MetalCirc: technology to neutralize waste ash and recover valuable materials for reuse
Innovation
Finnish innovator MetalCirc Oy has received a funding boost to produce an innovative material for antimicrobic, including anti-coronavirus, applications in surface coatings. The coating contains catalytic active metal oxide nanoparticles which have been proven effective against pathogens.
User Needs and Benefits
MetalCirc technology is a circular economy solution to recycle valuable metals obtained from waste and produce materials from the remaining material. The result is valuable and reusable materials and no more hazardous waste. MetalCirc technology has tremendous environmental value because the metals reused from the waste ashes reduce the need to mine from ore.
The technology represents a cost-effective, safe, and sustainable way to effectively destroy viruses (Sars-Cov-2 pathogens) and bacteria from large surfaces.
Project Goals and Results
The overall objectives of the project are:
- Boost technology development: Increasing the TRL to 7 (from TRL 6)
- Boost the development of solutions for new market opportunity in antiviral coatings
- Demonstrate coatings for two applications and carrying out SARS-CoV-2-capability testing
- Boost the business development to CRL 6 (from CRL 4)
Key Figures
- The total budget is 198.000 €
- The grant is 200.000 €
- The schedule is 2020 – 2021 (6 months)
Tracegrow: Development of new trace nutrient products
Innovation
Finnish innovator Tracegrow Oy has received a funding boost to provide new micronutrient fertilizers made from suitable trace nutrients recycled from industrial wastestreams and to develop a recovery process for their reuse.
User Needs and Benefits
Tracegrow ecologically extracts zinc and manganese from black mass. The recycled and purified trace elements are safely recycled as ZM-Grow liquid micronutrient fertilizer, enabling higher crop yields.
Tracegrow fertilizer offers farmers a cost-efficient, ecological micronutrient that boosts yields, plant nutrition value, and profitability. It outperformed ‘market leader’ fertilizers in field tests in 7 countries.
The benefits are the recycling recovery rates of 90% to 99% for zinc, manganese, iron and potassium and significant reduction of CO2 emission because the process operates at a temperature of less than 100°C, compared to more than 1300° required by conventional smelting process.
Project Goals and Results
The overall objective of the project is to expand the fertilizer product portfolio and establish clear differential advantages for its fertilizer.
The following tasks will be performed during the project:
- Material flow R&D
- Chemical process development to raise recycling rate
- Validation and certification of new micronutrient fertilizers
Key Figures
- The total budget is 212.000 €
- The grant is 200.000 €
- The schedule is 2020 – 2021 (6 months)
Link
Sofi Filtration: Fine Particle Recovery for the Mining Industry
Innovation
Sofi Filtration is a Finnish cleantech company developing patented, ultrasound-assisted filtration that turns industrial process water into a new source of value—capturing ultra-fine solids that typically escape in concentrator thickeners and filters.
User Needs and Benefits
By combining an innovative filter design with ultrasound-powered self-cleaning and automated backflushing, Sofi’s solution enables high separation performance using durable stainless-steel meshes down to 0.3 μm, while supporting chemical-free operation, remote monitoring, and low energy consumption.
In mining, where fines losses translate directly into lost revenue and weaker resource efficiency, Sofi’s approach provides a clear payback mechanism: improving recovery and enabling additional concentrate from existing operations.
The company’s “Alchemist” technology has also been highlighted as a way to recover ultra-fine critical minerals from process water and accelerate circularity in Europe’s raw materials value chain.
Project Goals and Results
The project delivered a 12-month programme (start date: 1 October 2024) centered on industrial proof points in operating mines.
Key objectives included:
- Industrial demonstrations with at least two mining customers, validating improved material recovery in real concentrator conditions.
- Market study to identify the highest-value target metals and sharpen the commercial focus based on measurable loss and added revenue potential.
- Scientific work with a university partner to quantify impacts on thickening and clarifying filtration, including chemical consumption and total recovery.
- Partnership development to establish local sales and distribution channels in key European geographies (Sweden, Spain, Greece).
- Targeted marketing and outreach, including an industry- and geography-focused LinkedIn campaign with pre-defined KPIs.
Across these activities, Sofi aimed to advance from TRL 6 to TRL 8, completing and qualifying the system through test and demonstration.
Key Figures
- The total project budget is €900,000.
- The schedule is 1/2025 – 12/2025 (12 months).
Links
- Sofi Filtration website
- EIT RawMaterials press release: “EIT RawMaterials invests €0.9 million in award-winning circularity innovator Sofi Filtration”