The North Bohemian family business, which has been operating on the Czech market for 32 years, will become a part of the Cronimet Group. At the same time, a long-term succession plan has been found with the takeover.

MetallPlast Recykling, founded in 1992 by Milan Ryšavý, has made a name for itself with its expertise in the areas of ferrous scrap, stainless steel & foundry scrap and non-ferrous metal. The geographical location of MetallPlast Recykling’s seven sites, which have their fleet of vehicles for disposal services, is a valuable addition to the Cronimet Group’s network of sites and product portfolio.

Cronimet is taking on the 48 employees, who will continue to make important contributions to the company’s success with their expertise. Lucie Milatová, who has been the successful Managing Director of Cronimet Ostrava for many years, will be responsible for managing the business at MetallPlast Recykling together with the previous owner Milan Ryšavý.

The project will increase the facility’s recycling capacity for UBC by 85 kilotonnes per year, equalling a growth of more than 100%.

The investment includes the construction of a new dross house, three new bag houses, and the installation of shredding, sorting, de-coating, and melting technologies. This enables the plant to recycle a larger volume and new types of aluminium scrap, and to increase operational efficiency.

The project is expected to begin commissioning in December 2026. Once complete, the facility will be able to recycle 100% of UBCs to be collected under the future UK deposit return scheme.

In connection with the transaction, part of the agreement is that Cronimet will acquire a larger block of shares in the company, which is listed on the Australian stock exchange. By also agreeing additional marketing rights for a Spanish tungsten mine belonging to EQ Resources Limited, the Cronimet Group is consolidating its position as the largest tungsten concentrate trader in the western world.

The transaction is still subject to the fulfilment of customary closing conditions.

Under this agreement, three ZenRobotics Heavy Pickers will be deployed to effectively separate copper from its ferrous metals stream.

With the volume of scrap metal projected to double by 2050, the demand for efficient metal sorting has never been more pressing. However, the rising copper content in shredded scrap metal presents a considerable challenge for steel producers striving to maintain the quality of their steel products. To meet industry standards, steel producers typically require recycled steel to contain less than 0.1–0.2% copper content, without resorting to additional virgin pig iron. Conventional sorting technologies, such as multistage magnets and ballistic separators, struggle to effectively reduce copper contamination, intensified by the scarcity of manual labour for hand sorting.

Recognising the need for advanced sorting solutions to address the increasing demand for copper-free recycled steel, the Zen Robotics Heavy Picker, equipped with cutting-edge AI technology, offers precision in identifying and sorting non-ferrous metals such as copper from ferrous waste streams. Additionally, the system provides real-time reports on sorting operations, empowering users to optimise their processes and achieve desired material purities through a user-friendly intuitive interface.

By automating the sorting process, the ZenRobotics solution enables scrap processing companies, particularly those that handle end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) to reduce carbon emissions and comply with stringent regulations governing copper content in recycled steel. It also enhances operational efficiency while promoting safer working conditions by minimising the risks associated with manual sorting in hazardous environments.

The recycled material is available under the brand name Circlear and based on a mass balance approach. It comes with a significantly lower carbon footprint, thereby helping customers to meet their sustainability goals.

Circlear products are available for seven precious metals including gold, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and iridium. A significant portion of Heraeus’ precious metal product portfolio can be offered as Circlear, catering to diverse industrial applications, such as chemical products, catalytic gauzes, electrical contacts, and pharmaceutical ingredients.

The Circlear recycled precious metals originate from secondary sources, such as spent chemical or automotive catalysts. Recycled precious metals have the same high quality and purity as material from primary extraction but an up to 98%1 lower carbon footprint. One kilogram of recycled precious metals saves up to 33 metric tons of CO21, which equates to the average carbon dioxide emissions of a new EU passenger car traveling more than 300,000 kilometers.

In accordance with ISO 14021, TÜV Süd has verified that the recycled precious metals content in Circlear products amounts to 100%. For every quantity of precious metals verified as Circlear, the equivalent quantity of precious metals from secondary sources has entered the production process. Circlear will be available for the European market and is planned to be launched in further regions soon.

LIBS stands for “Laser-Induced-Breakdown-Spectroscopy”, a technology used to analyse materials for their elemental composition. A high-energy laser beam hits the aluminium, vaporising the material and creating a plasma that is several thousand degrees hot, which then breaks down into light emissions. Spectral analysis can be used to determine its elemental composition and separate aluminium alloys from one another with the utmost precision.

According to Steinert, the new system achieves purities of over 95 per cent. Three to six tonnes can be processed per hour, and three materials can also be discharged. Thanks to its compact design, the Plasmax LIBS can be easily integrated into existing systems.

