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IZTECH joins EU geothermal mineral recovery project

IZTECH joins EU geothermal mineral recovery project CRM-geothermal project team (source: Email correspondence)
Carlo Cariaga 27 Jul 2022

The Izmir Institute of Technology from Turkey is part of 20 European institutions that are joining the EU-supported CRM-geothermal project.

The Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH) has joined the “CRM-geothermal” project, an EU-supported project that aims to study the methods and technologies for the recovery of critical raw materials from geothermal fluids. The formation, transport, and recovery of minerals in the fluid will be analyzed and this information will be used in designing a pilot plant.

IZTECH is one of the 20 powerful institutions in Europe who are working on the project. Prof. Dr. Mustafa M. Demir, Prof. Dr. Alper Baba, three doctorate students, and 1 master’s degree student are representing IZTECH.

About the Project

Geothermal fluids often carry high amounts of elements that the EU considers as ‘critical’ raw materials (CRM). Preliminary calculations show that even a single well has the potential to produce single-digit percentages of the EU needs. Combined extraction of heat and minerals maximises returns on investment, minimises environmental impact, requires no additional land use, leaves no mining legacies, has near-zero carbon footprint, and enables domestic supplies of CRM.

CRM-geothermal proposes the co-production of CRM and heat from geothermal reservoirs. It combines the benefits of CRM provision with exploiting a renewable energy source (subsurface heat) from geothermal fluids. This co-production also avoids visible large-scale installations above ground, such as open pits, tailings ponds, or extractive waste heaps. It has minimal environmental footprint, and positive social and economic impacts are expected. Therefore, it is excellently aligned with European geothermal development, where a “cascade of uses of geothermal fluids” maximises value chains and is an enabler towards a reduced dependence on fossil fuels.

For detailed information, you can visit the official website of the project.

Source: Email correspondence via our Turkish language platform JeotermalHaberler