Newsroom
You are journalist looking for information about the institute, an expert to interview for a story, or researching a popular topic? Get in contact with our press office. We can help either by provoding you with the relevant material or bringing you in contact with the right expert.
Contact: Anne-Kristin Jentzsch (Press officer at HIF), Phone: +49 351 260 4429
Main facts about the institute are provided within the following HIF quick infos.
News and Press Releases of the HIF
Innovative graphite recycling awarded as top European innovation
Anna Vanderbruggen receives the EIT CHANGE Award for her revolutionary graphite extraction method which could decrease the environmental footprint of battery production
Each year, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) celebrates the entrepreneurial and societal achievements of its innovators. They are honored with the EIT Awards in four categories: CHANGE, Innovators, Venture and Women Leadership. Anna Vanderbruggen received the CHANGE Award for her innovative method on graphite recycling from used lithium-ion batteries. That´s also the topic of her PhD thesis she is working on at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), an institute of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR).
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Each year, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) celebrates the entrepreneurial and societal achievements of its innovators. They are honored with the EIT Awards in four categories: CHANGE, Innovators, Venture and Women Leadership. Anna Vanderbruggen received the CHANGE Award for her innovative method on graphite recycling from used lithium-ion batteries. That´s also the topic of her PhD thesis she is working on at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), an institute of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR).
European Raw Materials Network EIT RawMaterials receives funding for another seven years - HZDR and the HIF played a key role in setting it up
Since 2015, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has established a so-called Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) for the raw materials sector - the EIT RawMaterials. After seven years, the results have now been rotationally assessed and positively evaluated. The EIT RawMaterials has developed into an important player in the raw materials sector in Europe and now networks more than 300 European institutions from the resources sector. In addition to the establishment of six Innovation Hubs, the European Raw Materials Alliance ERMA was founded and six master's degree programs with EIT label degrees were developed. Over the next seven years, the KIC will focus on securing raw material supplies, closing material loops and developing material solutions that enable the transition to a carbon-neutral Europe.
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Review GeoAnalysis 2022 in Freiberg
The Geoanalysis 2022 conference took place in Freiberg from 6th to 12th August, organized by the Helmholtz-Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), TU Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF) and Eurofins Umwelt Ost GmbH Freiberg. Around 130 participants, speakers, poster presenters and exhibitors from from all continents were hosted by the beautiful facilities of the Schloßplatzquartier of the TUBAF. Inviting organization was the International Association of Geoanalysts (IAG).
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Fine particles back into the raw material cycle - FINEST project selected in the Helmholtz Association's sustainability challenge
Industrial processes are inevitably associated with the generation of fine-grained residues. These rarely find re-entry into the industrial value chain. Typically, they are disposed of and represent a potential environmental risk. In the FINEST project, coordinated by the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), various fine-grained material streams of anthropogenic origin are being recorded and investigated. The investigations aim to develop novel concepts for their processing in order to keep them in the cycle and to safely dispose of remaining residual materials. Within the framework of the Sustainability Challenge of the Helmholtz Association, the consortium consisting of the HZDR, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), the TU Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF) and the University of Greifswald was able to prevail against numerous competitors and will receive 5 million euros in funding.
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Improving mineral exploration efficiency in Europe
European project VECTOR with the focus on evidence-based and accessible knowledge that integrates scientific and social pathways to improve mineral exploration and mining
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For sustainable raw material exploration: Freiberg-based start-up TheiaX enters market with innovative mapping methods
With the increasing demand for high-tech metals by the industry, mining faces complex challenges. The sustainable supply of raw materials requires energy-efficient and socially acceptable methods with low environmental impact. At the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) belonging to the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), researchers have developed novel, digital mapping methods for sustainable raw material exploration and extraction over the past two years and brought them to market. The founding team of TheiaX is now offering these technologies to industry. The start-up is already the third spin-off of the Freiberg institute.
