In 2018, worldwide, 64,336 thousand tons of aluminum were produced. However, to extract one tonne of primary aluminum from the electrolysis tanks, it takes around five tonnes of bauxite and 17,000 kWh of electricity. During the different chemical steps, gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are emitted. Only, once in ingot, this malleable metal, 100% and infinitely recyclable without loss of its technical characteristics if the sorting operations allow it. This is exactly the goal of the company Nova Met which has just signed an agreement with Haropa Port and Le Havre Seine Development for its establishment on 20,000 m2 in the former premises of PUM/GDE in Rogerville (near Le Havre).
Nova Met was founded in 2021 by three metal recycling players.
A trader, an engineer and a former director of a refinery: "From these meetings emerged the observation that a link was missing in the chain of recycling, of the circular economy between the recovery of aluminum and the transformation waste into ingots that will be remelted to make parts for the automotive industry.
And the needs on French soil are significant and increasing,” explains Alexis Noyer, associate director in charge of communication and supply.
From scrap to ingots
Thus, from mid-February, with the aim of processing 2,500 tonnes per month by the end of the year, Nova Met will buy aluminum waste such as rims, window profiles, casings, etc. at scrap dealers or other collectors in France and Europe: “we are going to purify them. We will remove anything that is not aluminum such as other metals, plastics, glass, etc. For example, in automobile rims, there may remain inserts, valve ends or even balancing weights. It is necessary to remove the maximum of pollutants which could cause the refiners to lose performance. Then everything will be ground into fractions of 30 to 120 mm. Purified to 98%, nearly 80 containers per month will leave for European and international foundries.The waste will be fused at 850°C to become secondary aluminum ingots,” details the framework.
For the moment, major works are underway in the factory with the arrival within a few days of the temporary grinding line: “we have planned two development phases and reach our maximum production at the end of 2022. To do this, we are going to hire ten people immediately and five more later. We are in the midst of a recruiting campaign. Then, there will be two other phases with the arrival of new technologies to sort the different types of aluminum which will allow us to reach other sectors,” says Alexis Royer. For Nova Met, the argument is also to enter into the fight against global warming and protect the environment, "because a ton of secondary aluminum produced means 7.2 tons less CO2 in the atmosphere i.e. the pollution of 60,000 km by car. With,we can produce 300 racing bike frames”.
