release of metal(loid) contaminants from slags, the experimental protocols and the results obtained by single-step leaching tests, kinetic batch leaching tests, pH dependence leaching tests and column (percolation) tests. The application of specific leaching tests mimicking the slag particles exposure in soil systems and contaminant bio-accessibility after incidental inhalation/ingestion of slag dusts will also be shown. In view of resource recovery from smelting slags, examples of extraction/leaching of the key critical metals (V, Ga, Ge,…) will be demonstrated.

Florian Flachenecker

Recovery and Resilience Task Force, European Commission & University College London

Florian FLACHENECKER works in the Recovery and Resilience Task Force of the Secretariat-General of the European Commission. Florian is also an Honorary Lecturer at University College London (UCL) Institute for Sustainable Resources.

Previously, he was an Economist at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, working at the intersection between research and policy, in particular on environmental innovations, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and firm growth. Florian also worked as an Economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on environmental data and policy. He was a Visiting Fellow at the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC) of the European Commission and a Consultant at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Florian obtained a PhD in Economics from UCL for empirically investigating the effects of resource efficiency on competitiveness and climate change mitigation in the EU. Florian also holds a MA in Economics from the College of Europe, and a BSc in Economics from the University of Mannheim.

The Recovery and Resilience Facility of the European Union – towards a sustainable and circular recovery?

Ange Nzihou

RAPSODEE Research Center, IMT Mines Albi - France

Prof. Ange NZIHOU (M) is a Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering since 2012.
Since 2000, he has developed outstanding expertise in research fields such as Energy and added value materials from Biomass and Waste; Elaboration, functionalisation phosphate based composites / hybrid materials (sorbents, fertilizers, catalysts, energy carriers, sensors, materials for energy storage) for energy, agriculture and depollution (liquid, gas, solid phases); Thermochemical processes (pyrolysis, gasification, reforming) for biochar, bioash and energy production; The behavior of pollutants such as heavy metals and aerosols (fine particles) and Kinetics and transfer phenomena are among its field of expertise.
Through these research and industrial projects, he has supervised 32 PhDs (21 graduated already, 10 co-advised with colleagues from top universities in USA, Canada, Ireland, China and India), 12 post-docs, published 160 papers in peer reviewed journals, 4 world patents (2 scaled-up at industrial level), 33 invited plenary and keynote lectures in international conferences, published about 170 proceedings papers at national and international conferences. He has chaired and co-chaired 10 conferences and 2 international summer schools. He has obtained about 6.5 M€ of research grants over the 20 last years. He has been chair and principal Investigator of joint Laboratories with industry. He is Visiting Professor at Princeton University (USA), University College of Dublin (Ireland) and Zheijang University (China). He is the Editor-in-Chief of the peer reviewed journal “Waste and Biomass Valorization” (www.springer.com/engineering/ journal/12649), and the founding Chair of the WasteEng Conference Series dedicated to the organisation of conferences and seminars on Waste and Biomass Valorisation (www.wasteeng2016.org) since 2005. He is the Editor of the Handbook on characterisation of biomass, biowaste and related by-products (https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030350192) published in February 2020.

He obtained some International and National significant scientific recognitions and awards such as the Grand Prix 2018 of the Academy of Sciences (France) for his outstanding contribution in science and technology of Energy transition. He was also awarded with the Erudite Professor of the Mahatma Ghandi University (India) in 2018. The previous recipients of this professorship are well known and outstanding international scientists, academicians and Nobel Prize winners. He is member Consultative Advisory Board of the PASET program (Scholarship in Innovation Fund) of the World Bank, and member of the scientific advisory board of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute WPI (USA) from. He was also promoted Knight of the National Order of Merit (France) in 2017 on the besthood of the president of France. He has frequently worked as evaluator for EU projects (RTD, SME, Intereg) under the FP7 and H2020.

Insights on ceramics for thermal energy storage using incinerator bottom ash

Caisa Samuelsson

Professor and Chair of Process metallurgy, Division of Minerals and Metallurgical Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden

Education and Degrees:
Docent in Process metallurgy at Luleå University of Technology (LTU), 2009.
Ph.D. degree in the subject area of Process metallurgy, LTU, 1999.
M.Sc. in Geotechnology, 1992, LTU

Professional experience:
2016Chaired Professor in Process metallurgy LTU
2015-2016Professor in Process metallurgy LTU
2013-2015Associate professor LTU
2007Lecturer at Division of Process metallurgy, LTU
2003-2007Researcher at Division of Process metallurgy, LTU
1999-2003Research Assistant at Division of Process metallurgy, LTU

Research activities:
Involved in a number of projects related to recycling and utilization of by-products in metallurgical processes in collaboration with industrial and academic partners, a.o within the Centre of excellence “Minerals and Metals Recycling Research Centre” -MiMeR and “Center for Advanced Mining and Metallurgy”- CAMM².

