Sepro team members Andrew Gillis and Jonas Boehnke recently visited Austria to conduct a research study aimed at improving fine metal recovery from incinerator bottom ash. 

The Brantner Oestereich’s incinerator bottom ash (IBA) processing operation in Hohenruppersdorf, Austria uses a Sepro Fine Slag Treatment Plant (FSTP) to recover precious metals from IBA. The plant was successfully commissioned in 2017 and has been in commercial operation ever since. The FSTP processes approximately 10,000 t/a with recovered metals including gold, copper and silver. 

Sepro and Brantner Oestereich have worked together extensively to advance research and development in the area of metal recovery from IBA. Previously, Sepro released a flowsheet demonstrating a shaking table upgrade completed in 2018 to recover additional metals in a closed circuit.

Incinerator Bottom Ash Facility

From left to right – Andrew Gillis (Sepro’s VP of Projects), Gerhard Stockinger (Brantner’s R&D manager), Roland Muenzker (Brantner’s plant manager), Jonas Boehnke (Sepro’s process engineer). Alt-text “Incinerator bottom ash treatment facility at Brantner Oestereich.

After the continued success of the Sepro FSTP, a paper was published on “Possibilities and limitations in wet processing of IBA”  co-authored by Jonas Boehnke and Gerhard Stockinger of Brantner Oestereich. This paper includes a thorough overview of the challenges of recovering precious and base metals from IBA as well as the application of gravity concentration for recovering metals in the fine size fraction.

FSTPs differ from traditional incinerator bottom ash processing facilities as they use wet gravity separation methods to recover fine particle sizes of precious metals (0-2 mm). This adds an extra source of revenue for IBA treatment plants while keeping these valuable resources out of landfills. 

The incinerator bottom ash processing facility at Brantner Oestereich presents a high-value solution to the increasing demand for valuable metals, the growing rate of e-waste, and the demand for environmentally sustainable recycling practices. To learn more about incinerator bottom ash solutions, contact Sepro Urban Mining today.