Kola Peninsula in solving problems of national arctic materials science

• Published in: IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering Vol. 696; no. 1; pp. 12019 - 12023
• Main Authors: Nikolaev, A I, Krivovichev, S V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.11.2019
• Subjects: Apatite; Clusters; Coated electrodes; Concentrates (ores); Contaminants; Copper; Fire resistance; Fire resistant materials; Frost resistance; Heavy metals; Ice environments; Insulation; Materials science; Metals; Minerals; Nepheline; Nickel; Niobium; Nonferrous metals industry; Radioactive waste disposal; Radioactive wastes; Rare earth elements; Sealants; Seawater; Sorbents; Titanium; Titanium compounds; Arctic region; Kola Peninsula; Russia
• ISSN: 1757-8981; 1757-899X
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/696/1/012019

The Kola Peninsula is one of the most developed Arctic regions in Russia and in the world. Its share in the Russian production of apatite, nepheline, loparite and baddeleyite concentrates is 100%. The region produces up to 45% of nickel, and 13% of copper, and the majority of rare-earth metals, niobium, and titanium compounds from the regional minerals. The ores mined from the existing deposits can be used for production of up to 30 various concentrates. The materials produced from the regional minerals include metal nickel, cobalt, copper, titanium, niobium, rare-earth metals, steel; sealants, components of electrode coatings and welding fluxes, sorbents for disposal of radioactive waste and wastewater containing heavy non-ferrous metals and other contaminants, high-porous heat insulation and fire-resistant materials for arctic application, cement, concretes with improved resistance to frost and sea water. In satisfying demand for new materials, the first and foremost objective is to establish a pilot engineering base for adaptation of process flowsheets, and collection of data for design and construction of new operations. Successive implementation of this objective requires concentrated efforts of scientists and engineers focused on implementation of the Kola Chemical and Technological Cluster Project, which enables to improve significantly the economy of minerals use by means of products of their deep processing. At the first stage of the Cluster operation, a process of new titanium sorbents production will be established to solve environmental issues - treatment of non-ferrous metals industry wastewater from heavy metals, and processing of liquid radioactive waste accumulated in the Arctic zone of Russian Federation.