Progress of the project
Progress of the Horizon Europe project HAlMan
The Horizon Europe project HAlMan is marking significant achievements in its journey towards innovative solutions and sustainable processes to become a game changer in the metallurgical industry. From groundbreaking publications to compelling project results and successful pilot tests, delve into the remarkable progress and transformative impact of HAlMan activities.
Project HAlMan Kick-off
An international consortium started the work to develop a sustainable methodology for manufacturing manganese (Mn) and its alloys from Mn ores and Mn-rich waste, leveraging hydrogen and recycled aluminum as reducing agents. The HAlMan project, promises to revolutionize the metallurgical sector by fostering sustainable practices characterized by minimal carbon emissions, reduced energy usage, the elimination of solid waste, and the reclamation of secondary raw materials from mining and metallurgical fields.
Manganese mapping
In the realm of metallurgical innovation, the utilization of resources is a critical factor in driving sustainability and efficiency. Within the HAlMan project, a pioneering initiative aimed at revolutionizing metallurgical processes, a key focus lies in mapping currently underutilized manganese (Mn) sources that could be harnessed to advance the project’s objectives. Consortium partner Admiris implemented this work that lasted for several months, starting from February 2023.
Project HAlMan consortium meeting in Poland
A two-day consortium meeting was held in Starachowice, Poland, and hosted by the HAlMan consortium partner ODLEWNIE POLSKIE S.A. This meeting was an opportunity for each of the consortium partners to provide updates on their recent work accomplishments and outline their plans for the upcoming months. The meeting was held in hybrid mode, thus the presentations were given both on-site and online.
Process step 1: Use of hydrogen to reduce Manganese ore
Different manganese ores and pre-reduction reactors are evaluated in lab and pilot scale to investigate the reduction behaviour as well as to optimise the process for the different applications. The pre-reduced manganese ore is tested in batteries as well as used as an input material in the next process step in HAlMan i.e. smelting-aluminothermic reduction.
IEA 2023 Global Hydrogen Review
Organized by the Horizon Europe project HAlMan (coordinated by Maria Wallin from NTNU), in collaboration with the Horizon 2020 project HARARE (Casper van der Eijk from Sintef), the course on “Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier and Reductant in Metallurgical Applications” drew significant attention, as it aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of hydrogen’s potential within the metallurgical industry.
Sintef has now done their first Pilot trial: pre-reduction of Mn ores by hydrogen
The first pilot scale trial in HAlMan has been successfully conducted by Sintef on March 13th 2024. This trial is the first out of four pilot trials that will be performed in Sintef’s plasma rotary furnace.
HAlMan consortium meeting and visits to partner facilities in South Africa
HAlMan consortium held a consortium meeting from May 29 to 31, 2024, in Witbank and Johannesburg, South Africa. This meeting provided a crucial opportunity for the consortium partners to discuss the project’s progress, present their achievements, and strategically plan the way forward. In addition, the partners visited two facilities - Transalloys and Mintek.
MINTEK demonstrates carbon-free production of Mn ferroalloys
Mintek, South Africa’s national mineral and metallurgical research institution, recently completed a pilot test demonstrating a sustainable, carbon-free process for producing ferromanganese alloys using hydrogen and aluminum as reductants. The HAlMan process successfully smelted over 3600 kg of manganese-containing material using a 200 kW DC arc furnace, achieving more than 70% manganese content in the final alloy with minimal CO2 emissions. The process also generated an alumina-rich slag by-product suitable for further refining, ensuring zero waste. These results highlight the HAlMan process's potential to enhance sustainability and reduce emissions in pyrometallurgical applications.
The HAlMan project consortium 5th progress meeting in Greece
The HAlMan team gathered in Greece, hosted by NTUA and METLEN, to discuss raw materials, lab-scale results, and pilot trials planned for 2025. Highlights included visits to NTUA's labs and METLEN's facilities, showcasing CRM recovery processes. The meeting also addressed business opportunities, environmental assessments, and future dissemination activities.