Squaring the Circle

Challenges & Opportunities in

Recycling Refractory Minerals

Mike O’Driscoll, Director, IMFORMED

28 September 2023

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Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

“Squaring the circle” is a problem in geometry first proposed in Greek mathematics.

The expression “squaring the circle” is sometimes used as a metaphor for trying to
do the impossible.
Also can mean, to bring together two things which are normally thought to be so
different that they cannot exist together.
“We have not been taking the risks that we
should be, to tackle the carbon challenge.”

Constantine Beelitz, President Europe, CIS & Turkey,

RHI Magnesita
Welcome Address, UNITECR 2023
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

Outline

1. Drivers
Setting the scene
2. Trends & Developments
Who’s doing what
3. Outlook
A. Challenges
What must be done
B. Opportunities
Who can participate & How

Refractory tear-out at Zhejiang Consteel Metallurgical, China

Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

1. Drivers
Entering a new era of refractory mineral recycling
Primary drivers: “Rule of Six”

1. Environment: saving the environment; drive for the “Circular Economy” gathering momentum; CO2 reduction; sustainable
development of raw materials

2. Cost factors: rising cost of primary minerals, energy, waste treatment, landfill; future penalties, legal costs

3. Limited primary sources: shortage of commercially developed mineral resources and processing plants: “critical” +
“strategic”; Source overreliance: risky overreliance on supply/trade from limited overseas sources; logistics stress;
vulnerability spotlighted by Covid-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, China-Taiwan?

4. China in change: supply issues, wide range of factors; end of an era for low cost import reliance? Time to de-risk?

5. Emergence of hi-tech growth markets requiring “critical” raw materials: to become more mainstream, particularly in the
energy sector (eg. Li-ion batteries, EVs, solar, wind), and thus demand for respective critical minerals (eg. lithium, graphite,
rare earths); minerals “gaining criticality”; = increasing government awareness/reaction/support/investment

6. Recycling technology more economic/established: evolved from esoteric, expensive sideshow, to mainstream processing
line; advances in processing & sorting technology; opportunities sensed and sought after.
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

“Going where the refractory minerals are greener”

New era of mineral exploration,

sourcing, development…
…& RECYCLING!
“The next decades will see the
greatest industrial transformation of
our times – maybe of any times.”
EC President Ursula von der Leyen at the
World Economic Forum, Davos,
17 January 2023

“We are experiencing a global race

for the supply and recycling of
critical raw materials.”
Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal
Market, EC, 22 September 2022
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

1. Drivers
Entering a new era of refractory mineral recycling

EU big push towards a Circular Economy – “Closing the loop”

• 2008+: EC Critical Raw Materials List
• 2014: Horizon 2020 Project Funding (-2027 Horizon Europe)
• 2019: European Green Deal
• 2020: Circular Economy Action Plan
• 2022: Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) proposed
• 2023: CRMA adopted; The Green Deal Industrial Plan
➢ a robust and integrated single market for secondary raw materials and by-products,
requiring deeper co-operation across value chains.
➢ legal requirements to boost the market of secondary raw materials with mandatory
recycled content
➢ build a more resilient supply chain: to support projects, attract more private
investment for recycling (and mining & processing).
➢ European standardisation to fast-track secondary raw material production

➢ June 2023: EU Council proposals to improve CRMA:

▪ raises level of ambition for processing and recycling capacity: from 40 to 50%
for processing and from 15 to 20% for recycling Source: EC
▪ adds Bauxite/Alumina (& Aluminium) as strategic raw and critical materials
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

1. Drivers
Entering a new era of refractory mineral recycling
Government awareness/action | Evolving assessment of “Critical” or “Strategic” minerals worldwide

2008 by 2020 platform

industry to for UK US Federal Strategy to Ensure Secure & Reliable USGS Critical Minerals
EC Raw Materials Initiative 2008 BGS Risk List 2015
promote industry, Supplies of Critical Minerals 2019 List 2018
EC Critical Raw Materials List 2011; UK Critical Minerals
European academia, DOC Calls to Action 2019 Updated 2021, 2022
updated 2014, 2017, + Action Plan 2020, Intelligence Centre
CRM policy and govt. US Executive Orders 2020-22
CRM Act 2022 2022
Defense Production Act 2022
Inflation Reduction Act 2022

