UK-Finland Sustainability Knowledge Exchange 19-21 October 2020

1. Alan R. Butcher
Professor of Geomaterials & Applied Mineralogy
alan.butcher@gtk.fi
Mobile: +358 50 348 8066
Theme 7
Minerals, side streams and
earth masses in the circular
economy
UK-Finland Sustainability Knowledge Exchange
19 - 21 October 2020
A Virtual Event

2. Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)
“For Earth and for Us”.
Since 1885
135 years of operation
Geologian tutkimuskeskus
BGS 1835
185 years
Translated: Geological Research Centre

3. Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)
Over 400 professionals
Geological Survey of Finland is an
internationally-oriented geoscience
research agency operating under the
Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs
& Employment.
We are a leading European
competence center on the
assessment and sustainable use of
geological resources.
“For Earth and for Us”.
Since 1885
135 years of operation
Geologian tutkimuskeskus
BGS 1835
185 years
6 locations
Translated: Geological Research Centre

4. Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)
Over 400 professionals
Geological Survey of Finland is an
internationally-oriented geoscience
research agency operating under the
Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs
& Employment.
We are a leading European
competence center on the
assessment and sustainable use of
geological resources.
“For Earth and for Us”.
Since 1885
135 years of operation
Geologian tutkimuskeskus
BGS 1835
185 years
Director General - Mika Nykänen
6 locations
Translated: Geological Research Centre

5. Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)
Geologian tutkimuskeskus
Translated: Geological Research Centre
11 operational metal mines
35 industrial mineral quarries

6. Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)
Geologian tutkimuskeskus
Translated: Geological Research Centre

7. Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)
Geologian tutkimuskeskus
Translated: Geological Research Centre

8. Focus Areas
Battery
Minerals
Water
Management
Circular
Economy
Information
Solutions

9. Areas of Growing Influence

11. GTK’s Strategy 2020 - 2023

12. Battery Mineral Research at GTK 2019
Recycling (only) of products will not be sufficient to supply the green energy revolution
UK and Europe need more minerals … not less ... for the future energy needs

13. What are Batteries?
Electrode
Electrode
Separator
Electrolyte
+
-

14. What are Batteries?
Electrode
Electrode
Separator
Electrolyte
+
-

15. Li
Co
C
Spodumene LiAl(SiO3)2
Silicate – Pyroxene Group
Cathode
Anode
Electrolyte
Graphite CCobaltite
Carrollite CuCo2S4
CoAsS
Sulphide
Sulphide
Battery minerals

16. Li
Co
C
Spodumene LiAl(SiO3)2
Silicate – Pyroxene Group
Cathode
Anode
Electrolyte
Lithium hydroxide
Crush-grind-separate-concentrate
Thermal treatment
Processing Products
Li2CO3 LiOH
Lithium carbonate
Graphite CCobaltite
Carrollite CuCo2S4
CoAsS
Sulphide
Sulphide
Battery minerals
α Spodumene to β Spodumene -Temperatures of 950 – 1000 C

17. Li
Co
C
Spodumene LiAl(SiO3)2
Silicate – Pyroxene Group
Cathode
Anode
Electrolyte
Graphite C
Crush-grind
Flotation
Physical separation
Pure Graphite
Processing
Product
Cobaltite
Carrollite CuCo2S4
CoAsS
Sulphide
Sulphide
Battery minerals

18. Li
Co
C
Spodumene LiAl(SiO3)2
Silicate – Pyroxene Group
Cathode
Anode
Electrolyte
Graphite CCobaltite
Carrollite CuCo2S4
CoAsS
Sulphide
Sulphide
Cobalt hydroxide, cobalt sulphate, cobalt copper
concentrate, or cobalt carbonate
Battery minerals
Products

19. Traceability of Battery Minerals, Metals & Materials

20. Food provenancing
Place
Product
People
Animals
Environment
Town & Country Magazine
Chiquita
FoodSpark

21. Mineral provenancing
Composition
Crystallinity
TextureContext Mineral

22. Bridging scales of observation
Grain-scale Outcrop-scale Mine-scale
Particle-tracking Ore type-tracking Ore deposit-tracking

23. Geological formation defines a fingerprint
MetamorphicSedimentary Igneous
Different mineralogy, textures and geochemical signatures

