SiTration Harnesses the Power of Silicon Wafers to Extract Essential Minerals from Mining Byproducts

Entering the realm of critical minerals was never the initial plan for Brendan Smith. He believed his advanced filters would excel in desalination processes. However, after finding it challenging to outperform existing solutions, Smith alongside his mentor, Jeffrey Grossman from MIT, decided to steer their journey towards a completely different sector: the mining industry.

The extraction and production of critical minerals is a complex and demanding operation. Consider copper as an illustration: annually, the globe consumes approximately 25 million tons of copper, with demand predicted to surge by 24% in the next ten years due to an increase in the construction of buildings, the proliferation of electronic devices, and a boost in electric vehicle production. For every ton of copper ore extracted, it leaves an astounding 100 to 150 tons of waste in its wake.

The accumulation of waste is enormous, compelling some mining operations to confront the limitation of space for tailings ponds, which are designated to contain the hazardous byproducts and chemicals left after the valuable minerals have been extracted.

“The lack of space for additional ponds narrows down your choices significantly,” Smith shared with TechCrunch. Furthermore, the fact that these ponds are exposed to environmental conditions means that the already challenging issue of waste management becomes a perpetual problem.

For numerous mining companies, waste management is an expensive necessity. However, the approach offered by Smith and Grossman’s venture, SiTration, stands out by suggesting their devices be utilized to process the wastewater, consequently extracting additional minerals during the treatment.

“If it can be achieved at a low cost and efficiently, which is something we are capable of, then it presents an opportunity to offset some of the environmental clean-up costs, or even turn a profit from these operations,” Smith explained.

According to Smith, the secret ingredient is silicon. The design of SiTration’s filters employs a similar structure to the wafers used in crafting computer chips and solar panels, albeit with a more cost-effective grade of silicon. To convert these wagers into effective filters, an inventive chemical treatment process was employed to create micro-sized pores, resulting in a material that outperforms traditional membranes in durability and, depending on its application, can last upwards of three years, as per Smith’s findings.

In the operational setup, these filtered wafers are layered to allow fluid passage. For extensive mining sites, the silicon usage is comparable to that of a moderately sized solar farm, Smith indicated.

Leveraging silicon’s semiconductor properties, SiTration enhances its filtration capabilities by applying an electric charge, making it significantly effective at extracting a variety of minerals such as platinum, lithium, cobalt, and nickel.

While SiTration initially focuses on mining waste management, demonstrated by a partnership in a pilot project with Rio Tinto, it also targets its technology towards battery recycling and metal refining sectors. For metal refining processes, Smith boasts that their Filters not only negate the need for heat but also cut down chemical usage by up to 95%.

The core technology of SiTration remains consistent across the various industries it serves, according to Smith. “The same unit can be dispatched to a variety of our partners and clients,” he says.

To further its goals, SiTration has recently secured an $11.8 million seed investment, spearheaded by 2150 with support from entities like Azolla Ventures, BHP Ventures, E14 Fund, Extantia, and Orion Industrial Ventures.

As SiTration looks forward to expanding its filtration system deployments across different sectors, Smith envisions these initiatives as either a stepping stone towards large-scale demonstrations for major mining entities or an approach nearing commercial readiness for metal refiners specializing in platinum group metals.