Australia’s Critical Minerals US-Australia partnership Canada-US Joint Action Plan on Brazil Govt. Pro-Strategic 2022 “observatory of UK Govt. Critical Minerals
Strategy 2020, 2022 on developing critical Critical Minerals Collaboration Minerals Policy 2021 critical metals” led by Strategy 2022
Processing Road Map 2021 mineral assets 2019 2020-21 BRGM, France. New Dept. for Energy Security
India-Australia Critical Canada Govt. Critical Minerals & Net Zero (DESNZ) 2023
Minerals Investment Strategy 2022, List 2023
Partnership 2022

JULY 2023
US DoE Critical Minerals
India Min. of Mines Critical
List Update 2023
Minerals List 2023
Added Natural Graphite,
Silicon Carbide
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

1. Drivers: Entering a new era of refractory mineral recycling

Mineral supply chain options
Trad. Captive Direct Captive
route processing buy production
End user owns End user End user
Refractory mineral producer process plant sourcing owns mine
Exploration, reserves, mining,
processing
Mineral trader
Sourcing, logistics, marketing,
financing, distribution

Mineral processor/distributor
Sourcing, processing, storage,
logistics, distribution

Refractory producer
Sourcing, processing, storage,
logistics, formulating, application
Refractory end user (eg. steel, glass, cement, etc.)
End use application
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

1. Drivers: Entering a new era of refractory mineral recycling

Accelerated recycling
More options in supply chain
Trad. Captive Direct Captive Recycling
route processing buy production
End user owns End user End user Increasing
Refractory mineral producer process plant sourcing owns mine mind set
Exploration, reserves, mining,
processing
+ recycling tailings
+
Mineral trader
Trader/Waste Sourcer
Sourcing, logistics, marketing, + sourcing waste streams
financing, distribution

Mineral processor/distributor
Recycler/Waste Sourcer
Sourcing, processing, storage, + sourcing waste streams, recycling investment
logistics, distribution

Refractory producer
Sourcing, processing, storage, + enhancing product “recyclability”
logistics, formulating, application
Refractory end user (eg. steel, glass, cement, etc.)
End use application + co-operating with above, alliances
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Refractory minerals supply chain
Raw material Refractories Refractory markets

Bricks Steel (58-70%)

10-15kg/t
Ladle
70t 1 month
Nonferrous metal
Dead burned magnesia
Fused magnesia 3kg/t
Monolithics
Dead burned dolomite Copper kiln
Chromite
Sintered/fused spinel 150t 3 months
Olivine
Calcined alumina Cement
Fused alumina
1kg/t
Calcined bauxite
Sintered/fused mullite Rotary kiln
Andalusite, sillimanite, kyanite
Refractory clays
Precast parts 250t 10 months
Pyrophyllite
Quartzite, silica sand Glass
Fused silica Melt furnace
Zircon
Zirconia 4kg/t
Silicon carbide 500-8,500t 10 yr
Graphite
Diatomite Ceramics Kaolin
Perlite Petrochem. Lime
Vermiculite Incinerators Diatomite
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities
Basic Instinct: Refractoryin Recycling
Magnesia Refractory
SupplyMinerals

2. Trends & Developments

Refractory minerals overview Categories | Chemistry | Source
Refractory Industrial mineral Main chemical component Primary source
classification (incl. synthetic) country
BASIC Dead burned magnesia 85-99.8% MgO China Limited primary sources
Fused magnesia 97-99.8% MgO China
Dead burned dolomite 56-62% MgO, 36-40% CaO USA • Limited commercially
Chromite >46% Cr2O3 South Africa developed mineral
Sintered/fused spinel 66-80% Al2O3, 21-33% MgO China resources
Olivine 40-50% MgO, 35-45% SiO2 Norway
ACIDIC Calcined alumina >99.5% Al2O3 China • Risky overreliance on
High aluminaFused alumina 94-99.5% Al2O3 China supply/trade from limited
Calcined bauxite 85-88% Al2O3 China overseas sources, eg.
Sintered/fused mullite 40-75% Al2O3 USA China; logistics stress;
Low alumina Andalusite, sillimanite, kyanite 60-65% Al2O3 South Africa vulnerability spotlighted by
Refractory clays 20-45% Al2O3 China Covid-19 pandemic,
Pyrophyllite 20-30% Al2O3 South Korea Russia-Ukraine war,
Silica Quartzite, silica sand >97% SiO2 Regional China-Taiwan?
Fused silica >99.8% SiO2 USA
SPECIALISED Zircon 66% ZrO2+HfO2 Australia
Zirconia >99% ZrO2 China
Silicon carbide >93% SiC China
Graphite 75-99% C China
INSULATING Diatomite >75% SiO2 USA
Perlite 65-80% SiO2 China
Vermiculite 45% SiO2 South Africa
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Refractory recycling
• Estimated 7.6-12.6m. tpa generation of refractory waste worldwide
• Approx. 50% of this volume is reused in refractories production

