Announcement on the Release of the 2024 Project Guidelines for the Scientific Basics Major Research Plan of Critical Metal Metallurgy
Major research plan on the scientific basis of key metal metallurgy
2024 Project Guide
Key metals refer to rare, sparse, rare earth, rare and precious metals that are necessary for the development of strategic emerging industries such as new energy and electronic information, have high supply risks and require key guarantees. In order to promote the upgrading of the metallurgical industry and ensure the security of the supply chain of strategic emerging industries, the National Natural Science Foundation of China has established a major research plan on the scientific basis of key metal metallurgy.
1. Scientific objectives
Facing the country’s major strategic needs, focus on key metals used in new energy, electronic information and other fields, explore new mechanisms for enrichment, separation and purification of key metal elements, establish new methods for extraordinary enrichment, similar separation and ultra-pure preparation of key metal elements, and form A highly selective metallurgical technology system and scientific foundation will build a new research paradigm for key metal metallurgy, promote the upgrading of the metallurgical industry, and ensure the security of the key metal supply chain.
2. Core scientific issues
This major research plan focuses on the following three core scientific issues.
(1) Enrichment and extraction mechanism of key metal elements. A new system for the enrichment and extraction of key metal elements; a new mechanism for the enrichment and extraction of key metal elements in complex solution systems; a new process for the extraordinary enrichment of key metal elements in molten salt separation systems.
(2) Principle of efficient separation of key metal similar elements. The similarity of key metal elements, the “subject-guest” role and the new mechanism of targeted recognition; the new principle and process control of highly selective separation of key metal similar elements.
(3) Regulation of the ultrapure preparation process of key metals. The migration rules of impurity elements, multi-field coupling purification mechanism and process enhancement mechanism in the preparation process of key metals; the crystal phase evolution and new genetic blocking mechanism of ultra-pure key metal materials.
3. Funded research directions in 2024
(1) Cultivation projects.
Highlight original ideas such as new theories, new methods, and new technologies that go beyond the traditional research paradigm of metallurgy. Priority will be given to projects that are exploratory and have obvious interdisciplinary features.
1. New mechanism for enrichment and extraction of key metal elements.
The main contents include but are not limited to: (1) New principles and methods for selective extraction of key metal elements; (2) New mechanisms of physical, chemical, biological and other extraordinary enrichment of complex mixed dispersed phases; (3) Thermodynamics of metallurgical processes of key metals , dynamics and new methods of process intensification.
2. New method for separation of key metal-like elements.
The main contents include but are not limited to: (1) New principles and new methods for the separation of key metal similar elements; (2) New multi-scale separation methods for key metal similar elements in co-associated systems; (3) Dynamics of the separation process of key metal similar elements Learn new techniques for in situ characterization.
3. New technology for ultrapure preparation of key metals.
The main contents include but are not limited to: (1) Principles of impurity interphase migration and process intensification in the ultrapure preparation process of key metals; (2) New technology for multi-physics ultrapure preparation of key metals; (3) Trace amounts of ultrapure key metals New technology for impurity detection.
(2) Key support projects.
Highlight new theories, new methods, and new technologies in key metal metallurgy. Priority will be given to supporting projects with good research foundations and strong innovation, which are expected to achieve breakthroughs in the ultra-normal enrichment of lithium, nickel, etc., and the ultra-pure preparation of gallium, indium, germanium, etc.
1. New metallurgical method for extraction of low-quality key metal resources.
(1) For key metal metallurgical solution systems with low content and high impurities, innovate the selective enrichment mechanism to form a new metallurgical method for direct extraction of low-concentration key metals, and effectively improve the recovery rate of key metals, such as salt lake raw brine with a lithium concentration of less than 200 ppm. Lithium is extracted directly, and the lithium recovery rate reaches more than 80%.
(2) For clay-based low-grade mineral resources of key metals, innovate the selective extraction mechanism and form a new green in-situ extraction metallurgical method to effectively increase the leaching rate of key metals. For example, the leaching rate of in-situ lithium extraction from typical clay lithium ore reaches more than 70%; the leaching rate of in-situ nickel extraction from laterite nickel ore reaches more than 80%.
(3) For urban mineral resources such as used batteries and electronic products, innovate selective separation methods to form a new regeneration mechanism and a new green extraction method for key metals in urban mineral resources such as used batteries, with the main metal recovery rate reaching more than 95%.
2. New method for deep separation of key metal elements.
(1) For the deep separation of key metal-like elements in solution systems or molten salt systems, innovative methods and mechanisms such as specific identification of elements or molecules, electrochemical system design, and separation process enhancement will form a new method for deep separation of key metal-like elements. Methods, new technologies and new systems.
(2) For the highly selective separation of co-associated key metal elements, learn from the principles or methods related to element separation in the fields of physics, chemistry, life sciences and other fields, explore new ideas for the separation of co-associated key metal elements, and form a high-selectivity separation method for key metal elements. New methods, new technologies and new systems for selective separation.
