TOMSK, Jan 31 – RIA Tomsk. Scientists of the Siberian Institute of Physics and Technology of Tomsk State University (SIPT TSU) will be engaged in creation of high-selective materials for processing of ores of rare and rare-earth metals in any environment – for example, in the remote areas of Siberia and polar regions, the press service of the university reports on Tuesday.
As it is reported with reference to the director of the SIPT TSU Innovative and technological center Victor Sachkov, now Russia "due to various reasons strongly lagged behind many industrially developed states on production and use of rare metals".
"Our country takes the second place on their explored reserves. The task is set for us – within a state task we have to develop high-selective materials and technologies of their application which will allow to process mineral raw materials in any environment, including extreme ones", – his word are provided in the message.
The press service specifies that scientists will be engaged in creation of materials for hydrometallurgical processing within three years. Development will help to process mineral raw materials in remote regions of Siberia and the polar region and in the future to exploit a seabed and shelf when stocks on continents are exhausted. SIPT cooperates in this direction with the RAS Federal Research Center for the complex study of the Arctic in Arkhangelsk."High-selective materials have one more scope - it is recultivation of contaminated land and water objects. This problem is typical for Russia and other countries, where there were environmental disasters similar to Chernobyl, Fukushima, Semipalatinsk. Huge territories which can be returned to an agricultural turn by means of the materials deactivating highly toxic elements are empty", – adds Sachkov.
It is noted that SIPT scientists have an experience in creation of similar technologies. So, in 2016 residents of Tomsk together with specialists of Lermontov Hydrometallurgical plant by request of Minpromtorg of the Russian Federation have developed the technology of purification of rare-earth metals from radioactive waste. In the fall of the same year it was introduced at the plant.