An
initial intermediate objective of the Recupac project was to treat
the EAF dusts arising from the steelworks at Le Cheylas and to produce
saleable products. The necessary process steps to do this have been
validated at laboratory and pilot scale. The iron oxides obtained
are commercializable and the volume of ultimate solid waste to discharge
represents only a small percentage of the incoming EAF dust (25%).
Work continues to optimise the overall process.
With regard to the economics, it seems clear that a large plant will
be necessary to take advantage of economies of scale. The process
is therefore likely to be of interest to large steelmakers with significant
generation of EAF dusts. |
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Further economic optimisation of the process requires a complementary
development program which would benefit from the involvement of a
partner allowing the project to reach a realistic industrial scale.
Such a partner would benefit from the opportunity to buy in to an
environmentally friendly method for the treatment of EAF dust and
a process which valorises up to 75% of the dust and yields useful
products. It would also bring the opportunity to optimise an already
developed process ahead of more stringent EEC waste control regulations
due in 2002 and the possibility of licensing the technology to other
dust producers. |