(3) For the efficient separation of key metals in bulk metallurgy or coal combustion processes, innovate methods and mechanisms such as migration control of metal elements, form new methods, new technologies and new systems for the separation of key metal elements, and effectively improve the comprehensive recovery rate of key metals . For example, the comprehensive recovery rate of indium associated with copper, lead and zinc reaches more than 80%; the comprehensive recovery rate of gallium associated with aluminum reaches more than 60%; the comprehensive recovery rate of germanium associated with coal reaches more than 80%.
3. New method for ultrapure preparation of key metals (indium, gallium, germanium).
(1) For the ultrapure preparation of key metals such as indium, gallium, and germanium, innovate methods and mechanisms such as impurity distribution control and directional removal, and form new methods and technologies for ultrapure preparation of key metals. For high-purity materials of key metals used in electronic information, such as indium and gallium, the purity reaches above 8N, and the purity of germanium reaches above 13N.
(2) For the analysis and detection of trace impurities in high-purity key metals, explore the interaction mechanism between trace impurities and metals, establish new methods and standards for quantitative analysis of trace impurities, and achieve detection sensitivity of ppb level.
4. Basic principles for project selection
(1) Closely focus on core scientific issues, pay attention to requirements and application background constraints, and encourage original, basic and cross-cutting frontier exploration.
(2) Prioritize funding for research projects that can solve basic scientific problems in key metal metallurgy or go beyond the traditional research paradigm of metallurgy.
(3) Key support projects should have a good research foundation and early accumulation, and have direct contributions and support to the overall scientific goals.
5. Funding plan for 2024
It is planned to fund 20-25 cultivation projects. The average direct cost funding intensity shall not exceed 800,000 yuan per project. The funding period is 3 years. The research period in the application form should be filled in “January 1, 2025-December 31, 2027”. ; It is planned to fund 6-8 key support projects. The average direct cost funding intensity is about 3 million yuan per project. The funding period is 4 years. The research period in the application should be filled in “January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2028.” .
6. Application requirements and precautions
(1) Application conditions.
Applicants for this major research plan project should meet the following conditions:
1. Have experience in undertaking basic research projects;
2. Have senior professional and technical positions (professional titles).
Postdoctoral researchers at the station, those who are pursuing a graduate degree, and those who do not have an employer or whose unit is not a supporting unit are not allowed to apply as applicants.
(2) Regulations on limited applications.
Implement the relevant requirements of the limited application provisions in the “Application Regulations” of the “2024 National Natural Science Foundation of China Project Guide”.
(3) Things to note when applying.
Applicants and supporting institutions should carefully read and implement the relevant requirements in this project guide, the “2024 National Natural Science Foundation of China Project Guide” and the “Notice on 2024 National Natural Science Foundation of China Project Application and Finalization and Other Related Matters”.
1. This major research plan project implements paperless application. The application submission date is from May 27, 2024 to 16:00 on June 3, 2024.
(1) Applicants should fill in and submit the electronic application form and attached materials online in accordance with the instructions and writing outline requirements for major research plan projects in the Science Fund Network Information System.
(2) This major research plan aims to closely focus on core scientific issues, strategically guide and integrate the advantages of multi-disciplinary related research, and form a project cluster. Applicants should formulate their own project name, scientific objectives, research content, technical routes and corresponding research funds based on the specific scientific problems to be solved by this major research plan and the research direction to be funded announced in the project guide.
(3) Select “Major Research Plan” for the funding category in the application, select “Cultivation Project” or “Key Support Project” for the subcategory description, select “Scientific Basis of Critical Metal Metallurgy” for the note description, and select T01 for the acceptance code. According to the application Select no more than 5 application codes for specific research content. The number of cooperative research units for cultivation projects and key support projects shall not exceed 2.
(4) In the “Project Basis and Research Content” section of the application form, the applicant should clearly state that the application is consistent with the funded research direction in this project guide, and is necessary to solve the core scientific problems of this major research plan and achieve the scientific goals of this major research plan. contribute.
If the applicant has already undertaken other science and technology projects related to this major research plan, the differences and connections between the applied project and other related projects should be discussed in the “Research Basis and Working Conditions” section of the main body of the application.
2. Deadline: before 16:00 on June 3, 2024.
3. Other precautions.
(1) In order to achieve the overall scientific goals and multidisciplinary integration of major research plans, the project leader who receives funding should promise to abide by relevant data and information management and sharing regulations. During the project implementation process, attention should be paid to the relationship with other projects of this major research plan. mutually supportive relationship.
(2) In order to strengthen the academic exchanges of the project, promote the formation of project groups and multi-disciplinary intersection and integration, this major research plan will hold an annual academic exchange meeting for funded projects every year, and will organize academic seminars in related fields from time to time. meeting. The person in charge of the funded project is obliged to participate in the above-mentioned academic exchange activities organized by the guidance expert group and management working group of this major research plan.
(4) Consultation method.
Department of Interdisciplinary Sciences, Department of Interdisciplinary Sciences
Contact number: 010-62328382