Management of Mining / Metallurgical Wastes and Rehabilitation of Contaminated Soils

Laboratory Staff

Prof. K. Komnitsas
Director | (+30) 2821037686 | kkomnitsas<at>tuc.gr

Dr. A. Kritikaki
Laboratory Teaching Staff | 2821037609 | akritikaki<at>tuc.gr
Mineral Resources Engineer, MSc, Dr.

Laboratory Objective

The objective of the research unit is the research on innovative mining and metallurgical waste management and soil rehabilitation technologies towards environmental protection and sustainable industrial development.

Infrastructure

• Fully equipped analytical laboratory
• Various laboratory and portable meters (pHmeter microprocessor Hanna pH211, portable pHmeter pH5 Meter LaMotte 5 Series, conductivity meter Hanna EC215, portable conductivity meter CON5 Meter LaMοtte Series, oxygen meter Hach HQ40d, oxygen meter SM600 Milwaukee)
• Various balances (balance KERN CB 24K1N, accurate balance KERN ALS120-4)
• Water bath Bioline 5020-SWB
• Ultrasonic bath BANDELIN
• Centrifuge Megafuge 40 Thermo
• Colorimeter LaMotte Smart2 (1919-EX2)
• Heating device Wealtec Corp.
• Incubator FTC 90E for BOD test and BOD Sensor system 6-Velp Italy
• Heating magnetic stirrers AGIMATIC-ED and AREC - Velp Scientifica, heating plates Labtech LHT-3015D, themo mandles FIBROMAN-N, electrical heating plate Jenway 1001 Hotplate
• Metallic stirrers Polymix PX-SR50 E
• Peristaltic pumps OMEGA FPU251
• Pulveriser Fritsch Pulverisette 2
• Laboratory ovens (Ecocell 111R, Elvem, Medline)
• Laboratory kiln Ν-8L SELECTA
• Cooling devices (Whirlpool, Zanussi)
• Laboratory plexiglass columns (diameter 5 cm - height 50 cm and diameter 2,5 cm - height 20 cm)
• Reactors of 1000 mL capacity (accessories: temperature controllers, clumps, temperature sensors etc.)
• Trinocular stereoscopic microscope SZM-2 with a digital camera OPTIKAM B3
• PCs, Scanners, Printers
• Software (Outokumpu HSC Chemistry for Windows, Statgraphicsplus5, SuperPro Designer, Arc View including Geostatistical Tool, BaBi4-the software system for Life Cycle Engineering, ISATIS geostatistics software solution)
• GPS

Research and Development Projects

• Jan. 23 – Dec. 25. Improving soil fertility by combining earthworms and biochars to produce high nutritional and agronomic value products. Implementation of technology at a pilot stage, funded by the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food, M16SYN2-00101, TUC budget 50,000 € 
• Jan. 2023 – Dec. 2026. Cost-effective, sustainable and responsible extraction routes for recovering distinct critical metals and industrial minerals as by-products from key European hard-rock lithium projects[EXCEED], Horizon Europe project, funded by the EU, budget TUC 840,000 €, https://exceed-horizon.eu/
• June 2022 – May 2026. Sustainable processing of Europe’s low-grade sulphidic and lateritic nickel/cobalt ores and tailings into battery-grade metals [ENICON], Horizon Europe project, Grant Agreement No. 101058124, funded by the EU, budget TUC 700,000 €, https://enicon-horizon.eu/
• July 2018 – Dec. 2024. Innovative technologies for climate change mitigation by Mediterranean agricultural sector, LIFE17 CCM/GR/000087 (ClimaMed), TUC budget: 151.111 €, http://www.life-climamed.eu/
• Jan. 2018 – Dec. 2020. INVALOR: Research Infrastructure for the Valorization of Wastes and Sustainable Management of Resources, funded by the Greek Minister of Economy and Development, Budget TUC 700.000 €, http://www.invalor.org/el/home-gr/
• Nov. 2017 – Oct. 2019. ENGineering and Industry Innovative Training for Engineers,Erasmus+ programme, AGREEMENT NUMBER – 2017-1-CY01-KA202-026728, TUC budget 32,086 €
• Feb. 2016-Jan. 2020. Metal Recovery from Low Grade Ores and Wastes (Metgrow+), Research and Innovation Action (RIA), H2020 project, Grant Agreement n° 690088, funded by the European Commission, 19 participants, Budget TUC: 487,125 €
• Oct. 2012-Sep. 2015. Development of Mathematical Predictive Model coupled with Neural Network smoothing algorithms to Optimize Operating Conditions and Improve Energy Efficiency of Rotary Kiln and Electric Arc Furnaces in Ferronickel Production Plants (MANNFENI), Cooperation Project, TUC budget: 69.100 €
• Oct. 2012–Sep. 2015. Recycling of quarry dust and construction and demolition wastes for the production of novel ecological building elements, Cooperation Project, funded by the General Secretariat of Research and Technology, Project budget: 504.250 €, TUC budget: 102.500 €
• Oct. 2012 – Sep. 2017. Sustainable strategies for the improvement of seriously degraded agricultural areas:The example of Pistachia vera L. LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance 2011, LIFE11 ENV/GR/951, Total project budget 1.026.509 €, TUC budget: 175.233 €, http://www.agrostrat.gr/
• Jan. 2012–June 2016. Development of an integrated methodology for the management, treatment and valorisation of hazardous waste (WasteVal), Budget: 521.000€, funded by the Greek Ministry of Education
• Sep. '11 - Aug. '15. Best practices for agricultural WASTEs (AW) treatment and REUSE in the Mediterranean countries, LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance 2010, Participants: TUC, Centro de Edafologia y Biologia Aplicada del Segura, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CEBAS-CSIC) (Spain), Regional Center for Agricultural Experimentation and Assistance (CERSAA) (Italy), Chemical Laboratory of the Chamber of Commerce of Savona (Laboratorio Chimico CCIAA) (Italy), SIGNOSIS SPRL. (SIGNOSIS), (Belgium), funded by EC, Total project budget 1.384.799 €, TUC budget: 277.088 €, TUC coordinator, http://www.wastereuse.eu/. WasteReuse video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPLJs_lRVck