Research Director DARWIN
- Grimstad
nabe@norceresearch.no
+47 401 08 137
Working Together to Secure Critical Raw Materials from Waste
Copper, nickel, and cobalt are examples of critical raw materials found in urban waste. Recently, NORCE launched the new EU project iBot4CRMs, with project partners also visiting the copper refinery at Glencore Nikkelverk in Kristiansand.
Source:
Arne Roger Janse
The EU project iBot4CRMs just kicked off. Here the partners visits the copper refinery at Glencore Nikkelverk in Kristiansand, Norway.
– Global supply chains are increasingly sensitive to conflicts and disruptions. Rising nationalism has led to export controls and trade wars. It is more important than ever to secure European autonomy in critical value chains. This is exactly what our project is designed to achieve, says Nabil Belbachir, Research Director at NORCE and iBot4CRMs Project Coordinator.
iBot4CRMs tackles critical raw material dependency
iBot4CRMs addresses the urgent need to enhance Europe’s resilience and sustainability by reducing its dependency on critical raw materials sourced from outside Europe. The project aims to develop and implement innovative technologies and processes to recover these materials from end-of-life products and waste.
Innovative technologies to recover critical raw materials from urban waste
Copper, nickel, and cobalt are examples of critical raw materials found in urban waste. The recovery of neodymium-based magnets from waste is also highly relevant due to growing geopolitical tensions.
Waste contains valuable critical raw materials that can be recovered and reintegrated into production processes. However, recovery currently relies heavily on human oversight and manual labour, which limits efficiency in managing growing waste volumes and the complexity of modern materials. It also exposes workers to hazardous conditions.
iBot4CRMs leverages advanced AI, robotics, and data science to develop and deploy intelligent, effective, and adaptable systems to help meet the EU's goals for sustainable management of critical raw materials. This aligns with Europe’s green and digital transition.
The project will deliver impactful innovations, such as flexible, easily scalable AI-powered robots for sorting and collaboratively dismantling end-of-life products – advancing Europe’s sustainability and circular economy goals.
Source:
Arne Roger Janse
Nabil Belbachir, Research Director at NORCE and iBot4CRMs Project Coordinator
The project iBot4CRMs
- The project involves 18 partners from 8 European countries and includes four pilot sites located at partner facilities in Spain (Celsa), Portugal (EGF/Valorsul), Turkey (Volt/Tofaş), and Greece (EKAN).
- Additional collaboration partners come from the UK, the Netherlands, Austria, and Norway.
- The consortium includes end-users, technology developers, CRM-recovery and recycling experts, manufacturers, and researchers, all contributing to cutting-edge solutions for recovering critical raw materials from waste.
- iBot4CRMs is funded with €9.5 million and spans 48 months.
Source:
Arne Roger Janse
iBot4CRMs has 18 partners from 8 European countries and it comprises four pilots located at partners in Spain (Celsa), Portugal (EGF/Valorsul), Turkey (Volt/Tofaş), and Greece (EKAN). Other collaboration partners come from the UK, Netherlands, Austria, and Norway.
Coordinator
Nabil Belbachir
