The HIF at the long night of science and business
- When: June 12, 2026 from 6 - 10 p.m.
- Where: Business avenue (parking space behind the library at the Winklerstraße)
- Program Website
The Cycle from Raw Materials to Recycling
The Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) showcases various areas of its research—from the discovery and exploration of deposits, through the processing of raw materials using flotation or metallurgical processes, to recycling. Discover, be amazed, and join in!
At our five different stations, you’ll learn:
- What plants reveal about the subsurface:
The growing demand for raw materials makes mining unavoidable. When exploring deposits, there is an increasing focus on more environmentally friendly methods. In the European project DeepBEAT, scientists at the HIF are pursuing an approach to locate deep-seated ore deposits using geochemical analyses without penetrating the earth. - How rocks turn into coins:
Yes, coins are made of raw materials too. But what exactly are they made of, and what journey have these raw materials taken? The answers will amaze you. - What raw materials are needed for an electric car and how they are recycled:
The hype surrounding electric cars is huge, but what raw materials are needed for production, and what happens to the components when the car reaches the end of its life? We’ll explain it to you with a puzzle. - How to extract the metals for an electric car through wet and hot processes:
The growing demand for valuable and critical metals for the production of electric cars requires processes for extracting and recycling these metals. Modern extractive and metallurgical processes can help separate and purify the metals from complex primary and secondary resources. In small-scale experiments, we demonstrate leaching and precipitation processes in the reactor, as well as electrolysis for the (re)extraction of metals such as copper and lithium. Products from a wide variety of hydrometallurgical processes, as well as samples produced by pyrometallurgical methods, can be admired. We will also present the operating principle of our plasma furnace. - Who is the Cinderella of resource technology:
A proven method for extracting minerals from finely ground ore is flotation. It uses the surface properties of particles to separate different minerals from one another. Reagents tailored to the specific material ensure that the “good ones end up in the pot”—almost like in Cinderella. This way, even used raw materials can be reprocessed and returned to the economic cycle. We’ll demonstrate exactly how this works at our pilot plant.
Come on by - we look forward to seeing you!