The processing of the material begins as soon as it is fed into the innovative feeding system. A specially developed, multi-stage feed system ensures optimum loading of the conveyor belt. This is followed by 3D recognition and high-precision in-flight detection, i.e. detection immediately after the material has left the belt. Supported by kinetic energy, the material flies through the laser unit in a stable parabola. The innovative multi-spot analysis guarantees optimum detection with several laser measuring points that hit the material at exactly right angles. The plasma created when the laser pulse hits the aluminium is evaluated with AI support and separated into one of the three outputs by a compressed air pressure pulse the next moment.

Hall B6, Booth 451/550
Hall B6, Booth 552

In an initiative recently officially launched in Vienna, the RecAL (Recycling technologies for circular ALuminium) project aims to develop innovative recycling technologies and a digital platform for a circular aluminium economy. The HORIZON EUROPE-funded project brings together 19 partner organizations from nine European countries and is coordinated by the LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen, a wholly owned subsidiary of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. The initiative aims to usher in a new era of sustainable production and reuse for aluminium by creating a digital cockpit, the RecAL Hub. This enables the circular economy of aluminium recyclates across the continent and connects suppliers, buyers, and technology solution providers.

Recycling aluminium from existing end-of-life (EoL) and production waste holds enormous potential and requires only five percent of the energy needed to produce primary material. Given its crucial role in global decarbonization, the RecAL project aims to exploit the potential of this raw material in an environmentally friendly and efficient way, in line with the European Green Deal.

One of the major challenges in recycling aluminium is that the metal is alloyed with various other elements that are virtually impossible to separate again. The current practice of mixing different EoL alloys inevitably leads to downcycling and a reduction in available feedstock. Europe has a rich potential for secondary aluminium, which is expected to account for 49 percent of total aluminium production by 2050. However, this potential resource needs a central hub.

Aims of RecAL

The RecAL project takes a comprehensive approach to the sustainable use of this valuable secondary resource. It strategically addresses every step of the production and reuse cycle and solves challenges along the entire value chain:

• Higher impurity tolerance in alloy design without compromising properties.
• Exploiting the benefits of digitalization and robotics in sorting and dismantling.
• Creation of recyclate streams with significantly improved purities.
• Adapting production paradigms to unleash the full potential of secondary resources.
• Harmonization of communication between all sectors of the aluminium industry.

With a strong focus on innovation, RecAL is driving forward a total of 14 major technological solutions for aluminium recycling up to technology readiness level 6 (TRL6). These are integrated into a digital, sociotechnical ecosystem that acts as an aluminium hub for the circular economy. This dynamic platform promotes direct collaboration along the entire value chain and contributes significantly to industrial and technological symbiosis on a large scale by linking energy, resource, and data cycles at regional and European level.

The RecAL consortium consists of 19 European partners from research and industry. The project is led by the LKR Light Metals Competence Center Ranshofen of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. In addition to coordinating the project, the LKR is responsible for the Cluster C work package, in which new approaches for recycling-tolerant alloys for the most important alloy categories are to be investigated and tested directly in an industrial environment together with renowned European partners.

“RecAL aims to fully exploit the immense potential of secondary aluminium resources in Europe, revolutionize recycling processes, address key challenges in alloy development and promote sustainable practices,” explains project manager Gerald Prantl from the LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen.

Plastic found in these devices will also be recycled to obtain recycled plastic that can be used in many industries.

Recycling complex waste such as lithium batteries and motherboards is problematic and particularly complex when the elements this waste consists of include critical raw materials that are scarce and non-renewable. This can be a major limitation in terms of economic and social development. A potential solution that could solve the problem of the increased scarcity of these materials in the future is the development of technologically advances that significantly improve their recyclability.

The RECRITIC Project is being developed by Aimplas, the Plastics Technology Centre; with the support of ACTECO and the GBP Metal Group. This research project, funded by the Valencian Institute for Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i), highlights the importance of recovering and recycling the critical raw materials (CRM) identified by the European Commission for their economic importance, scarcity and strategic relevance, given that these materials are essential to produce technological products and applications.

Eva Verdejo, lead researcher of the Chemical Recycling Group at Aimplas, said, “Critical raw materials such as lithium, gold and silicon, as well as other valuable types of waste, can be found in everyday electrical devices like mobile phones and computers. But they also play a key role in building infrastructure for alternative energy sources such as wind, solar photovoltaic and solar thermoelectric energy. Therefore, these materials are also critically important in the transition to cleaner, more sustainable energy sources, which is why it’s so important to foster research on feasible, sustainable recycling that makes it possible to treat complex waste adequately to obtain recycled plastic that can be reused.”

Eva Verdejo went on to explain that the progress made in the RECRITIC Project would “allow us to move towards complete recycling and zero landfill, a transformation aligned with European, national and autonomous community legislation in terms of complying with the circular economy model, waste management and plastic strategy, among others.”

