The Project
How we are making the production of two essential industrial minerals, quartz and feldspar safer and more sustainable.
A Research Project
for a Cleaner Mineral Processing Industry
SAF4IM (Optimisation of Acid Flotation for Quartz and Feldspar Separation) is a research and innovation project investigating a safer and more sustainable approach to separating quartz and feldspar, reducing the use of hydrofluoric acid and its impact on process water.
The project is a collaboration between Minerali Industriali, a long-established company in the mining industry, and the University of Turin, involving its Departments of Earth Sciences, Chemistry and Management. Together, the partners are taking the research from the laboratory to a pilot plant over a 19-month period.
19 months
Project Duration
Expected completion date: 31 December 2026
2
Partners
Minerali Industriali S.r.l. and the University of Turin
1
Pilot Plant
Mineral Treatment Center (MTC), R&D facility, Cacciano, Masserano (Biella)
1 Million
Project Budget
Total Budget: €1,025,450.63
Eligible grant:
€687,847.29
Project phases
Project Launch and Material Characterisation
Pre-treatment (grinding and magnetic separation) and chemical and mineralogical analysis of granite waste.
Experimental Testing and Green Chemistry
Laboratory flotation tests using alternative reagents (organic acids) to reduce or eliminate the use of hydrofluoric acid.
Environmental and Economic Impact
Assessment of environmental impacts throughout the life cycle using Life CycleAssessment (LCA), together with Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA).
Pilot Plant Testing and Industrial Validation
Validation of the results at industrial scale (pilot plant) and project completion by the agreement deadline.
Achieving more with less risk
The SAF4IM project applies green chemistry principles to recover valuable minerals from waste and reintroduce them into production cycles. From grinding at the processing plant to the manufacture of tiles, glass and high-precision electronics, this is how we aim to turn mineral resources into environmental and economic value.
Circular Economy
We recover mining waste and turn it into high-purity raw materials.
Safer and More Sustainable Processes
(HF-Free)
Investigating biodegradable, environmentally compatible organic reagents capable of eliminating the need for hazardous hydrofluoric acid.
Sustainability
and Resource Recovery
Sustainable production of high-quality materials intended for valuable industrial applications.
Valuable Products for Industry
Use of high-purity minerals in the production of ceramics, glass, solar panels and electronic components.
Why It Matters
and Who Benefits
SAF4IM’s innovation delivers tangible benefits throughout the production value chain, from environmental sustainability and the circular economy to industrial applications.
Less Hydrofluoric Acid, Greater Safety
for the environment and for people working at processing plants.
Lower environmental impact
through reduced use of aggressive chemicals and more sustainable treatment of process water.
High-Quality Materials
suitable for industries such as ceramics, glass, technical materials, photovoltaic panels and other industrial applications using quartz and feldspar.
Less waste
through more efficient recovery of materials from mineral deposits.
Greater transparency
through the development of digital tools to trace the origin and environmental impact of materials throughout the value chain.