MFE Magnesium for Europe is establishing a clean, green, and competitive primary magnesium metal production in Kupres, Bosnia-Herzegovina, with an initial production capacity of 15,000 MT magnesium p.a. starting in 2026.
MFE’s magnesium (Mg) project is motivated and facilitated by two important catalysts:
- Progress in Mg production technology; and
- An advantageous location where MFE has control over and access to a high quality dolomite deposit with up to 100 million MT proven and probable reserves of raw material, ownership of a suitable production site close to the deposit, good infrastructure, and access to an abundance of low-cost green electricity.
The two catalysts pave the way for a cleaner, greener, and more efficient European magnesium manufacturing.
The future of magnesium production
MFE will use the highly efficient and fully established Aluminothermic (Al-thermic) process (TRL = 8-9) for its future magnesium production. The Al-thermic process offers several advantages, including:
- Waste free production;
- Use of aluminium-scrap and green electricity resulting in a very small CO2 footprint of <1 MT of CO2 per MT of Mg and 12 MT of by-products (according to a recent LCA study produced by DLR and commissioned by MFE); and
- Highly efficient conversion of dolomite into four sellable products: Mg and Mg-alloys, PCC (precipitated calcium carbonate), Al-Mg-spinel (aluminium oxide), and dry ice.
The combination of the Al-thermic process and MFE’s location specific advantages will give MFE a diversified revenue base, better economics, and thus the ability to sustainably offer primary Mg, Mg-alloys, and the three by-products at competitive prices.
Given MFE’s future production location just 75km away from the EU border, MFE’s project has attracted significant attention as a potential supplier of the said products to European industry.
Once operational, the project is forecast to generate around 300 direct jobs and over 3,000 indirect jobs in various supply chains and downstream industries.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Mg and Mg-alloy production and sales
- By-product production and sales
- Industrial minerals and mining