Sabrina Salmen
VP Senior Executive
Recycling, RHI Magnesita
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Refractory recycling
• Estimated 7.6-12.6m. tpa generation of refractory waste worldwide
• Approx. 50% of this volume is reused in refractories production

Sabrina Salmen
VP Senior Executive
Examples of closed loop refractory recycling products Recycling, RHI Magnesita

MgO-Cr bricks: recycled as gunning mixes for steel furnaces and permanent
lining bricks
MgO-C bricks: widely recycled as they exhibit less contamination due to non
wetting characteristics of C; recycled in low grade remanufactured MgO-C
bricks and ramming masses
Alumina bricks from aluminium carbon bake furnaces: reused as castable for
furnace headwalls and floors.
Source: Navin Singh, Head of Growth-Refractories & Special Projects, Veolia Australia and New Zealand (2023)
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

USA Welcome Reception Sponsor

• North America consumes about 6% of world refractories,

almost 50% consumed by steel.
• Total US refractory demand estimated at 2.9m tpa, with
Glenn Hunter & Associates
forecast growth from automobiles, construction and oil and
gas industry. Primary established US independent refractory recycler, >30
years with a zero land-fill policy.

• Limited recycling activity, mainly “open-loop”, “opportunistic”. Recycling plants at Delta, Ohio and Kendallville, Indiana.

• Very few known independent refractory recyclers:

➢ Glenn Hunter & Associates

➢ BPI

➢ CREMER ERZKONTOR
➢ Lock 3 Mineral Processing & Recycling Co.
➢ Harsco Environmental
➢ Levy Group
➢ Wisdom Environmental
➢ Steel Valley Firebrick Recycling & Recovery (Maryland Ref.)
➢ Metropolitan Ceramics
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

USA

• At present, refractory recycling not a top priority owing to:

➢ Environmental drivers currently focused on regulations related to
energy efficiency, water, and emissions.
➢ Refractory users have not made the connection to refractory and
impacts of minerals mining (Scope 3 emissions).
➢ Landfilling of non-hazardous refractory is not considered a “good
neighbour” issue, “it’s just rock”; & low cost.
➢ There are not yet incentives or regulations that encourage
refractory recycling.
➢ Refractory is ~1% of the overall cost stack.

Facilities & raw waste at Wisdom Environmental,

Greenfield, Indiana
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

USA
• Mineral recycling in general now emerging as a “megatrend” within North America, driven by
government funding and supply chain disruption.
• Momentum building among North American refractory producers for closed-loop recycling.
Refractory Manufacturer Country US Mexico Canadian Claim Closed-Loop
Base Sites Sites Sites Recycling Programs**
HarbisonWalker International* US 15 1 2 Yes
Resco* US 9 0 1 Yes
Calderys France 6 0 0 Yes
Minteq-Minerals Tech. US 5 0 0 Yes
Rebecca Mohr, Strategic
Vesuvius* UK 5 1 1 Yes Marketing Manager-
Recycled Materials,
Allied Minerals US 3 0 0 -
HarbisonWalker
RHI-Magnesita* Austria 3 2 1 Yes International, USA

Morgan Advanced* UK 3 2 1 -
Shinagawa Japan 2 0 0 Yes
PRCO China 1 0 0 Yes

*Five suppliers account for 80% of total NA refractory demand; HWI viewed as market leader. (custom research)
**Claim R&D efforts or active in closed-loop MgO and/or alumina refractory recycling-not necessarily in North America. (public websites)
Source: David Harwich & Rebecca Mohr, HWI, Mineral Recycling Forum 2023
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