To achieve this ambitious aim, the project will work on developing and identifying different processes and technologies for mechanical, chemical and biological recycling. Besides collaborating with the recycling companies involved, the RECRITIC Project will also work with the Design Engineering Group at the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) to assess the environmental impact of CRM chemical and biological recovery processes. Ingeniería Analítica SL will perform substance analysis, especially using chromatographic methods. The Central Service for Experimental Research (SCSIE) at the Universitat de València will collaborate by carrying out complementary analysis.

This project is receiving funding from the IVACE grant programme aimed at technological centres in the Valencian Community for non-economic R&D projects carried out in collaboration with companies in 2023 financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union within the framework of the Operational Programme 2021-2027.

Using gold earrings from a pawnshop in Gothenburg and biodiesel from the nearest filling station, the discovery could change an industry that is currently dependent on large amounts of fossil oil.

“Pure metals have a number of uses in a modern society, not least for the development of green technologies. Our research shows how the metal industry can accelerate the transition from fossil to bio-based solvents,” says Mark Foreman, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Chalmers.

Gold is not only a precious metal that is a symbol of wealth in jewellery and gold bars. A regular smartphone contains slightly more than 0.03 grams of gold, and the metal is found in most of the everyday electronics we have around us. It is also important in components for the aerospace industry. For many applications, gold is mixed with other metals, which then need to be removed when the valuable gold sheet is to be recycled. In this process, organic solvents, such as fossil diesel, are used.

“Even if the diesel used in the production and recycling of metals is not incinerated, there are many good reasons to switch to fossil-free alternatives. For example, in the production of oil, methane, which is a worse greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, often leaks into the atmosphere. A lot of crude oil also contains toxic aromatic hydrocarbons, which damage the nervous system and are therefore dangerous for humans and animals to breathe in,” says Mark Foreman.

The gold scrap is completely clean using biofuel

Together with his research colleagues at Chalmers, Mark Foreman has found a way to use biodiesel instead of fossil diesel, which can be produced from residual products from the forest and pulp industry, and which is sold commercially as fuel under the brand name HVO100. Biodiesel contains virtually no aromatic hydrocarbons at all.

In the researchers’ method, gold scrap − usually in the form of small earrings that Mark Foreman buys at his local pawn shop − is dissolved in a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid (aqua regia). The gold found in jewellery is an alloy with other metals, including silver, and this leads to the silver depositing in solid form as silver chloride. In just two more steps, pure gold is then extracted from the solution. Firstly, HVO100 and the chemical malonamide are added, and secondly the entire mixture is shaken with ordinary salt water. The method used by the Chalmers researchers is even more ‘green’, since the malanomide was made from renewable biomass, which replaces more toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that are traditionally used to purify gold scrap.

“Our method is an environmentally friendly way of extracting pure gold from a mixture of many metals. Similar studies have been carried out in the past but have not achieved such a high purity of gold. The combination of biodiesel and malanomide is also special because it replaces both fossil diesel and other problematic chemicals. HVO100 is also very clean and works great in a laboratory, you don’t need to make a special order, you just have to go to the nearest station and refill your canister,” says Mark Foreman.

A method to purify many metals

Normally, when metals are mined or recycled, large amounts of fossil solvents are needed, but this doesn’t have to be the case, and the method developed by Chalmers researchers can be used for more metals than just gold. An important example is copper, a metal that is very common as a conductor in electronic components. In 2022 alone, more than 26 million tonnes of copper was used in the world, and according to the analysis company GlobalData, there are more than 695 active copper mines globally. About 75 percent of the world’s copper mines use fossil solvents to purify the metal, and depending on the size, a mine needs up to 1,000 tonnes of solvent to purify the copper mined there. Solvents that could be replaced by biodiesel.

The same method can be used to purify and recycle many other socially important metals, such as platinum, which is used in catalysts; nickel and cobalt in batteries; uranium and plutonium for the nuclear industry; and rare earth elements. The latter are a prerequisite for the rapid development of everyday electronics such as smartphones and tablets, and are important for modern green technology, such as in wind turbines and electric vehicles.

“Our study is also the first to show that the method we have developed is general and can be applied to a variety of metals. So far, I have not found a single metal that cannot be purified with environmentally friendly biodiesel instead of fossil solvents. The metal industry is conservative, but here we can show a simple and effective method to achieve a green shift for the industry,” says Mark Foreman, who will now continue to develop and refine his method for being able to recycle household batteries.

The scientific article “Sustainable solvent extraction of gold and other metals with biomass chemicals” has been published in the journal RSC Sustainability.

The total amount of aluminium recycled from cans reached a record level of 570,000 tonnes, an increase of 60,000 tonnes on the previous year. This represents a total Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions saving of 4.7 million tonnes of CO₂eq (equivalent to the annual amount of GHG produced by a European city of more than half a million inhabitants, like Antwerp or Poznan).

