Removal of Iron (Fe2+ and Fe3+) from mixed metal oxide powdersCopy Link

Background
Mkango’s corporate strategy is to develop new sustainable primary and secondary sources of neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium to supply accelerating demand from electric vehicles, wind turbines and other clean technologies. This integrated ‘mine, refine, recycle’ strategy differentiates Mkango from its peers, uniquely positioning the company in the rare earths sector. 
 
Partnering with sister company HyProMag, Mkango is looking to produce a secondary supply of rare earth oxides which can go back into the relevant supply chains for either permanent magnets or other applications.  
 
Mkango is in the process of developing its pilot line production facility and is looking for alternative ways to remove Fe(II) and Fe(III) from the mixed metal oxide material it processes. Currently the process powder is heated to oxidise Fe(II) to Fe(III), water is then added to fluidise the powder before the slurry moves through 4 leaching reactors using HCl and all the metals are dissolved into the solution. The third step is to use a mixer settler with an organic phase which separates out FeCl3 from the rest of the metals.  
 
There is a desire to reduce the number of processing steps it takes to remove the Fe(II) and Fe(III) from the mixture, potentially reducing the need for a high temperature process step, avoiding the use of hard to obtain chemicals, reducing waste and increasing process efficiencies.   

The Challenge
Mkango are looking for novel ways to remove 60 % iron (II) from a mixed metal slurry containing other metals including (Nd, Dy, Cu, Pr, Al, Co and non-metals for example Boron). Working with the Challenge Holder the solution provider should aim to remove more than 99% of the iron present in the mixed metal material. 

 

Functional Requirements

The solution must / should consider the scale of the pilot plant that is currently in development. The maximum scale is around 10 kg per day of powder to be processed which would result in around 6kg of iron to be removed.  
 
If the baking step which oxidised the Fe(II) to Fe(III) is bypasses the powder will not be oxidised and is therefore pyrophoric and will ignite in air so health and safety considerations must be included. 

 

Technical Requirements

The solution must avoid the removal of rare earth elements and cobalt from the powder unless they are separated into different streams.  

 

Operating Conditions

The solution must/should: 
 
Keep the slurry mixture below 65 degrees C 
Not involve high pressure processes 
Any additives implemented within the solution need to be removed before continuing with the main process. 

 

Out of Scope

Any approaches that remove rare earth elements during the process will be considered out of scope.  

 

Rewards & Market Opportunity

Selected applicants will be given an opportunity to pitch to Mkango. Successful solutions from the pitch day will be awarded up to £25k over 3 months to explore their solution with Mkango with the possibility of further adoption upon successful trials. 
 
The benefits package for a successful applicant may also include:  
Support from KTN  
Support in the development of a prototype or pilot   
Technical support  
Invitation to attend or present at KTN events  
A potential business collaboration  
Investor introductions (if investment is required)  
Support if any Innovate or similar competitions are relevant. 

Eligibility

Your project must: 
have a grant funding request up to £25,000 
last up to 3 months 
carry out its project work in the UK 
intend to exploit the results from or in the UK 
Entrants to this challenge must be:   
a UK registered business of any size 
a academic institution 
a research and technology organisation (RTO)   
Applications will be assessed on:   
Relevance to the defined challenge  
Feasibility/economic viability   
Innovative nature  
Credibility of applicant company  
Development potential  
Project plan  
Project costs  
Minimal Financial Assistance: 
Grant funding in this competition is awarded as Minimal Financial assistance (MFA). This allows public bodies to award up to £315,000 to an enterprise in a 3-year rolling financial period. If your application is successful and you are invited to apply for grant funding you will be asked to declare previous funding recieved by you. This will form part of the financial checks ahead of Innovate UK making a formal grant offer. 
ganisation (RTO)  

Terms & Conditions
A selected panel of assessors will review and score your application. The panel of assessors will meet and agree a consensus score. Selected applicants will be invited to pitch to the Challenge Holder. Success will be based upon total consensus scores, a portfolio approach and capacity within the challenge holders to carry out the projects.   
 