USA
• US industry aiming for
closed-loop concept
• Supply chain players
need to collaborate Mineral Supply
Mine→Process→Distribute

Recycling Refractory Production

Reuse-Reclaim-Distribute R&D→Design→Deliver

Waste Management Services

Remove→Haul→Deliver Install→Maintain→Tearout

Steel Valley Firebrick

Recycling & Recovery LLC

Source: David Harwich & Rebecca Mohr, HWI, Mineral Recycling Forum 2023
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

USA
• US industry aiming for
closed-loop concept
• Supply chain players
need to collaborate Mineral Supply
Mine→Process→Distribute

Leading US refractory manufacturer:

“We are looking for someone who can help

usRecycling
achieve close loop recycling byRefractory
collecting
Production
Reuse-Reclaim-Distribute
the refractory materials from theseR&D→Design→Deliver
sites [N.
Amer. Steel plants] to process into a form that
could be reused in the synthesis of further
refractories.”
Waste Management Services
Remove→Haul→Deliver Install→Maintain→Tearout

Steel Valley Firebrick

Recycling & Recovery LLC

Source: David Harwich & Rebecca Mohr, HWI, Mineral Recycling Forum 2023
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

USA

• 1992+: RESERV programme; HWI glass customers may return up to 45% of

material purchased.
• Partnered with GHA for material preprocessing; material is then electro-fused
and returned to HWI.
• Approx. 300 tpa of used furnace avoids landfill and is made into useful
product.
• 2015: HWI-Mexico developed 45-80% alumina conventional monolithic
castable from recycled 60% alumina brick; recycled material usage as high as
45%; accounts for ~5% of plant production.
• Recycle fused AZS and zircon grog in monolithics, recycled material usage
as high as 30%.
• 2019: lab study of advanced methods for closed loop
recycling of mag-carbon brick.
• 2021: appointed Director of Mineral Recycling
• 2022: trialling closed loop recycling brick compositions at
customer sites.
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

India Refractory mineral import overreliance as market
demand rises – should provide recycling boost
• India has 6.55% market share by value of the global
refractory market. • 2021 India’s ref. mineral requirement: 1.2m tpa
• 2030 India’s ref. mineral requirement: 6m tpa
• Indian refractories production in FY22-23 estimated at • Significant growth (3x) in steel (300m tpa by 2030)
1.6m tonnes. & cement production.
• Drive towards use of domestic raw material
• About 250,000 tpa of spent refractory materials are
recycled in market sectors like iron and steel, glass,
cement, ceramics, non-ferrous, petrochemical, etc.
Imports
• = c.15% of recycled raw materials being used on average. 40%
Domestic
• Indian aims to increase this to 25% by 2025, thus creating 60%

an additional use of 150,000 tonnes over the next 2 years.

• Overall, expected increase in refractory recycling within
India, plus increased imports of secondary materials and
refractory grogs.

Source: Sameer Nagpal, then CEO, Dalmia-OCL,

Refractory Minerals Forum 2021 ONLINE
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

India
• However, key challenges to refractory recycling in India Chaitanya Refractory Pvt Ltd
include:
Based in Kolkata, India, long experience
➢ only a limited quantity of recycled refractory is available
in secondary refractory raw materials and
➢ over-dependence on the iron & steel industry; other end use recycling of used refractory products Vatsal
segments like the power, cement, glass etc. contribute to supplying many refractory plants in India. Dhandharia,
Proprietor,
around only 30% of the refractory consumption. Global
Global Recycling subsidiary, which started
Recycling, India
➢ not enough high-grade refractories will always be available expansion of the business worldwide.
for recycling
Plants near Kolkata equipped with modern crushing,
➢ too many contaminants, makes it difficult to recycle every grinding and screening equipment, with some additional
refractory product facilities for chemical processing and purification.

Developing various raw materials from waste, including

white dense alumina (WDA) from ceramic waste, and
forsterite-bonded fused alumina chrome (FBFAC) from
chrome slag waste.

Chrome slag waste (left); forsterite-bonded fused alumina chrome (right)

Global Recycling refractory tear-out and recovered bricks, India
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

South Korea
• Total refractories market about 700,000 tpa, domestic production estimated at 470-500,000 tpa, about 30%
imported refractories (mostly from China).
• About 80% consumed by steel market.
• Recycling rate has increased from 33% in 2013 to 65% in 2019 driven by rising costs of landfill and
environmental fees.

