Name of the project: Valorization of hazardous waste containing zinc from the galvanizing process

Call: APVV

Principal investigator: prof. Ing. Jarmila Trpčevská, CSc.

Duration: 2024 - 2028

Anotation: The purpose of the project is the study of valorization of the hazardous waste, namely zinc dust, originating in the hot-dip galvanizing process. It is a fine-grained waste specific for its content of 20-30 % zinc with presence of chlorides and other metals as minorities. Despite of an interesting zinc content, this waste is presently not an object of processing interest due to a lack of complex technology. With respect to the characteristic of the waste the hydrometallurgical procedure, consisting of waste leaching, leachate refining, and commercial products extraction processes will be proposed. An environmentally and ecologically acceptable transfer method of zinc containing leachable elements into the solution will be designed. The effect of impurities on the different extraction processes will be studied and refining processes will be proposed. Recycleable products from the zinc dust are metallic zinc and intermediates for the preparation of flux solutions. The project will result in the design of a comprehensive recycling process for the processing of the zinc dust. The overall efficiency and material balance of the process will be evaluated. The study of the hydrometallurgical processing of zinc dust and the design of the processing will lead to the elimination of hazardous waste disposed to landfill, to the valorization of the metal bearing potential of the waste and to the recovery of marketable zinc containing products. Propose recycling process, with the resulting products reusable in the zinc galvanizing process, is in line with the principles of circular economy. At the end of the project, an application for the granting of the utility model will be submitted