Phoenixmetals recovers vanadium and other critical metals such as calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium from steel slag and refinery ash across Europe using a proprietary, solvent‑ and ammonia‑free hydrometallurgical process. The low‑heat, carbon‑negative method achieves up to 99% metal recovery while being five times more energy‑efficient and eliminating hazardous waste, enabling regional value creation and reduced import dependence.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Steel production and refining generate large quantities of slag and ash that contain valuable critical metals such as vanadium, calcium, iron, manganese, and magnesium. Traditional recovery methods rely on hazardous solvents or ammonia and consume significant energy, limiting the economic and environmental viability of metal recycling.
Solution
Phoenixmetals applies a proprietary hydrometallurgical process to extract these metals from steel slag and refinery ash across Europe. The workflow operates at low temperatures (<100 °C) and avoids toxic solvents and ammonia, resulting in a carbon‑negative footprint. By integrating salt roasting, selective extraction, and low‑heat treatment steps, the process achieves up to 99 % metal recovery while being five times more energy‑efficient than conventional techniques. The recovered metals are supplied to regional manufacturers, reducing dependence on imported raw materials and creating local value chains.
Target Audience
Primary customers are steel producers, metal refineries, and downstream manufacturers in Europe seeking sustainable sources of vanadium and other critical metals for alloy production and industrial applications.
Features
- Hydrometallurgical extraction that combines salt roasting (750‑900 °C) with low‑temperature treatment (<100 °C) for energy‑efficient processing
- Solvent‑free and ammonia‑free purification steps, eliminating hazardous waste generation
- Selective extraction technology delivering up to 99 % recovery of vanadium and associated critical metals
- Integrated low‑heat calcining (400‑600 °C) and ammonia precipitation stages to refine metal streams without additional emissions
- Carbon‑negative overall process footprint supported by EU green innovation funding