Source: Joo Yongdon, Korea Material Co. Ltd, South Korea & Raul Hwang, Industrial
Mineral Trader, Sojitz Corp., Japan, Mineral Recycling Forum 2021 ONLINE
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

South Korea

• 2011: Korea Material Co. Ltd founded

• 2016: Comprehensive Waste Recycling Permit
• 2017: Waste Graphite Recycling Process Patent
• 2017: Plant 1 (Pyeongtaek; recarburizer (99%), pitch, needle coke
(99%), alumina, mullite, SiC, zirconia (33%, 90%), WFA)
• 2018: Plant 2 (Asan; ): chamotte, pyrophyllite, magnesia)
• 2020: Plant 3 (Pyeongtaek; recarburiser (85%), chamotte)
• 2023: active in recycling alumina parts and glass from semiconductors
and screens, & recycling fused aluminas from shot blasting.
• 2023: with Technology Research Institute developing graphite anode
recycling from Li-ion batteries, and valuable metal extraction from
sagger boxes used in cathode production.
Source: Joo Yongdon, Korea Material Co. Ltd, South Korea, Mineral Recycling Forum 2023
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

South Korea Challenges
• Lack of talent and sales network (overseas)
Pros • Capital intensive business (high capex & large land
• Limited mineral resources requirement)
• Lower expansion and shrinkage • Difficulties with acquiring waste recycling permit
• Price competitiveness (10-20% lower) • Complaints from the local community (dust, noise, large
• Reduce dependency on foreign materials trucks, etc.)
• Lack of support from the government (lack of financial
support and tax incentive)
• Increasing incentive to recycle but not much incentive
Cons to use recycled refractory raw material
• Stigma of “tarnished” recycled materials • Changing regulations that limit the recycling capacity
• Difficulties in controlling consistent chemical based on warehouse capacity rather than actual
specs. processing capacity
• Cost of recycling • Advancement on refractory recycling technology and
process
➢ Unshaped refractory recycling
➢ Increasing performance of recycled materials
➢ More optimized process that lowers the recycling
cost, eg. automatization of recyclable material
identification
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

China
For a successful recycling operation, a few key
• Recycled materials are used in the Chinese
success factors are required:
refractory market in a very big way!
1. Source of recycled material
• Most of the MgO-C brick manufacturers in China put
2. Location of the plant
significant volumes of recycled MgO-C brick into
3. Compliance with local EPA regulations?
production.
4. Operating license?
• The source of the recycled MgO-C brick and the 5. Process control
procedure on how to process the recycled MgO-C 6. Quality control
brick are critical to the final product.
NCR is focusing on specific projects, so our
Bin Zhou involvement in recycled material is limited.
Managing Director
Tianjin New Century
Refractories Co. Ltd

Refractory brick waste sorting in China

Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

China
• Recycling has been an established practice in the Chinese • We have been able to more than triple our
market for quite some time. recycling usage in our Chinese plants over the last
3 years by establishing close local co-
• Most activities are spread out across several small-sized operations/partnerships and by benefiting from
suppliers and traders. third-party suppliers.
• Quality standards are quite different from Europe, but most
Chinese refractory players are flexible enough to adapt • Eg. we have been developing several new
recipes and products quickly to make full advantage of the recycling-based tempered MgO-C brick products
usage of recycled material. for the local market.
Marco Olszewsky
President RHIM • It is our strong belief, that in the not too distant future
APAC/China • Our company is allocating lots of R&D resources
refractory manufacturers will be more and more forced to
for meeting new market demands around recycling
utilise recycled material as virgin raw material
• might not be available to the same degree as in the past, or • Not only developing in-house treatment methods,
might not be available for a competitive price. but by also searching for more collaboration
opportunities inside the very diverse Chinese
recycling market.

RHIM’s Dalian plant just celebrated 20 years

Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Japan Japan recycled refractory raw materials status

• Volume of recycled raw material production

is around 70% of the total refractory
production.

• Volume of recycled raw materials used

remains almost unchanged, however,
and further efforts are considered necessary.

