Scientists Plan To Turn Nuclear Waste Into Rare Earth Gold And Strategic Assets

A groundbreaking European initiative is set to challenge traditional nuclear waste management practices. The MaLaR project, short for “Novel 2D-3D Materials for Lanthanide Recovery from Nuclear Waste,” is redefining how radioactive materials are viewed and managed.

Backed by a 2.3 million euro grant from the European Union, this three-year effort unites scientists from Germany, France, Sweden, and Romania to turn nuclear waste into valuable resources, with a focus on lanthanides—essential components in modern technology.

Professor Kristina Kvashnina, the visionary leading this initiative at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), aims to upend the notion of nuclear waste as a dead-end by reclaiming valuable lanthanides from it. Lanthanides, a series of rare Earth elements found in positions 58 to 71 of the periodic table, are critical for technologies like electric vehicle batteries, MRI contrast agents, and smartphone screens.

“Our goal is to engineer a breakthrough material that initially isolates individual elements from synthetic mixtures. While we are starting with small steps, the vision is set on vast applications soon,” says Prof. Kvashnina. The project’s ambitions align with EU objectives of sustainability and resource independence, addressing strategic vulnerabilities tied to global reliance on lanthanide sources like China.

Lanthanides are indispensable to various technologies yet remain scarce. By developing innovative separation methods, the MaLaR project aims to reduce Europe’s reliance on external suppliers, creating a sustainable and secure supply chain.

“By recycling lanthanides from nuclear waste, we aim not only to secure a sustainable source of these precious materials but also to reduce dependency on external suppliers,” emphasizes Kvashnina. The initiative also addresses pressing environmental concerns by providing a sustainable alternative to the permanent storage of radioactive waste.

The MaLaR project integrates cutting-edge experimental and theoretical approaches to develop advanced 2D-3D materials capable of isolating lanthanides from complex radioactive mixtures. Kvashnina’s team will conduct crucial experiments at the Rossendorf Beamline (ROBL) at the European Synchrotron (ESRF) in Grenoble, using powerful X-rays to analyze chemical properties.

Collaboration across disciplines enhances the project’s innovative capacity, combining expertise in material development, radioactive element physics, and in-situ analysis. This multidisciplinary approach positions the project to deliver practical, market-ready solutions that could revolutionize nuclear waste management globally.

“The next few years are set to be a thrilling journey of discovery and innovation,” Kvashnina notes.

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