Academic achievements:
Supervisor for 9 PhD degrees. Currently supervisor of 6 PhD students. Author of 70 papers in scientific journals and conference proceedings. Supervision of several master theses. Teaching in under graduate courses.

Slag valorisation – The mineralogical approach

Slag is a heterogeneous oxide material originating from high temperature processes.The composition and content of phases in slag shows a broad spectrum depending on a.o raw material, process conditions and slag treatment. The slag is in the metallurgical process used to separate undesired elements contained in the raw materials yielding the desired product, a metal or alloy. In its post process, slag has potential for utilization in external applications, e.g construction, provided technical and environmental performance is controlled. Modification of slag properties may be made in process or in post process treatment, however this has to be done without jeopardizing the quality of the main product of the process. To fully control and design high quality products based on slag, fundamental understanding of properties and reaction mechanisms in the different stages; from smelting process to cooling, post treatment and interaction with surrounding environment in application areas is essential. Based on a solid understanding of how the mineralogical composition influences properties, a suitable slag composition can be delineated in order to improve the use in a certain application. Examples of how environmental properties,leaching, can be understood and controlled by determination of minerals and entrained phases in slag matrix, their ability to contain metals of concern, e.g Cr, and dissolution of minerals and phases under different environmental conditions will be presented.

Johan van Boggelen

Operations & Technology Manager HIsarna Pilot Plant, Tata Steel

ir. Johan van Boggelen CEng MIMMM

Operations and Technology Manager of the HIsarna pilot plant at Tata Steel in IJmuiden.
Graduated from Delft University of Technology with an MSc in Materials Science.
Joined Corus R&D at their facilities in Teesside, UK, in 2002, mainly working on converter steelmaking and ladle metallurgy.
Started to be involved with HIsarna development in 2010, just before the first start up of the pilot plant.
Joined the HIsarna project full-time in 2014.

HIsarna: Considerations for valorisation of slag and other by-products when developing new processes

Presentations

Oral presentations

• Lugas Raka Adrianto

  ETH Zurich Life cycle assessment of emerging processes to valorize mine tailings

• Amit Ahsan

  Secopta analytics GmbH In-Situ slag analysis with LIBS – The future technology to analyze slag sample fast and preparation free

• David Algermissen

  FEhS - Building Materials Institute Future slag production in a low carbon steel industry – A break in the circular economy?

• Lukas Arnout

  ResourceFull BV Industrial validation of alkali-activated slag concrete in agricultural environments

• Sander Arnout

  InsPyro Integration of slag properties in daily process decision software

• Srećko Bevandić

  Croatian Mineralogical and geochemical characterisation of metallurgical waste from a historic Zn-Pb tailing pond (Plombières, Belgium)

• Ludwig Blenau

  TU Freiberg (INEMET) Carbothermic reduction of fayalitic slag with graphite – understanding reaction kinetics for pig iron production

• Zhongfu Cheng

  Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven Numerical study on mass transfer parameters in a slag fuming process

• Andreas Ehrenberg

  FEhS institute Dry and wet granulated blast furnace slag - Comparison of their cementitious properties

• Laura Finken

  RWTH Aachen University, Steel Institute (IEHK) A new approach on BOF lime and dolime dissolution evaluation in the early stage of oxygen blowing

• Asghar Gholizadeh-Vayghan

  Sustainable Materials Management, VITO, 2400 Mol, Belgium Application of granulated treated lead slag as supplementary cementitious material in concrete

• Michiel Giels

  KU Leuven Designing highly reactive precursors from bauxite residue: can the RILEM R3 test assist?

