MiReBooks Available

After much fine-tuning, the first edition of MiReBooks in printed form has been printed and is now available. These books will take mining education to a higher level by incorporating VR and AR elements into teaching!

Research Center on Hydrogen and Carbon Officially Opened

The new research center for hydrogen and carbon in Leoben ceremoniously opened its doors on October 17, 2024.
Rector Peter Moser and Vice-Rector Helmut Antrekowitsch emphasized the key role of the new research center for the future development of energy technologies and the importance of cooperation between science and industry. Advanced process technologies are being developed here that will make it possible to provide large quantities of hydrogen for industry. At the same time, the entire value-added cycle of hydrogen and carbon – from production, transportation and storage through to application – is being researched.
Another focus is on researching the sustainable use of carbon in the areas of agriculture, construction and high-tech applications, such as hydrogen storage.

Anna Meyer, BA BA MA

Anna is a Research and Project Manager at the RIC Leoben. Her field of activity includes networking, project applications and developments within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. Anna Meyer represents the Montanuniversität Leoben and the RIC Leoben in the Alliance of Sustainable Universities in Austria and the climate change Center Austria. Her task there is to transform Austrian universities to more sustainability, together with other alliance universities. She transfers the exchange of experience and the results of this activity to Montanuniversität Leoben. In addition, she supports the cooperation with the EIT RM partners in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe.
Anna Meyer is currently working on her PhD with the working title: “Writing for future generations – A corpus and critical discourse analysis of sustainability and its communication in the raw material sector”.

PROMISE – Master program for Sustainable Mineral Processing

PROMISE is an international 24 months Joint Master’s program in Sustainable Mineral and Metal Processing Engineering, aiming at advancing the mineral processing sector into a sustainable future. Up to 84 Erasmus Mundus scholarships can be awarded, divided between four intakes.

Applications for the third intake are possible until 31st December 2023.

This program is ideally suited for Bachelors of mineral processing, mining, metallurgical and chemical engineering and other closely related studies.
The program offers full scholarship of EUR 1400 per month, additionally it covers all tuition fees at the four partner universities: University of Oulu (Finland), Montanuniversität Leoben (Austria), University of Zagreb (Croatia) and Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María (Chile).

More information on https://www.master-promise.eu/
Apply here: https://www.master-promise.eu/how-to-apply/

Applications of Pure Carbon – JTF Project

The project aims to produce hydrogen and synthesis gas as sustainable energy sources on the one hand, and high-quality carbon on the other, based on the pyrolysis of biomass and subsequent conversion of the pyrolysis gas in a metal bath reactor.
The carbon captured from the atmosphere by plants during photosynthesis is permanently captured as elemental solid carbon through the combined pyrolysis and thus no longer returns to the atmosphere.

Project content:

• Concepts for combining the production of high-quality biochar from agricultural residues and pyrolysis of the resulting gas in a liquid metal reactor to produce hydrogen or synthesis gas
• Construction of a pilot plant
• Use of solid carbon as a valuable product and thus permanent removal of CO2 from the atmosphere
• Innovative, value-adding approach as a contribution to BECCS technology (Bio Energy Carbon Capture and Storage) as a ‘negative emission technology’

Applications of high-purity carbon include:

• Carbon as biochar in agriculture (humus formation, fertiliser storage and increased water retention capacity in soils)
• Carbon in composting plants (reduction of climate-damaging emissions);
• Carbon for the production of electrodes for a variety of technical applications (e.g. batteries or metal extraction);
• Application as a construction material.

Partners for future work limited to basic research with the help of the requested funds are: voestalpine AG, Ministry of Agriculture, Schunk Carbon Technology, Marienhütte Stahl- und Walzwerks GmbH, Montanwerke Brixlegg, Industriepark Arnoldstein, RHI Magnesita, Primetals Austria AG, OMV, CEMTEC GmbH, etc.

Impact:
For the Upper Styria region, a positive impact is expected for the hydrogen-using industry, as well as an incentive for companies involved in the use of high-purity carbon in high-tech applications and agriculture to settle in the area. In addition, an innovative research and development facility will also greatly enhance the location of the Montanuniversität Leoben in Upper Styria and create extensive new opportunities in the field of hydrogen and carbon research.

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