Beverage can manufacturers (members of Metal Packaging Europe) and their aluminium suppliers (members of European Aluminium) are pleased with the increased recycling rate at European level, which is a testament to the ongoing industry and supply chain efforts to improve recycling. However, several EU Member States still struggle to reach 90% recycling or more. The industry supports more ambitious separate collection targets for beverage containers like aluminium beverage cans, as referred to in the proposed EU Packaging Regulation.

“We are proud of the latest achievement and believe the industry is on the right path towards 100% circularity of aluminium beverage cans by 2050. Today, beverage cans are one of the most recycled packaging formats on the European market. Can manufacturers recently joined other industry leaders at COP 28 in a call to accelerate aluminium beverage can circularity and contribute to Net Zero 2050.’’ said Krassimira Kazahska, CEO of Metal Packaging Europe, adding that “Aluminium is a ‘permanent’ material which means that it can be recycled multiple times through high-quality recycling processes without losing its inherent properties’’.

“We encourage Member States to implement well-balanced Deposit Return Systems (DRS) as this will help move to a fully circular solution for the aluminium beverage can via ‘can-to-can’ recycling. Although used beverage cans (UBC’s) can easily be recycled into other aluminium products like automotive or bicycle parts, customers are increasingly looking for high recycled content in their new cans. We can do this, providing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes supply our remelting plants with sufficient quantities and quality of separately collected and sorted UBC’s. Only DRS can guarantee this’’, according to Maarten Labberton, Director Packaging Group at European Aluminium.

The acquisition of a 10 percent minority stake in Cronimet North-East GmbH by Outokumpu has been completed after the customary closing conditions were met, and all regulatory approvals were granted. As an intermediate holding company, Cronimet North-East GmbH directly and indirectly holds the shares in the North-East European Cronimet companies.

The transaction was carried out in the form of a share purchase. Cronimet retains full operational control over the Cronimet North-East GmbH companies involved. There are no plans to expand the shareholding in Cronimet North-East or to acquire an interest in other companies of the Cronimet Group.

With this partnership, Cronimet and Outokumpu are intensifying their cooperation with the aim of optimizing the raw material cycle and using regionally processed scrap for the production of stainless steel in Europe.

Both companies have also agreed to work together on innovation and research. They want to work together on technologies that contribute to the decarbonization of stainless steel production. The partnership also focuses on reducing costs through better planning on both sides and reducing waste within the supply chain.

In a recent conversation, George Adams, CEO of SA Recycling, shared insights into the company’s growth, sustainability efforts, and the significant role of Steinert technology in their operations. Omar Bravo, General Manager of the Anaheim plant in California, highlights the ground-level innovations driving the company’s success.

Adams, who has been in the recycling field since he was 17, humbly stated, “I began driving tow trucks when I was 17. Later, I started working alongside my father for 40 something years. My two brothers also work in the company and are my partners, and after all these years we’re still really close. Then, my sons came into the business after they finished college. So, I guess that’s what makes it the most fun. It’s working with my sons.”

Ultimately, however, it is George Adams’ leadership, which has been fundamental in steering SA Recycling to remarkable success. Adams’ participation in global recycling organisations such as ISRI and BIR highlight the company’s dedication to both recycling and navigating global political terrain to ensure sustainability worldwide.

SA Recycling’s journey started in Anaheim, California, where today 250,000 metric tonnes of shredded materials are processed a year. Adams recalls the evolution and expansion of the company’s facilities, highlighting Anaheim as a hub for research and development for SA. “As recyclers, we are always looking for better ways to recover materials,” says Omar Bravo. “President George Adams has researched and purchased higher technology equipment to achieve this goal.”

Highly reliable sorting systems for processing light and heavy metals

In terms of recycling capabilities, Adams praised the company’s relationship with Steinert. “We have utilised their eddy current separators for quite some time now in many of our locations to get most of our non-ferrous metals. For approximately four years, we have also been using their multi-sensor sorters, primarily to upgrade Zorba to Twitch, meaning to extract an aluminium mix from a non-ferrous metal stream.” The Steinert KSS | XT CLI combines four sensors. Two optical sensors offer colour and three-dimensional shape data, while the inductive sensor identifies metals. Density variances are recognized using x-ray transmission (XRT). Meanwhile, Omar Bravo points out the outstanding flexibility and accuracy: “Depending on which product our customer requires, we select the right program and sort up to 99% pure aluminium or eliminate magnesium from the product stream at the touch of a button.”

X-ray fluorescence technology (XRF) is also in use in Anaheim. Since 2019, Steinert Chutec XRF-sorter efficiently segregates heavy metals into metal types such as copper, brass, zinc or stainless steel, what opens up new sales potential for SA Recycling. Bravo: “I think we were the first recyclers in the US to have the Chutec and this opened up the doors for us for different markets.”

