ULTRA CLEAN Mag Process Route Breakthroughs
Tech Magnesium’s ULTRA CLEAN Process Route
A highly flexible and profitable patent pending process route utilizing Aluminum (Al) reduction MgO, (together with CaO depending on the co-produced mineral), and a proprietary reactor derived from proven industrial equipment.
The ULTRA CLEAN Process Route maximizes chemical, energy, and raw materials utilization efficiency to co-produce magnesium alongside commercially valuable minerals. This results in the lowest magnesium production cost in the western world and a best-in-class Carbon Footprint, enabling the production of the world's cleanest magnesium.
The ULTRA CLEAN Process Route employs Tech Magnesium's proprietary aluminothermic reduction methodology, utilizing its atmospherically sealed electric furnace and isothermal condenser design to co-produce high-purity molten magnesium together with commercially valuable minerals. Adjusting the raw material mix enables co-production of four different minerals using a single Tech Magnesium production line:
- High Purity Al2O3 (99.9% - 99.99%) for value added applications such refractory, LED lighting, lithium-ion battery, semiconductor and sapphire scratch resistant glass.
- Commercial Grade Al2O3 for aluminum metal production.
- Fused Calcium Aluminate for high strength, fast curing castable refractory cement, floor screed, and rapid-hardening construction cements and mortars. Replacing Portland with calcium aluminate significantly reduces CO2 emissions from cement production.
- MgO.Al2O3 Spinel for high quality refractories
Proof of the Tech Mag ULTRA CLEAN Process Route: has been provided by rigorous thermodynamic modelling conducted by Professor Arthur Pelton, Polytechnique Montreal – an internationally recognized metallurgical thermodynamics expert & co-developer of industry leading FactSage thermodynamic modelling software. Pelton’s thermodynamic model was supported by bench scale experimental test work carried out at XPS – Industry Relevant Solutions located at the Glencore facilities in Sudbury, Ontario Canada.
ULTRA CLEAN Aluminothermic Process Route Performance
Using the fundamental modelling & test work results, Tech Magnesium applied its extensive metallurgical industrial processing expertise to develop a highly efficient, ultra-clean and low-cost patent pending aluminothermic process.
Mg's Lowest Carbon Footprint: when using renewable electricity & aluminum from the industry leading Alouette smelter, the ULTRA CLEAN Process Route carbon footprint ranges between 3.9 to 5.7 kg CO2 per kg Mg depending on the co-produced mineral. As such, the carbon footprint is on par with the world’s cleanest aluminum production plants and is significantly lower than other mainstream magnesium production processes including
- the 27.7 (21.8 after credits) kg CO2 per kg Mg average for Chinese Mg plants.
- the ~14 to 18 kg CO2 per kg Mg for existing electrolytic Mg plants.
Further reduction in the process’ carbon footprint is expected by employing technology to recover magnesium condenser waste heat to produce steam or electricity.
Highest Magnesium Recovery up to 98.3% represents a step change increase of more than 20% over the typical magnesium recovery for the current Chinese Pidgeon process.
Highest Aluminum Utilization Efficiency up to 99.9%: the ULTRA CLEAN Process has been designed to facilitate exceptionally high heat & mass transfer rates to enable full conversion of reactants including MgO, CaO & Al to 99.6% purity Mg metal and minerals in accordance with reaction thermodynamics.
Eliminates Solid Waste Disposal: unlike other Mg process routes, there are no solid waste products. Because the ULTRA CLEAN Process reaction goes to completion, it co-produces valuable minerals together with high purity magnesium metal both having a high commercial value.
Innovative Electrical Process Reactor Design: Tech Magnesium Co-Production Technology utilizes industrially proven electric furnace technology adapted specifically to enable the most efficient magnesium production. This proprietary Reactor provides the following benefits:
- replaces fossil fuels with clean renewable electricity, significantly reducing the process’ carbon footprint.
- provides an atmospherically tight design critical for efficient Mg metal recovery.
- facilitates exceptionally high mass & heat transfer rates which are the efficiency limiting constraints in all thermal Mg processes.
- facilitates atmospheric Mg production pressures reducing the need for a vacuum.
- facilitates condensation of Mg process gas to molten Mg metal using Tech Magnesium’s proprietary isothermal condenser. Molten magnesium condensation is an important enabler to increase Mg yield, reduce energy consumption, lower production costs and facilitate efficient molten metal transfer methods.
OPEX Cost Leadership: the ULTRA CLEAN Process Route produces magnesium metal at the lowest production cost in the western world. The process' production cost is also less than the average cost to produce aluminum after adjustment for magnesium & aluminum density differences.
Low CAPEX per ton: a Tech Magnesium Co-Production Technology plant equipped with the ULTRA CLEAN Process Route plant can be built in 5,000 MT modules in tune with market demand. Most importantly, its capital cost is less than US $3,500 per MT Mg which is ~ 4 to 6 times lower than the capital cost of a typical magnesium electrolytic plant thereby ensuring a very attractive ROI.
ULTRA CLEAN Aluminothermic Process Route Performance
ULTRA CLEAN Process Route Performance compared to
Chinese Pidgeon Process Performance
ULTRA CLEAN Mag Process Step Wise Evolution
ULTRA Clean Process Update & Next Steps
FactSage thermodynamic modelling by Prof. Pelton has confirmed that the ULTRA CLEAN Aluminothermic process chemistry is highly efficient with no detrimental side reactions.
Pelton's modelling substantiates that the Tech Mag Process can convert 100% of reactant MgO & Al to high purity Mg metal & Al2O3. Bench scale experiments at XPS confirmed that the aluminothermic reaction proceeds according to modelling predictions.
A proprietary, atmospherically tight batch reactor has been designed & fabricated at the XPS test facility. The reactor has been designed to utilize industrially proven electrical heating technology with the aim of maximizing heat & mass transfer rates to facilitate the highest energy & raw material utilization efficiencies.
The ULTRA CLEAN Process can be configured to use either a batch or a fully continuous reactor.
Tech Magnesium has completed a detailed work plan and planning budget for the next round of development work. It has also prepared a Case Study analysis to identify CAPEX & OPEX costs and the expected ROI for a 50,000 MT Mg Co-Production Technology facility.
Tech Magnesium is seeking strategic partner(s) to support the final pilot scale testing phase with the aim of producing molten Mg using Tech Magnesium's proprietary isothermal condenser.
