Advancing Low-Carbon High-Grade Silicon Production from Iron Ore Waste (Phase 1)

The Challenge

The current process for extracting Silicon from minerals uses the carbonate process predominately in China, which is highly energy intensive and can only use the highest purity of feed materials.

The process is a heavy emitter of green house gases and despite the need for high grade silica and ample silica sources in Western Australia, this mature process is not suitable for the use of our limited renewable energy resource.

Proposed Solution

Project advancing research to validate zero-carbon electroreduction for extracting 99.9999% pure silicon from Pilbara iron ore waste using a manageable amount of renewable energy at less than 20% of the current process. Phase 1 optimises sodium silicate electrolysis with a100kg/day pilot system. Research data generated will underpin Phase 2, a 1 TPD demonstration plant, then a 5 Mtpa commercial silicon refining facility in WA.

Proposed Benefits to WA

The proprietary technology demonstrated at Element Zero utilising molten salts to extract and reduce metallic elements will be validating low-carbon electroreduction processes for refining both Metallurgical grade Silicon (98-99%) and Solar grade Silicon (99.9999%) from mining tailings by designing, constructing, and operating a 100 kg/day prototype pilot in Malaga WA.

A unique scaled-up workflow with critical data production optimisation in terms of yield and purity under industrial conditions will lead to the economic feasibility demonstration, and techno-economic modelling supporting future investment in a large scale pilot. Other silica bearing materials will be compared to the tailings to tests for the economic path best Suited for WA.