24. Q. Dehaine, S. Michaux, J. Pokki, M. Kivinen and A.R. Butcher, 2020: Battery minerals from Finland: Improving the supply chain for the EU battery industry using a geometallurgical approach, European Geologist 49.
FINGERPRINTING ALL ALONG THE BATTERY VALUE CHAIN

25. How Far Down the Value Chain Can we Go?

26. Learnings from the Archaeological World
Ötzi is a glacier mummy
from the Copper Age,
found in 1991.
Copper Axe preserved from 5,300 years ago
The Iceman
He was found in the Alps but his axe came
from Tuscony - based on Pb-isotopes
Source: Artioli et al. (2017)

27. Learnings from the Archaeological World
Ötzi is a glacier mummy
from the Copper Age,
found in 1991.
Copper Axe preserved from 5,300 years ago
The Iceman
He was found in the Alps but his axe came
from Tuscony - based on Pb-isotopes
Source: Artioli et al. (2017)

28. Learnings from the Archaeological World
Ötzi is a glacier mummy
from the Copper Age,
found in 1991.
Copper Axe preserved from 5,300 years ago
The Iceman
He was found in the Austrian-Italian Alps
area but his axe came from Tuscony - based
on Pb-isotopes
Copper deposit isotopic database
Source: Artioli et al. (2017)
Iceman
Tuscony

29. Learnings from the Archaeological World
Ötzi is a glacier mummy
from the Copper Age,
found in 1991.
Copper Axe preserved from 5,300 years ago
The Iceman
He was found in the Austrian-Italian Alps
area but his axe came from Tuscony - based
on Pb-isotopes
Source: Artioli et al. (2017)
Copper deposit isotopic database

30. Q. Dehaine, S. Michaux, J. Pokki, M. Kivinen and A.R. Butcher, Battery minerals from Finland: Improving the supply chain for the EU battery industry using a geometallurgical approach,
European Geologist 49 (2020).
BATtrace Project

31. Circular Economy – Closing Comments

32. Use
Reuse
CollectionRecycle
Design
Production
Classical Circular Economy
”Make-use-reuse-remake-recycle”

33. Minerals
Metals
Materials
Processing
Exploration
Mining
Refining
Primary
Resources
Products
Use
Reuse
CollectionRecycle
Design
Production
Modified Circular Economy
”Make-use-reuse-remake-recycle”
Battery Ecosystem

34. Minerals
Metals
Materials
Processing
Exploration
Mining
Refining
Primary
Resources
Disposal
Waste
Waste
Waste
Waste
Use
Reuse
CollectionRecycle
Design
Production
80% linear
20% circular
”Take-make-dispose-pollute”
”Make-use-reuse-remake-recycle”
Non-circular and not economic!
Products
Battery Ecosystem

35. Minerals
Metals
Materials
Processing
Exploration
Mining
Refining
Primary
Resources
Disposal
Waste
Waste
Waste
Waste
Use
Reuse
CollectionRecycle
Design
Production 80% linear
20% circular
”Take-make-dispose-pollute”
”Make-use-reuse-remake-recycle”
Proof-of-concept
(2020-2023, on-going)
GTK Circular Economy Research Projects
Products
Battery Ecosystem
(2019-2020)

36. The Dream!

37. Responsibly-sourced Minerals, Metals, Materials & Products

38. Responsibly-sourced Minerals, Metals, Materials & Products

39. Responsibly-sourced Minerals, Metals, Materials & Products

40. The battery in this phone is made
from smart minerals with a
traceable source from the Finnish
Arctic region. It complies with
European environmentally-
friendly mineral extraction
practises.
www: Finnish Arctic Battery Minerals
Responsibly-sourced Minerals, Metals, Materials & Products
Certificate of authenticity
This is a mock-up only!

41. The battery in this phone is made
from smart minerals with a
traceable source from the Finnish
Arctic region. It complies with
European environmentally-friendly
mineral extraction practises.
This phone is also designed to be
easily recycled.
www: Finnish Phone Recycling
Responsibly-sourced Minerals, Metals, Materials & Products

42. Geological Survey of Finland, Circular Economy Solutions Unit
PO Box 96, Vuorimiehentie 2, F1-02151 Espoo, FINLAND
Alan R. Butcher
Professor of Geomaterials & Applied Mineralogy
alan.butcher@gtk.fi
Mobile: +358 (0)50 348 8066
Kiitos !

43. End of slides