The first zero waste EAF dust recycling plant in Russia
ZINCUM – circular economy project Zero waste from waste!
Green zinc
Russian manufactured equipment
Transition to a circular economy
Waelz kiln for EAF dust recycling
ZINCUM is one of USM's new projects in Urban Mining
Electric Arc Furnace
About us
Location: Zheleznogorsk, Kursk region
Capacity: processing over 100 ktpa of EAF dust and other zinc-containing wastes
Plant commissioning: 2H 2024
Technology: Waelz kiln process
Commercial products: waelz zinc oxide and iron-rich clinker
Emissions to soil and water: none
ZINCUM – responsible processing of metallurgical wastes into zinc oxides making the contribution into the Circular Economy
Circular economy
Circular economy (or closed-loop economy) is an economy model focused on regeneration of natural resources and is considered as an alternative to traditional linear economy (creation, use, disposal of wastes)
A federal project on a transition to a circular economy to be started in Russia
«The first priority is to organize involvement of useful components that can be extracted from production and consumption waste to economic circulation. The share of waste converted into recyclable materials and then recycled & reused should be maximized», – Viktoria Abramchenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
The key goal of the ZINCUM project is to involve generated wastes into the economy in the form of secondary zinc, while reducing the environmental burden on the regions where such wastes are generated
1. EAF dust processing with the waelz zinc oxide production
2. Use of waelz oxide in zinc production
3. Production of galvanized steel for the automotive industry
4. Light vehicle and trucks production
5. Scrappage of motor vehicles
6. Scrap smelting in EAF with dust exhaust
Our technology
The Waelz process is recognized as the Best Available Technology (BAT) in Europe and is widely used around the world.
A local technology comprising a number of know-how has been developed for the ZINCUM project. All equipment is manufactured in Russia.
ZINCUM project is based on the unique methods with the reduction of environmental impact, which is absolutely unprecedented for Russia.
The products of the ZINCUM will be used to produce secondary green zinc from industrial waste