Source: Sato & Nakane (2023),

Taikabutsu, Vol. 75, no.9 2023, p.398

• Recycling used refractories is obviously one of the most important management issues in Japan for
refractory manufacturers and their customers. Shinagawa is actively engaging in recycling used refractories.
• I believe the challenges we are facing are:
Heiki Miki ➢ Labour shortage for logistics/transportation & sorting/crushing processes
Managing Executive ➢ Lack of storage space of used refractories
Officer & Division
Director - Overseas ➢ It is necessary to further reset our mindset about recycling.
Business, Shinagawa - remaining concerns that using recycled materials might lead to a decline in product quality, and
Refractories, Japan
some believe that using used refractories is just to cut production cost, while recycling used
refractories actually is creating added values for products.
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Japan

• Krosaki Harima has been using recycled

products since the company was founded
(1918).
• >20 years collaboration with customers to
further expand the use of recycled products
while maintaining quality.
• recycling contract work at customers’
steelworks.

• promote reduction of industrial waste and

the recycling of refractories through
collection and sorting of used refractories to
use in the manufacture of new products.

Source: Krosaki Harima

Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Europe
Much more developed and progressing; mainly composed & driven by:
1. Independent/JV refractory recycling companies
Company Op. Country
2. EU-wide research consortiums of collaborating AFT (UK) Ltd UK
players from raw material, processing, Alfaref GmbH Germany
refractory, & end use sectors Deref SpA Italy/France
Extracthive (co-op. Saint-Gobain) France
1. Independent/JV refractory recycling Fromtec Engineering (Fromberger/Tymo Engineering JV) Germany
companies HARSCO Environmental UK
Germany/Poland/
Horn & Co. Group
Kosovo
• 15-20+ independent refractory recyclers
LKAB Minerals UK
• Several very well-established over 10+ years MIRECO (RHIM/Horn JV)
Austria/France/
Germany/Sweden
• Certain owned by larger industry players Mineralen Kollée Netherlands
• Certain with specific focus, eg. AZS glass ref. Mineralmahlwerk Hamm GmbH (CREMER Erzkontor) Germany
• Historically a “low profile” approach REF Minerals Latvia/Germany
Refra-System Ltd Hungary
• Recent trend to JV with refractory producer
Refratechnik Horn Produktions GmbH (Refra/Horn JV) Germany
• Some consolidation already, eg. Horn, REF Richmond Reclamation Ltd UK
Minerals (acquired SEBOREF, CZ, Feb. SEBOREF (REF Minerals) Czech Republic
2023, new 2nd plant on-stream end-23) Valoref (Saint-Gobain) France
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Europe
Refratechnik Horn Produktions GmbH
“The use of recycled MgO-C can be increased in
comparison to today‘s standards for ladle and EAF
+ linings.

• Sept. 2021: Refratechnik Horn Produktions GmbH At least 25% of fresh MgO will be replaced by recycled
(Refratechnik Steel/Horn & Co. Minerals JV) material.”

• 2022: revival of Horn’s Hünsborn plant, ramp up to It was demonstrated that replacement of 25% primary
20,000 tpa MgO-C brick in 2022, 40,000 tpa in 2026. Dr Helge Jansen, MgO by recycled MgO-C leads to substantial savings
Managing Director,
of CO2, of almost 8,000 tpa.
➢ 2nd hydraulic 2000t press operational Q2 2022 Refratechnik Steel,
Germany
• 25% raw material recycled refractories from Horn,
remainder DBM/FM from QMAG, Australia.
• Key drivers were:

➢ Reducing the dependence on China

➢ Reducing the carbon footprint of Refra MgO-C production
➢ Increasing availability of European refractories for
European steel plants
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Europe
= +
Horn & Co. RHIM Minerals Recovery GmbH
• 28 Mar. 2022: Horn & Co. RHIM Minerals Recovery GmbH The new 25,000 tpa MIRECO recycling plant at Mitterdorf/Veitsch, Austria.
(RHIM (51%)/Horn & Co. Minerals JV)
• Combines plants of Horn, Siegen & Weitefeld, Germany,
and RHIM, Mitterdorf, Styria, Austria; process >150,000 tpa
material
• 7 April 2022: New €7m RHIM Veitsch recycling centre
opened
• 15 November 2022: JV branded as MIRECO
• 2023: Recycling volume targets: >160,000 tpa
2026: >270,000 tpa
➢ approx. 40-45% metallurgical additives
➢ 55-60% critical raw materials for refractories.
• RHIM strategy boost: to globally increase recycling rate in
its products to >15% in 2025
➢ H1 2023: 13% (H1 2022: 9.3%) Source: RHI Magnesita
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Europe
CRM-rate
sourcing volume MIRECO deliveries CERO-waste
customer MIRECO delivered
=
refractory outbreak based on CRM rate
+ products