• Cassian Gottlieb

  Secopta analytics GmbH How LIBS based online analysis opens up new possibilities in slag recycling, slag valorisation and refractory recycling

• Barbara Horvat

  Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, Dimičeva ulica 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia The role of slag as a co-binder in alkali-activated mineral wool waste

• Shuigen Huang

  Dept MTM, KU Leuven Microstructure evolution of slag and spinel particles of Zn fuming slag

• Federica Iaccino

  ARCHE Consulting Valorized slags under Risk Assessment obligations

• Stergi Kapelari

  PhD candidate A carbon-free melting process for Fe recovery from an Al and Na - depleted Bauxite Residue

• Stergi Kapelari

  PhD candidate Simultaneous iron, alumina and soda recovery from Bauxite Residue (Red Mud), with H2 gas and NaOH

• Jihye Kim

  University of Toronto Valorization of steelmaking slag using carbothermic reduction followed by acid baking–water leaching

• Jihye Kim

  University of Toronto The CO2 sequestration by supercritical carbonation of steelmaking slag

• Efstathios Kyrilis

  RWTH Aachen University Valorisation potential of V-bearing residues

• Hongbin Ling

  KU Leuven Mineralogical characterization of antimony-containing metallurgical residues

• Lorien Luyckx

  KU Leuven Phosphorous recovery from biomass combustion ash as sustainable alternative for phosphate rock

• Valentina Mariga

  University of Bologna Sustainability analysis in the mining sector: a sustainability assessment of new recycling technologies for sulphidic mine residues valorisation

• Nour-Eddine Menad

  BRGM Recovery of valuable metals from EAF slag by microwave assisted leaching

• Kazuki Morita

  The University of Tokyo Effect of Cooling Conditions on Precipitated Phase and Alkaline Dissolution Behaviour of Steelmaking Slags

• Antoine-Floribert Mulaba-Bafubiandi

  University of Johannesburg Valorization of slag from aluminum recycling as three legged pot are produced

• Stephanie Muller

  BRGM Development of an environmental and economic decision support tool comparing steel slags management options

• Roberto Murillo Alarcón

  KU LEUVEN Fe-rich slag-based porous inorganic polymers: Can hydrothermal curing enhance the properties?

• Arne Peys

  VITO Utilization of sodium-rich lead-acid battery slag as alkaline activator for blast furnace slag

• Boudewijn M. Piscaer

  Pantheon Performance Foundation Getting it on the market

• Alberto Mejía Pérez

  Atlantic Copper S.L.U. Valorisation of air-produced iron silicate applications for construction materials

• Ryszard Prajsnar

  Łukasiewicz Research Network - Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals Lead slags cleaning in a pilot TSL furnace

• Maximilian Schleiting

  University of Kassel Shrinkage reduction of alkali activated slag by using burnt oil shale

• Sanna Torniainen & Juha Ylimaunu

  Destia/Outokumpu Carbon footprint comparison of traditional road versus ferrochrome slag structure

• Leandro Voisin

  University of Chile, Mining Engineering Department (DIMin) Behavior of silicon carbide- and alumina-based refractories with molten phases of copper matte and slag

• Alexander Wetzel

  University of Kassel Ultra-high performance concrete based on alkali activated slag with reduced shrinkage

Poster presentations

• Mohamed Aatach

  University of Liege Process oriented characterisation of copper slag processed by flotation in view metals recovery

• Mohammad Bhuyan

  University of Oulu Preparation of highly porous alkali-activated blast furnace slag foam and its characterization

• Zhongfu Cheng

  Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven Study on zinc fuming kinetics in a bubble-stirred molten slag bath

• Nicole Dilissen

  Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven Regeneration of alite and belite in hydrated cement paste by microwave technology

• Jillian Helser

  KU Leuven Environmental assessment and valorization potential of waste from historical mining and ore processing

• Felicite Kingne Kingne

  Vrije Universiteit Brussel Low-CO₂ hybrid cements from non-ferrous metallurgy slags

• Lubica Kriskova

  KU Leuven Use of metallurgical residues as supplementary cementitious materials

• Hongbin Ling

  KU Leuven Arsenic removal from crude antimony trioxide by selective leaching in nitric acid solution

• Pavel Leonardo Lopez Gonzalez

  KU Leuven, Department of Materials Engineering Evaluation of factors involved in the recycling of alkali-activated BOF-slag mortars

• Antoine-Floribert Mulaba-Bafubiandi

  University of Johannesburg Zinc recovery from smelter slag using macadamia nutshell and valorisation of secondary slag

• Roberto Murillo Alarcón

  KU Leuven Porous inorganic polymers from Fe-rich slags by mechanical foaming

• Rui Novais

  Department of Materials and Ceramic Engineering / CICECO- Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro Inorganic polymer adsorbents: a safe and efficient approach to depollute heavy metal contaminated wastewaters