While Omar Bravo appreciates the longevity of the X-ray sorters, of which he still hasn’t had to replace a single sensor in four years, George Adams is particularly enthusiastic about the Eddy Current separators: “When we started measuring, the big thing was that they had a faster belt speed on their machine than what other people had. The even bigger thing is that over the years we have realised that we simply don’t lose bearings on their eddy currents – they just don’t break, ever”.

Accurate metal segregation for a better tomorrow

In George Adams’ perspective, the future isn’t just a destination, it’s a complex journey. He emphasizes a comprehensive recycling ecosystem that extends beyond metal and proudly mentions their commitment to recycle everything – including water which they use in their yards and run it back to their shredders to conserve valuable resources. While he acknowledges solar power as a positive step, Adams focuses on maximizing metal recycling to reduce the greenhouse gases generated in the production of primary metals and thereby better serve the environment.

Through collaboration with technology pioneers like Steinert, SA Recycling faces a future where precision, sustainability, and efficiency converge seamlessly. As he envisions the future of metal recycling, the CEO leans forward with confidence. He sees Steinert’s advancements in LIBS technology for aluminium alloy sorting as the direction the industry is heading — with an emphasis on precision separation to meet the demand for speciality alloys that are being returned to the US. “I think the harder thing right now is adapting to the next phase, which is using equipment to get specific segregated alloys. Because I think that’s really going to be the future of metal recycling. Everybody wants segregated alloys.”

George Adams recognises Steinert’s role in enhancing recycling processes, accenting the shared commitment of SA Recycling and Steinert towards meeting evolving market demands. This collaboration demonstrates the importance of cutting-edge German technology in advancing global recycling efforts. His confidence in Steinert’s capabilities reflects his deep belief in the German engineering behind it. “Made in Germany means something to me,” says Adams with a nod. “Steinert embodies that label perfectly.”

The Loacker Group has been dedicated to collecting, sorting and processing valuable materials for over 100 years and is motivated by one thought: The best for the world of tomorrow. Family owned for five generations, the group consists of a total of 25 companies and operates 47 sites in eight countries. The recycling plant in Wonfurt has been recovering end-of-life cables for decades. These mostly come from the DACH region and are largely collected within the Loacker Group and delivered to Wonfurt for processing. The focus is on extracting pure materials to maximise the recyclables recovery.

Matthias Köhler has been Managing Director at the Wonfurt site since 2012. Recently, a great deal of energy and expertise has been invested in expanding the recycling plant to achieve the best possible recycling results using the latest technology. In a three-shift operation, up to 100 tonnes of end-of-life cables are transformed into valuable recyclable materials every day. ‘We mainly recover copper from old cables, around 40 to 45 tonnes a day, but also PVC and ferrous metals. While the copper is turned into copper sheets in copper smelters, we deliver the PVC to a company located on site. There, the plastics are turned into barrier products. Ferrous metals are sent for metal processing. The way our plant is equipped, we achieve a particularly high degree of purity. That’s what makes us unique and gives us the ability to return almost 100% of the recycled material back into the cycle,’ explains Matthias Köhler.

The Lindner Polaris 2800 with rotor cooling has been part of the plant at Loacker in Wonfurt since July 2023 and shreds copper cables to a final output size of <15 mm. ‘We are more than happy with the throughput rate and are particularly pleased that the shredder handles non-shreddables with ease, which do show up from time to time,’ says Köhler happily. In buying a Polaris, a conscious decision was also made in favour of the screwable and quadruple-use blade cutting system. ‘We change the knives every seven to eight days, which is extremely easy thanks to the screwable system. It is also easy to access the rotor, knives and knife holders,’ says Matthias Köhler. ‘Furthermore, the Polaris 2800 has the necessary drive power. Equipped with a countershaft drive and flywheel energy storage, the machine makes light work of shredding even difficult materials such as end-of-life cables with a high content of copper wire. The consistent throughput rate and high uptimes speak for themselves,’ states Jan Rosenmeyer, Sales Manager at Lindner.

They will strengthen the focus on the markets and be responsible for future market development; to this end, each of them brings a wealth of expertise and many years of Cronimet experience.

As Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Cronimet Holding GmbH, Marijo Zeljko will be responsible for the Corporate Division “Recycling” of the Cronimet Group except for the USA. Most recently, Marijo Zeljko was responsible for the Cronimet Group’s European business as CEO and successfully promoted the further development and cooperation of the European locations. Until the end of August 2023, he was also Managing Director of Cronimet Ferroleg. GmbH, the founding company and largest subsidiary of the Cronimet Group, until the end of August 2023.

Leandro Campos, who has already been working for the Group for ten years as Managing Director of Cronimet Brasil, will be responsible for the “Raw Materials” corporate division, which includes the processing activities, as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). He will contribute his many years of technical expertise in the processing of materials. He will also remain responsible for the Brazilian market. Leandro Campos can look back on 23 years of experience in the metals industry and can also draw on his knowledge from a post-graduate degree in Production & Metallurgy.

