Green Manganese Technologies said Wednesday it has completed an initial processing campaign on wet gas-cleaning sludge from a European ferromanganese smelter, achieving high-yield manganese recovery and zinc extraction while substantially reducing toxic contamination in the remaining solid residue. The privately held company says its closed-loop, water-based process recovers manganese and other critical minerals from low-grade ores and legacy and industrial tailings that conventional smelting cannot treat economically. In September, it said it has successfully completed initial metallurgical test work demonstrating that its proprietary hydrometallurgical process can recover multiple critical metals from polymetallic nodules through a single, integrated process. The company said results address two connected challenges for smelters: treating hazardous industrial residues and recovering valuable metals that would otherwise remain in sludge settling ponds or be lost to disposal. Independent analysis by ALS Canada Ltd. confirmed a reduction of more than 99.97% in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, in the treated solids, Green Manganese said. Waste burden for manganese producers Manganese alloy smelters can generate thousands of tonnes of metal-bearing sludge each year. Published research on Eramet’s Kvinesdal plant in Norway reported annual sludge generation of approximately 10,000 metric tonnes. As newly generated sludge adds to legacy deposits, it consumes available capacity in settling ponds and creates recurring handling, disposal and monitoring costs, according to the Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy. These residues can also contain toxic organic compounds and heavy metals, making their long-term management an environmental responsibility, Green Manganese said. Releases through runoff or seepage can contaminate surrounding soil and water, and as such operators therefore face both the cost of managing growing sludge inventories and the environmental liabilities associated with existing settling ponds, the company said. Hazardous residues treatment The untreated sludge processed by Green Manganese contained approximately 30% manganese and 6% zinc, the company said, adding that the campaign demonstrated high-yield manganese recovery alongside zinc extraction, confirming the opportunity to recover multiple valuable metals from the same feedstock. Before and after. Image: Green Manganese. Alongside the reduction in PAHs, independent analysis recorded decreases in total organic carbon and a PAH-related toxicity indicator. Hazardous heavy metals, including cadmium and lead, were transferred into the process solution for controlled management. Alkali elements, including sodium and potassium, were also separated from the solid residue. The initially alkaline sludge was converted into stable, near-neutral solids, supporting potential engineered backfill applications. This provides a route to address the residue remaining after metal extraction as well as recover the metals contained in the original sludge. “Our focus is providing smelters with a practical, double-benefit solution: treating ongoing gas-cleaning streams and historical sludge ponds right at the source, while recovering the contained metals,” Green Manganese Technologies CEO Alexey Demykin said in a news release.
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