• Ioanna Papayianni

  Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Characterization of Ladle Furnace Slag as Supplementary Cementing Material and Alkali-activated Precursor

• Rainer Seeling

  ALFERROCK GmbH ALFERROCK – Paradigm shift within the aluminium industry

• Grace Tawane

  MINTEK Extraction of vanadium from discard titaniferous slag using sulfation roasting process

• Ladji Tikana

  Deutsches Kupferinstitut From stone to stone – The circular path of iron silicate

• Jorn Van De Sande

  Vrije Universiteit Brussel Fire-resistant inorganic polymer foams made from Fe-rich slags

• Jules Vermeiren

  MEAM Dehydration of Portland cement and slag blended cement pastes and mortars by microwave heating

• Roger Vizcaino

  CELSA Cyclo-Slag

• Yannan Wang

  Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven Thermodynamic simulation of CaO modified Zn fuming slag

• Nana Wen

  KU Leuven Department of Materials Engineering, 3001 Leuven, Belgium The effect of the chemical composition of slag in the MgO-CaO-FeO-Al2O3-SiO2 system on the reaction kinetics and compressive strength of alkali activating materials

• Ling Zhang

  KU Leuven In-situ impedance measurement during slag cooling

Topics

• Fundamental studies on liquid and solid slags
  Research focusing on the physical, chemical, thermodynamic and structure properties of liquid and solid slags, such as viscosity, phase equilibria, interfacial properties, polymerisation degree, interactions between minerals and gels... It considers both experimental and characterisation studies, calculations and (nano-scale) modelling work.
• Hot-stage slag engineering, slag solidification, slag conditioning, internal reuse
  Research focusing on:

  • The hot-stage engineering of slags and the solidification procedures with the aim to improve the slag valorisation opportunities. It includes lab or pilot scale studies dealing with the effect of additions at high temperature and/or of the cooling procedures on the properties of the liquid and/or solid slag. Studies dealing with the mineralogy and leaching behaviour of the slag are included in this.
  • Phenomena and reactions during weathering of metallurgical slags, and the effect of weathering and the weathering conditions on the slag properties and the slag valorisation opportunities.
  • The recycling of slag within metallurgical plants and the evaluation of this procedure.
• Slag cleaning and metal recovery
  Research focussing on:

  • Clean slag production for added-value application of metallurgical slags and/or other industrial residues. This includes slag design for zero waste metallurgy, deep reduction of ferrous and non-ferrous slags, plasma fuming, removal of harmful component from slags.
  • Recovery of base metals, rare earth and precious metals from industrial wastes and/or secondary resources. In particular, research that highlights metal recovery through both metallurgical processes (e.g. pyro-, hydro- and electro-metallurgy), and mineral processing (e.g. magnetic separation, gravity separation, flotation separation)
• Production, properties and performance of slag-based products
  Research focusing on the conception, development, optimisation or understanding of innovative production processes that promote slag valorisation and the generation of slag-based products. It also includes studies addressing the effect of the production process on the desired properties of existing products or the evaluation of their performance at any stage of development.
• Process development for sustainable technologies
  Research on slags compatible with the UN Sustainable Development Goals No. 12 (“Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns) and 13 (“Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”) and/or the European Green Deal. In particular, research that promotes and emphasises novel ideas and/or technologies focusing on sustainable slag management, lower carbon emissions, and more efficient use of resources.
• Industrial case studies on slag/residue valorisation
  Research at pilot-plant or industrial level (Technology readiness level 5 or higher) that aims at upscaling, implementing, and/or optimising slag valorisation. Pre-and feasibility studies highlighting evaluation from a technical perspective are also welcome, as well as technical reports of lessons learned from full-scale implementations.
• Environmental and economic analysis
  Research which focuses on environmental and economic analysis of slag valorisation, metals and heat recovery. In particular, studies that use life cycle assessment, life cycle costing, cost-benefits analysis and other assessment tools to evaluate the environmental and economic trade-off the costs of the recycling processes and the benefits of materials and energy recovery.
• Policy and regulations
  Research focusing on how policy and regulation can boost for valorisation of slag and other residues from high-temperature processes. It includes studies from public bodies or private sector, using real case studies or prediction models to analyses the consequences of policy and regulations on the environmental performance of high-temperature industry.