The company aims to offer a comprehensive range of precious metal-based products for electrolysers and fuel cells, in particular state-of-the-art electrocatalyst solutions for next-generation applications. In addition to the supply of precious metals, the new business will offer a comprehensive range of technologies and production capabilities for the recovery of precious metals from production scrap and end-of-life materials such as catalyst-coated membranes.

Heraeus Precious Metals also continues to expand its R&D efforts to the United States and China and beyond PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) technology. In addition, resources have been established to support customers in the development of inks and electrodes.

In collaboration with several partners within the hydrogen ecosystem, the new business line is working to refine the synergy between catalyst and application.

Initially, the founder Julio Marín traded in non-ferrous metals at a site just 200 square metres in size. A few years ago, he passed the business on to his three sons. Julio Marín has continued to advise them in the background. Metales Bolueta currently handles around 4000 tons of metal a month. As customer requirements have grown, the focus on quality has become a key goal, especially in the aluminium sector.

CEO Joseba Marín, one of Julio’s sons, recalls, “Ten years ago, we were processing around 2000 tonnes of metal a month. We could see huge potential in the aluminium sector, but our customers needed aluminium with very high levels of purity for extruders and rolling mills. Our systems weren’t able to cope; we needed to expand. That was when the idea for the plant in Gatika was born.”

The small town of Gatika is around 20 km away from the head office. Steinert was involved in the entire project, from design and construction to commissioning and fine-tuning the sorting systems. Joseba Marín explains the layout of the plant, “Our plant in Gatika comprises a yard where we receive, pre-sort and pre-classify raw materials, comprising mixed metals and aluminium profiles. We then shred and screen the material to achieve homogeneous particle sizes for optimum sorting. An eddy current separator enriches non-ferrous metals and, thanks to a Steinert X-ray sorting system, we achieve the aluminium concentrate purities that our customers demand.” Operators of aluminium smelters in particular attach great value to products from Metales Bolueta, as they can be processed in the same way as primary goods. “I’m finding that customers routinely stress the quality of our products compared with the rest of the market.”

After the milling process, the Gatika aluminium separation line starts with a Steinert MTE electromagnetic drum. This is followed by a Steinert EddyC with a Steinert MOR neodymium magnetic separator upstream and a Steinert XSS T EVO 5.0 X-ray sorting system.

The Steinert EddyC eddy current separator recovers non-ferrous metals such as aluminium, brass, zinc, or copper. The Steinert XSS T EVO 5.0 sorting system separates heavy metals and light metals, followed by cast and wrought aluminium. When sorting wrought aluminium, thanks to X-ray transmission technology, the plant reliably achieves extremely high levels of purity of up to 99.8% to respond to the demands of the market.

According to CEO Joseba Marín, there has always been enough material on the market, but processors have needed powerful sorting systems because of the highly fluctuating levels of input quality, especially profiles and to a lesser degree taint/tabor. “Thanks to Steinert technology, we are seeing that even when using a low-quality material, we can achieve a quality product that meets the requirements of our customers.”

The plant in Gatika has been in operation for only 2 years. But in this short period of time, Metales Bolueta has managed to become a leading national supplier of recycled material of the highest quality.

Metales Bolueta already has firm plans for the next round of expansion. At the start of 2024, it is beginning to build a parallel sorting line with another Steinert XSS T EVO 5.0 X-ray sorter. Joseba Marín is anticipating that capacity will grow by another 1000 tonnes a month. “We have a new project that will see the light of day at the start of 2024. This will involve us significantly increasing capacity again. This line will be the cherry on the cake for Gatika. I look forward to us continuing to grow with Steinert.”

To this end, the Finnish stainless-steel producer is acquiring a 10 percent stake in Cronimet North-East GmbH, an intermediate holding company which directly and indirectly holds the shares in Cronimet’s northeastern European companies.

Outokumpu and Cronimet are working together to optimize the raw material cycle: regionally processed scrap for the production and consumption of stainless steel in Europe.

“This partnership is another step towards achieving the sustainable development goals: a low carbon footprint in the production of stainless steel with regional scrap and through shorter transport routes to Outokumpu’s stainless-steel mills,” says Jürgen Pilarsky, CEO of Cronimet Holding GmbH.

In addition to supplying Outokumpu’s European stainless-steel mills with stainless-steel scrap from Cronimet’s sites in northeastern Europe, the two companies have also agreed in this partnership to work together on innovation and research. Together they intend to work on technologies that contribute to the decarbonization of the stainless-steel industry. The partnership also focuses on reducing costs through better planning on both sides and reducing waste within the supply chain.