I ~ 1.600 t ~ 1.300 t 100% 81%

II ~ 15.000 t ~ 11.300 t 96% 75%
III ~ 2.800 t ~ 2.100 t 77% 75%
IV ~ 10.000 t ~ 7.350 t 96% 73%
V ~ 8.100 t ~ 4.000 t 100% 55%
VI ~ 15.500 t ~ 1.500 t 100% 10%

“To establish CERO-waste solutions is a

long-term process and must be developed
together step by step”

Barbara Zocratto,
Sales & Market Development
Manager, RHI Magnesita

Source: MIRECO
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Europe
“Over the next five years, 50 new
sorters will be required for the
= + Sorting Academy, using LIBS as
well.”
Importance of refractory sorting knowledge

• Manual cleaning by
hand or magnetic
separation at the
crushing/treatment
“World Premier of MIRECO” 15 November 2022
• Slag-heads and
infiltrated parts are
Plan to
used for metallurgical
increase
additives
capacity to
25,000
Carbon containing bricks must be sorted into the different types tpa,
Fagersta,
Sweden

Source: MIRECO
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Europe

2. EU-wide research consortiums of collaborating EC Horizon 2020 & Horizon Europe funding
players from raw material, mineral processing,
refractory, & end use sectors

REFRASORT (Innovative Separation To design and implement a strategy based “Refractory Sorting Using
Technologies for High Grade Recycling of on the 5R approach (Reduce-Reuse- Revolutionizing Classification
Refractory Waste using non destructive Remanufacture-Recycle-Re-educate) for Equipment” (ReSoURCE)
technologies) the management of refractory waste
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Europe

2. EU-wide research consortiums of collaborating EC Horizon 2020 & Horizon Europe funding
players from raw material, mineral processing,
refractory, & end use sectors

Concerted
European action on
Sustainable
Applications of
REFractories Andrea Salerno, PhD
Researcher,
CESAREF/Vesuvius
Wide ranging €4.1m EC project Group Plc, Italy
Nov. 2022 – Oct. 2025
Outlined refractory waste
Focus on steelmaking challenges in from continuous casting,
recycling, reuse, hydrogen, and with a focus on the
artificial intelligence. tundish, looking at
recovery, recycling and
disposal aspects of
refractory materials.
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

2. Trends & Developments

Europe

Aintzane Soto,
R&D Process
Engineer,
Sidenor, Spain

• Evolved refractory waste recycling management with

LIFE 5RefrAct Project 2018-2020.
• Aim: develop high value added refractory materials
incorporating a significant amount of refractory waste.
• SIDENOR co-operation

➢ = 9 MgO products @ 70% recycled

➢ = 12 Al2O3 products @ 65% recycled

Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

3. Outlook
Challenges
• Competitive: to be cost, quality, & performance
competitive with primary raw materials
• Image: is using a “waste” product – still a stigma?

• Quality control: issues in making the grade

• Adapting: recycling compatibility in established product
formulations; a new mind-set encouraging recipe modification to
“ease” recyclability; combined with new low-CO2 recipe
• Investment: in skilled labour; processing/sorting
technology/automation; eg. hand sorting vs laser sorting?
• Incentivisation:
➢ Government/state support structure: CO2 “credits” in recycling?
➢ Tax/monetary drivers
➢ Landfill bans/penalties: “Landfill prices are so low in USA it is hard to
justify doing anything.” Tom Vert, Strategic Refractory Consultant (2022)
➢ Permits/legislation: eg. in handling/storing/treating refractory waste MIRECO employs both hand sorting and laser sorting
material technology (LIBS).
o clarity, consistency, across country borders
o harmonisation of waste handling/permitting
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