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When batteries become foam: HZDR PhD student with concept for improved battery recycling at Falling Walls competition
Efficiently recycling batteries and reintegrating the recovered materials into production is still an apparently unsolvable problem for industry. That's why researchers around the world are looking for new approaches. One of them is Anna Vanderbruggen. The PhD student at the Helmholtz Institute for Resource Technology Freiberg (HIF) - an institution of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) - developed a concept to recycle graphite from used lithium-ion batteries. On November 7th, she will present her approach in the final of the future competition Falling Walls in Berlin.
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Dr. Jens Gutzmer receives Silver Medal from the Society of Economic Geologists
The Society of Economic Geologists (SEG) recognizes the Director of the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at the HZDR, Dr. Jens Gutzmer, with the Silver Medal 2022. With over 7000 international members from industry and academia, the SEG is the world's largest association in the field of fundamental and applied mineral deposit research. The Silver Medal has been awarded since 1980 to recipients in mid-career for excellence in original work in the geology of mineral deposits. The award ceremony will take place next year at the SEG Conference in Denver, Colorado (USA).
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Freiberg researchers open joint laboratory for luminescence research
The Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) and the TU Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF) have been active in the field of luminescence research for many years. At TUBAF, this method is used to determine the age of sediment samples. The competences are now being further expanded in order to make spectroscopic measurements usable for the characterisation of resources and materials as well.
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Young Scientist´s Paper Award for Amelia Schmidt
PhD-candidate Amelia Schmidt has been awarded with the “Young Scientist’s Paper Award” at the European Metallurgical Conference 2021 (EMC). She is the first woman who got the award from the Society of Metallurgists and Miners (GDMB).
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PD Dr. Simone Raatz appointed as Administrative Director of the HIF
As of 1 October, PD Dr. Simone Raatz will take over as Administrative Director of the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR). With this appointment, she will devote more time to the further strategic orientation of the HIF and the gradual expansion of the research campus for resource technology and sustainability at the Freiberg site.
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HIF cooperates with plant manufacturer Struers
The HIF has signed a cooperation agreement with the manufacturer of equipment for materialographic analysis from which both partners will benefit.
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HIF test facilities now open to Amira Global in Australia
The international mining industry can now test technology at Germany’s largest research organisation following an agreement between the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) and Amira Global. The HIF, which is based at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Amira Global to join its CoLabs initiative, which is creating a network of test facilities across the globe.
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HIF Projects in the GreenBattery Cluster of the Research Factory Battery
Sustainable support for battery research, establishment of battery cell production in Germany, faster transfer of research results to application: These are the goals of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) concept "Battery Research Factory". The goals are being tackled in four new battery competence clusters, which the BMBF is funding with 100 million euros. The Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) is involved in the "Recycling & Green Battery" competence cluster with five projects.
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Recycle high-tech waste biologically: Innovative biotechnological process extracts gallium from industrial wastewater
Gallium is a rare metal, but it is widely used in the high-tech industry. This extreme contrast makes recycling indispensable. However, current recycling processes are costly and chemically polluted. Biotechnological approaches, therefore, rely on peptides, as they are able to bind metallic particles, minerals and metal ions in an environmentally friendly manner and to differentiate them in a targeted manner. Scientists at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf have now shown (DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125366), that peptide-based material can be used for the extraction of gallium from production wastewater caused by the semiconductor industry.
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Three-dimensional view of the world with artificial intelligence
Scientists from the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) are currently researching a technology that can be used to better process and analyze multimodal point clouds. The project is called Hyper 3D-AI – Artificial Intelligence for three-dimensional (3D) multimodal point cloud classification.
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Young Mining Professionals interviewing recomine
Young Mining Professionals (YMP) is a growing international association of mining professionals based in major mining centers across the world, that share the goal of advancing the global profile and leadership of the mining and exploration industry.
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Victor-Moritz-Goldschmidt Award of the German Mineralogical Society (DMG) for Dr. Mathias Burisch
Freiberg scientist receives award for special scientific achievements and fundamental contributions in the geology of mineral deposits
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Success for recomine network at BHP Tailings Challenge
Approach of processing steps for flotation tailings and process water reaches proof of concept stage within the challenge
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The press releases from the previous years can be found here.