As a shareholder, Outokumpu acts as a strategic partner in Cronimet’s North-East Europe business, expanding the existing successful cooperation. Cronimet retains full operational control over the participating companies of Cronimet North-East GmbH. An expansion of the shareholding in Cronimet North-East or an investment in other companies of the Cronimet Group is not planned.

The completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals by the competition authorities.

Conducted by Roland Berger, the new report establishes 20 short- and long-term levers to bolster recycling systems and increase beverage can recycling rates in several countries, four of which include Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and the UAE—key markets where Crown maintains operations.

These advancements are critical to keeping up with growing global beverage can consumption, which is set to increase by 50 percent between 2020 and 2030 and will likely increase the amount of used beverage cans (UBCs) by around three million metric tons each year in the same time period. Stronger global recycling systems can help ensure that additional volume of aluminium maintains a circular life cycle rather than be misdirected to landfill—an important measure for not only keeping valuable materials in a closed loop and preserving natural resources, but also for reducing the energy consumption and emissions levels associated with production from raw materials. This potential for a smaller carbon footprint for the beverage can would boost the format’s existing sustainability attributes of infinite recyclability, high recycled content and fast recycling turnaround time.

Drawing from assessments of waste management and regulatory schemes, collection infrastructure, recycling and landfill rates, volumes on market, UBC trade, material flows and future targets, the report zeroed in on several missed opportunities in the current recycling systems of each country. For some areas, these include bridging the gap between UBC collection and complete can-to-can recycling, as well as understanding why some cans are lost to landfill even when the region maintains a more successful recycling system. For others, challenges lie in a lack of initial recycling access points or, on the other end, a lack of infrastructure for waste trading and traceability.

The report details these potential areas of improvement and offers strategies for advancing progress in each country. Using this evaluation, Crown and IAI will work together with local partners in the UAE and in Asia Pacific that can help drive awareness and investment on regional levels. The collective action will help to not only aid targets of higher recycling rates around the world, but will also help to support evolving regulatory standards, address consumer and beverage brand demands and move the industry toward a more circular model. Key to this progress will be support for and implementation of specific legislative policies that establish guidelines and parameters for each region.

José Garcia, plant manager, welcomed Steinert to talk about the company’s development. He emphasized their investment in state-of-the-art technologies and infrastructure, and their status as a pioneer, having implemented an integrated system of collection and smelting of scrap aluminium cans since 1991.

With 4 smelting plants and a processing capacity of more than 300 thousand tons of aluminium per year, Latasa Reciclagem stands out as the largest aluminium recycling company in the country. In addition, its diversified product portfolio serves various industries, such as automotive, steel, metallurgy, packaging, and consumer goods. Steinert visited the site in Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo, to learn more about Latasa’s journey of innovation and technology, which has been undertaken with the aim of recycling 100% of the aluminium processed.

Aluminium ready for recycling

Latasa uses a process known as “Garimpeiro Urbano” (Urban Mining), present in 15 Brazilian states, which represent 96.07% of the country’s aluminium can generation. This initiative involves 22 non-ferrous metal collection centres, working together with local suppliers of recyclable material, including cooperatives, municipalities, and small suppliers.

Latasa’s final production follows the current Aluminium Scrap Classification Table, which lists the names and characteristics of 20 types of scrap material identified in the domestic market. The Aluminium Scrap Classification Table was prepared by ABAL (Brazilian Aluminium Association) and follows recommendations from the Institute of Scrap Recycling (ISRI).

In mid-2019, multinational aluminium manufacturing company, Novelis, approached Latasa looking for a new type of scrap material to work with, Taint/Tabor. According to ISRI specifications, Taint/Tabor is described as clean mixed old alloy sheet aluminium. To generate the required high purities of the desired products, a recycling process is needed, that can separate different aluminium qualities.

“When we got to the stage that involves cleaning the scrap, we already knew about magnetic separators (of various types), screens, Eddy Currents and other methods. However, it was not just cleaning that was required, but separating the scrap by different densities or by type of chemical composition. That’s when we turned to Google and found Steinert, where we discovered several types of equipment, and the one that interested us the most was the X-ray”, explains Latasa’s plant manager José Garcia.

In August 2021, the first tests were carried out with Taint/Tabor scrap. The results met the expectations of the equipment that Latasa and Novelis needed. The partnership with Steinert was consolidated and, in March 2022, the Taint/Tabor Processing Line was inaugurated at Latasa Recycling Plant 1 with the implementation of Steinert KSS | XT LI.

For the processing of all types of collected materials, and with the aim of achieving pure and furnace-ready aluminium, Latasa makes use of an automated plant with Steinert separation technologies in operation.

The Latasa plant in Pindamonhangaba operates:

§ Steinert UME – Overbelt magnet for the separation of ferrous metals from aluminium scrap.

§ Steinert EddyC – Eddy current separator to clean the non-ferrous metals from non-metallic residues.

