Metals And Mining Review: Specials Magazine

Environmental sustainability has shifted from an aspiration to an essential mandate. Setting the benchmark is AMG Vanadium, a global leader in the environmentally beneficial recycling of spent oil refinery catalysts and other vanadium-bearing wastes. By transforming hazardous materials into value-added products, it demonstrates that environmental responsibility is a powerful business opportunity, not a constraint. AMG Vanadium is a wholly owned subsidiary of AMG Critical Materials N.V. (AMS: AMG). AMG's mission is to provide critical materials and related process technologies to advance a less carbon-intensive world. AMG Vanadium has spent over two decades perfecting the art of recycling. This continuous effort—centered on transforming spent catalysts into valuable metals—has created a distinctive approach where sustainability and innovation align harmoniously. At the core of AMG Vanadium’s success is its proprietary V-CYCLE™ roasting and pyrometallurgical process, a state-of-the-art method that shatters traditional environmental compliance benchmarks. This process enables the company to achieve a remarkable 99 percent conversion of hazardous waste into saleable finished goods while eliminating process wastewater, reclaiming valuable metals and reducing CO2 emissions by 80 percent. These achievements have positioned AMG Vanadium as the industry’s benchmark, being the most environmentally compliant operation. “With no process wastewater and low CO2 emissions, we uphold our promise to protect the environment while delivering value to our refinery partners,” says Jane Neal, Senior Vice President of AMG Vanadium. AMG Vanadium recently doubled its operating capacity to lead the industry in scale and operational efficiency. This expansion exemplifies its mission to drive the circular green economy while delivering measurable environmental benefits. “When considering the scale of waste diverted from landfills, the impact becomes clear—AMG is driving meaningful change on a global scale,” says Tom Centa, President of AMG Vanadium, emphasizing the transformative impact of the company’s operations. ...Read more

The demand for aluminum-scandium alloys has grown steadily due to their well-known benefits, including enhanced strength, improved corrosion resistance and lightweight properties. However, the adoption of aluminum-scandium alloys has been slow, particularly in the West, due to a lack of supply of reliable, domestically sourced aluminum-scandium master alloys. This is where FEA Materials stands out. “We have developed an innovative, efficient process that enables the production of high-quality, low-impurity, cost-effective aluminum-scandium master alloys, providing a reliable domestic source that addresses the critical need for Western sourcing,” says Eugene Prahin, CEO. The company is enabling industries to adopt aluminum-scandium alloys on a much larger scale, expanding their use beyond niche and high-end applications to more widespread, cost-sensitive sectors. Two major benefits FEA Materials offers to the industry are cost efficiency and Western sourcing. Traditional aluminum-scandium alloys have been prohibitively expensive, limiting their application to specialized areas. Its advanced production process significantly reduces costs, making aluminum-scandium alloys more accessible for aerospace, automotive, and defense industries. The company provides a much-needed domestic sourcing solution. For industries with concerns about sourcing from non-Western countries, its production within the U.S. offers a secure, reliable alternative, reducing the logistical complexities and geopolitical risks associated with importing materials. Scalable and Flexible Production Process One of the standout features of FEA Materials’ process is its higher concentration of scandium in the master alloy. While the industry standard is a two percent scandium concentration, it produces alloys with up to four percent, making it easier for manufacturers to achieve the desired alloy composition without excess binders. The higher concentration of scandium ensures cleaner alloys, as the company specializes in isolating scandium without introducing contamination from other rare-earth elements, a common issue in traditional production methods. FEA Materials uses a modular production system which offers several advantages over traditional large-scale manufacturing methods. FEA Materials production technology offers a better conversion process, resulting in higher efficiency and reduced energy consumption. The approach allows FEA Materials to scale production more easily, fulfilling both small and large orders without the need for minimum order requirements. The flexibility is particularly useful for R&D projects, demonstration phases, or industries with fluctuating demand....Read more