Magtel and Tharsis Mining develop pilot plant to valorize phosphogypsum

The European FIC-Fighters project, involving partners such as Magtel and Tharsis Mining, has reached the midpoint of its 48-month development cycle. A major technological milestone is underway with the construction of a mobile pilot plant designed to demonstrate the industrial transformation of phosphogypsum into new raw materials.

Led by IDENER, the engineering phase for the plant is nearly complete, allowing Magtel to proceed with acquiring necessary equipment and materials. Once constructed, the pilot plant will be moved to Tharsis Mining facilities in Huelva to conduct operational demonstrations. The project has also finalized the documentation required for environmental authority evaluation.

The initiative aims to create economically sustainable models to recover value from historical phosphogypsum deposits. The goal is to convert this industrial waste into raw materials for various sectors, including paper, cement, batteries, fertilizers, and detergents. Targeted sustainable compounds include sodium sulfate, rare earths, phosphorus, aluminum hydroxide, ammonium sulfate, and precipitated calcium carbonate.