The successful applicant will be invited to complete their project details within Innovate UK’s Innovation Funding Service within a specified timeframe in order to progress to the Grant Offer Letter. Grants will be subject to Innovate UK’s terms and conditions which can be found here.   
  
Successful applicants will need to be in a position to upload the following documents to IFS once notified.   
Project plan  
Project costing  
Minimal Financial Assistance (and de minimis where applicable) declaration (details can be found here) 

Other useful additional documents can also be attached these may include product images or short specification sheets, slide decks detailing the solution and/or company background, or solution case studies. 
 
We recommend that you complete the application form in Google Chrome as other browsers may have compatibility issues. The application form does not need to be completed in one session and can be saved for future edits. Please ensure that you toggle “Stage Complete” for each section before submission. Note that you will no longer be able to edit your application once you have clicked “Submit Idea” at the bottom of the Summary page. 

 

Invitation to pitch
Successful applicants will be invited to a pitch day, giving them a chance to meet the Mkango team and pitch their project plan during a 20 minute presentation, followed by questions. 

After the pitch day, a final funding decision will be made. For unsuccessful applicants, feedback will be given in a timely manner. 

 

Successful applicants will be invited to a pitch day, giving them a chance to meet the Mkango team and pitch their project plan during a 20 minute presentation, followed by questions.  
After the pitch day, a final funding decision will be made. For unsuccessful applicants, feedback will be given in a timely manner.  
  
Timeline 
Launch of the Competition: 30th November 2023 
Deadline for applications: 24th January 2024 
Invitation to Pitch:  1st February 2024 
Date of Pitch Day: Week commencing 5th February 2024 
Outcome communicated 9th February 2024 
Projects into IFS: 29th February 2024 
Projects start: May 2024

 

Successful applicants will be invited to a pitch day, giving them a chance to meet the Mkango team and pitch their project plan during a 20 minute presentation, followed by questions.  
After the pitch day, a final funding decision will be made. For unsuccessful applicants, feedback will be given in a timely manner.  

Launch of the Competition: 30th November 2023 
Deadline for applications: 24th January 2024 
Invitation to Pitch:  1st February 2024 
Date of Pitch Day: Week commencing 5th February 2024 
Outcome communicated 9th February 2024 
Projects into IFS: 29th February 2024 
Projects start: May 2024 

IP & Potential Commercial Route
Existing background IP associated with a potential solution will remain with Solution Provider(s). Where any new IP generation is envisaged, it will be subject to the mutual IP agreement of the Solution Provider(s) and Challenger Holder.  
 
Any commercial deployment of a transferred solution or newly developed solution, through licensing, joint venture, partnership, or direct investment, will be subject to the commercial agreement between the Solution Provider(s) and Challenge Holder.  
 
Where necessary, a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) may be signed to uphold confidentiality in the engagement between the Solution Provider(s) and Innovation Challenger. (This would be expected to be after company selection, it is suggested that details of IP be not disclosed, focus on the outcomes of the technology proposed).  
 
Innovate UK and KTN do not take any share of IP ownership or enter commercial ventures through the iX programme. 

 

Application & Technical Guidance 

The application form for this challenge will require applicants to provide company information and answer 3 questions - Idea Summary, Technology Readiness and Intellectual Property – each with a limit of 300 words. 
 
Additionally, the following documents must be attached for your application to be considered 
Project plan 
Project costings 
 
Other useful additional documents can also be attached these may include product images or short specification sheets, slide decks detailing the solution and/or company background, or solution case studies. 
 
We recommend that you complete the application form in Google Chrome as other browsers may have compatibility issues. The application form does not need to be completed in one session and can be saved for future edits. Please ensure that you toggle “Stage Complete” for each section before submission. Note that you will no longer be able to edit your application once you have clicked “Submit Idea” at the bottom of the Summary page.