The 2020 year 1st term scientific evaluation process of the projects proposed to the Academic Research Funding Program Directorate (ARDEB) within the scope of TÜBİTAK "1001-Scientific and Technological Research Projects Support Program" has been completed. The project proposal " Determination of Contents of Some Critical / Strategic Elements in Bauxite, Red Mud and Rare Earths in Red Soils in Seydisehir-Akseki Region and Investigation of Recovery Parameters of These Elements" led by Konya Technical University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Department of Geological Engineering Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Muazzez Çelik Karakaya was entitled to receive support.

 

In the project led by Muazzez Çelik Karakaya, faculty members of the same department Prof. Dr. Necati Karakaya and Assistant Dr. Alican Ozturk; Chemical Engineering Faculty Member Assoc. Dr. Serpil Çetin Edebali and Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey University Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Faculty Member Assoc. Dr. Aydın Ruşen are researchers and KTUN Engineering and Natural Sciences Faculty Mining Engineering Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Salih Aydogan is a consultant.

 

With the project, which will make a strategic and economic contribution to Turkey, it is aimed to determine, evaluate and enrich the reserve of the Rare Earth Elements (REE) and some other important (critical) element contents in the red waste mud, bauxite deposits and red soils of the Seydisehir Aluminium Plant. In case potential enrichments are determined from the data to be obtained, the objectives are carrying out laboratory-scale leaching studies with other disciplines on the recovery of elements, contributing to the economy by recovering the elements, especially REE, Ga, Sc, etc.,  from the red mud stored in the landfill for about 50 years through enrichment processes, determining of critical element content and researching/applying new methods (innovation) apart from the methods applied in the extraction/recovery of these elements.

 

Prof. Dr. Muazzez Çelik Karakaya said the following about the expectations envisaged from the project, “If the critical element content determination and recovery/enrichment experiments are successful, it will contribute to the recovery of the country's economy from foreign dependency, increase competition, and form the basis for the research of new methods, product development and implementation. In addition to aluminium production, the Seydisehir Aluminium Plant, which has been operating since the 1970s, will enable the recovery of REE and other critical elements as by-products. Millions of tons of waste sludge accumulated in waste ponds and inert red waste sludge will be pioneered in the implementation of pilot studies for the economy. The data to be obtained will contribute to the Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources and Industry and Technology in terms of planning and enriching these raw materials. The results to be obtained from the project site will lead to the exploration and enrichment of these elements in similar rocks/soils common in Turkey. The data to be obtained for the REE gain in the mining sector will encourage private sector investment.”

 

Konya Technical University KTUN