§ Steinert KSS | XT LI (X-ray transmission + 3D laser + inductive sensors) – Sorting System with a combination of sensors that separates impurities from aluminium and produces furnace-ready aluminium.

With input material received from different collection sources, the mechanical processing begins with two stages of shredding. Subsequently, the material fractions are screened into different particle sizes, namely: 5 mm to 15 mm and 15 mm to 80 mm.

After this step, the material undergoes the separation processes, passing first the Steinert UME for the separation of ferrous materials, and then onto the separation of non-ferrous metals from non-metallic residues with the Steinert EddyC eddy current separator.

The material produced by the eddy current separator is forwarded for selection and separation with the Steinert KSS, of clean aluminium from other materials (remaining heavy metals), using the Steinert KSS sensor combination technology (X-ray transmission + 3D laser + induction). At this stage, the aluminium is already extremely pure. Material that has paint is subjected to a process called decoating. Following this, it goes to the oven, and the paint-free material is ready to be melted.

The use of an automated plant and advanced technologies demonstrates Latasa’s commitment to adopting sustainable practices and maximizing the recovery of valuable materials during the aluminium recycling process.

Sensor combination

A study of the company’s process and tests were carried out at the Steinert Latinoamericana Test Center in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte. As well as analysing the material samples, the dimensions, feasibility of application, and the choice of the most suitable technology were also analysed. The result was that Steinert’s Combined Sensor Sorting was found to be the best solution. With the implementation of Steinert KSS | XT LI technology, Latasa has made a leap forward in innovation and efficiency in its process of separating and recovering aluminium and valuable materials.

This technology is applied to maximize the recovery of earnings, giving maximum value to each product and reducing the amount of waste material. “The big difference is the ability to perform unique separation for each material to meet the needs of each customer. We have great flexibility in creating a product according to the application that the customer is seeking. We depend on a few external processes, which would only be the physical preparation of the material with the corresponding granulometry for use in the equipment. This is the key differentiator: having low operating costs and delivering such high flexibility to the customer, allowing them to choose several applications”, guarantees Vinícius Souto – Managing Director of STEINERT Latinoamericana.

Making operational costs feasible and facilitating the sorting of different materials under different criteria in a single piece of equipment, the use of STEINERT KSS was the step Latasa was looking for to innovate in the sector and further improve its processes.

A consolidated partnership and innovations in sight

Steinert has enjoyed a consolidated partnership with Latasa since 2019. We believe in the potential of applying separation technology to improve aluminium recycling, and we walk side by side, consolidating significant gains in the sector and outlining plans for the future.

With a team of specialists in São Paulo, Steinert Latinoamericana maintains close contact and reliable face-to-face and/or remote support for customer needs. This proximity and commitment ensure assertiveness in planning and the results achieved.

Thinking about the future and further improving its results, Latasa aims to invest in the innovation and automation of other plants.

Latasa demonstrates a solid commitment to sustainability and plays an important role in the production chain in the aluminium recycling sector. We are proud of this partnership and proud to work together promoting the circular economy and the reduction of environmental impacts caused by primary aluminium production.

“Today we can provide sustainable technology and equipment for the entire lithium, nickel and cobalt production chains. The project scopes can range from equipment packages to plant deliveries. Equally important is the fact that we can support our customers in process design with our comprehensive testing and research capabilities,” explains Mikko Rantaharju, Vice President, Hydrometallurgy at Metso.

Lithium is one of the most used minerals in battery manufacturing. It can be extracted either from brines or lithium-bearing ores, such as spodumene. Metso’s offering covers complete processes for both. For the hard-rock based spodumene concentrates, Metso has developed an acid- and sulphate-free soda pressure-leaching process. It is one of the most environmentally sustainable processes available for lithium production.

Besides lithium, other critical minerals like nickel and cobalt play an important role in the battery manufacturing chain, either in battery chemistry or in other components. Metso has a comprehensive and sustainable process technology offering also for these minerals.

Recycling of battery black mass is becoming an important means to complement primary battery metals supply and to reduce the carbon footprint of the battery supply chain. Metso’s hydrometallurgical battery black mass recycling process enables the sustainable recovery of critical metals for re-use in new battery production or in other applications.

“Our strength in battery minerals process design is based on the deep concentrator and hydrometallurgical knowledge we have gained through working with our mining customers around the world. We can support our battery industry customers already from the early stages of the project. Process simulations are essential in the piloting phase, supporting process and equipment design, training, and plant operation. For this purpose, we use our unique metallurgical digital twin Geminex, which is based on Metso’s proprietary HSC-Sim software for predictive process simulations,” says Don Simola, Director of Metso’s Battery Chemicals business.

“The battery market is very active, and we are currently working with several lithium processing and battery recycling projects that are in the study, piloting, engineering or delivery phases,” concludes Simola.