From 28-30.03.2023 we had a working trip in Belgium, where on the first day we visited VITO in Mol. The Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO). VITO is a leading European independent research and technology organisation in Flanders, Belgium. At VITO we presented two lectures on "Living, learning and recycling in Slovakia" and " Recycling of used portable lithium batteries and accumulators". Afterwards, we had a guided tour of the company with expert commentary and had the opportunity to see various technical equipment. The following day we had a meeting with experts from the Flanders Metals Valley (FMV) and universities. The FMV is an organisation that represents companies and institutions active in the metallurgical sector in cooperation with universities in Flanders. As part of the Flanders Metals Day 2023, we had professional excursions to two companies at the Umicore and Aurubis plants in Olen. At Aurubis we saw the production of copper anodes (smelting plant) and copper cathodes (electrolytic refining plant, tankhouse). At Umicore, we had the opportunity to see the recycling of clean technologies for the production of high-tech materials based on cobalt and germanium (zonal refining operation).
We appreciate the opportunity to visit these important European research and metallurgical organizations. Special thanks to Flanders Metals Valley represented by Kristof Nelis, Coordinator Flanders Metals Valley and VITO represented by Dr. František Kukurugya, Researcher at VITO. These acquired knowledge will contribute to the enrichment and improvement of the teaching process at the Faculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling, Technical University of Košice.
Authors: Martina Laubertova and Zita Takacova