3. Outlook
Challenges
• Refractory waste source site:
➢ Simplified, structured schedule & process:
o to tear-out, sort, remove refractories from site of use
o develop/collaborate on mutual benefits for waste
provider and recycler.
o mobile crushing/sorting plant?
➢ Awareness & speed:
o careful & controlled demolition to ensure proper
segregation of refractory material grades
o swift on-site sorting a priority, eg. MgO-C from AMC
in a steel ladle.
o swift transfer from waste source to recycling plant (&
decent storage) to minimise further potential
degradation and yield losses

Refractory waste stockyard at MIRECO

50,000 tpa plant, Weitefeld, Germany
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

3. Outlook
Challenges

• Supply chain:
➢ Sourcing, securing, accessing, and maintaining adequate supply of
refractory waste material; waste source becomes the new “refractory
mineral resource”
➢ Assurance: of long term supply of consistent quality of refractory
Consistent access to and securement of
SRM refractory waste source at steel, glass, cement,
etc. plants is key
➢ Costs:
o Waste material charge
o Demolition & sorting on waste site
o Logistics: proximity to waste source  recycler  refractory producer
o (More sorting) Processing & quality control at recycling plant
o Sum of above vs. delivered primary raw material price
➢ Management: balance between continuous and discontinuous flows
of waste material to meet consistent supply of recycled material flow
to end users Fly ash cenospheres find application in
refractories (& other, eg. construction
products, fillers, oilfield drilling) – but sources
will diminish (in time) with demise of coal-fired
power stations
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

3. Outlook
Opportunities

• Recycled material on mineral purchaser’s menu:

the future “new normal”, or regular sourcing option

• More government input = support & investment

potential?
Critical Raw Material policies; recycling initiatives

• More companies getting involved:

evolution of new supply chain of:
➢ Waste sources: eg. steel, glass, cement, ceramics etc.
➢ Primary mineral producers: diversifying into recycling
projects to expand portfolio and combined “package”
to consumers
➢ Processors (Recyclers)
➢ Traders Logistics, including port handling, is a key factor in the
recycling supply chain; above KB Group in final stage
➢ Distributors commissioning its new deep draft Amerikahaven Terminal,
➢ Logistics/Handling Amsterdam, driven by demand for recycled/secondary raw
materials for the steel and building industry.
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

3. Outlook
Opportunities
• More companies getting involved:
evolution of new supply chain of:
➢ Suppliers of demolition/processing/quality
control technology & equipment
BROKK remote control demolition robots HAVER NIAGARA XL Class 3.400 x 6.250
eg. improved demolition equipment

eg. improved screening systems

eg. improved sorting/processing systems:

development of laser (LIBS - Laser-Induced Breakdown
Spectroscopy), sensor based sorting (SBS) and mobile sorting
systems, other processing technology eg. crushing, screening,
Waste on conveyor
pelletising sorted by chem. comp.
automatically into bins

SECOPTA’s LIBS sorting technology

TOMRA multifunctional SBS technology

Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

3. Outlook eg. RHIM’s ANKRAL LC series

Opportunities used in rotary cement kilns
• Contains up to 50% recycled
• Increasing refractory recyclability globally: development of materials (incl. DBM).
new product formulations to enhance/ease SRM use and • CO2 footprint of final product
reduced by up to 14%.
ultimate recyclability to achieve Circular Economy
➢ Replicate progress & activity levels of EU worldwide
➢ Mindset of new manufacturing R&D with recycling at EOL “Although the technical data sheet values of conventional
➢ Blends of primary and SRM? ANKRAL bricks and the corresponding LC-series bricks
cannot be exactly the same, they can be applied in the same
➢ Provides mineral suppliers & mineral consumers with areas and achieve the same performance.”
“green” portfolio branding Source: Peter Steinkellner, Head of Technical Marketing Cement & Lime, RHI
Magnesita (2023), Int. Cement Rev. Sept. 2023
• Added value product development: for more diverse
market applications
• Strategic partnerships: increasing long term
strategic alliances and co-operation (technical +
investment) between refractory waste sources,
recyclers, and refractory producers

• Education: of end users to positively engage in and

recognise benefits of recycling for Circular Economy
= employment opportunities, better for environment
Fos-sur-Mer
Terni, Italy France
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals

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