A process and system for the extraction of metals and gases contained on planets and asteroids (mining and refining) and for space debris remediation may include geographically localizing a material to be extracted/remediated; performing a risk analysis on the material to determine whether the material presents a serious risk of instantaneous fracture or disaggregation; using the risk analysis to qualify or refuse the material; capturing and stabilizing the qualified material in an ablation cylinder on a plasma machine (PERT station); deploying multiple magnetic hydraulic cylinders around the qualified material; equalizing and stabilizing the PERT station and the qualified material; performing ablation and destruction of the qualified material; and transforming pure elements from the ablation cylinder.

Disclosed is a slag comprising, on a dry basis and expressed as the total of the metal present as elemental metal and the presence of the metal in an oxidized state, a) at least 7% wt and at most 49% wt of Fe, b) at most 1.3% wt of Cu, c) at least 24% wt and at most 44% wt of SiO.sub.2, and d) at least 2.0% wt and at most 20% wt of CaO, characterised in that the slag comprises, on the same basis, e) at least 0.10% wt and at most 1.00% wt of Zn, f) at least 0.10% wt and at most 2.5% wt of MgO, and g) at most 0.100% wt of Pb. Further disclosed are an improved object comprising the slag, a process for the production of the slag, and a number of uses of the slag, whereby the slag may comprise up to at most 1.50% wt of zinc and down to 1.0% wt of CaO.

This invention relates generally to novel methods and novel devices for the continuous manufacture of nanoparticles, microparticles and nanoparticle/liquid solution(s). The nanoparticles (and/or micron-sized particles) comprise a variety of possible compositions, sizes and shapes. The particles (e.g., nanoparticles) are caused to be present (e.g., created) in a liquid (e.g., water) by, for example, preferably utilizing at least one adjustable plasma (e.g., created by at least one AC and/or DC power source), which plasma communicates with at least a portion of a surface of the liquid. At least one subsequent and/or substantially simultaneous adjustable electrochemical processing technique is also preferred. Multiple adjustable plasmas and/or adjustable electrochemical processing techniques are preferred. The continuous process causes at least one liquid to flow into, through and out of at least one trough member, such liquid being processed, conditioned and/or effected in said trough member(s). Results include constituents formed in the liquid including micron-sized particles and/or nanoparticles (e.g., metallic-based nanoparticles) of novel size, shape, composition and properties present in a liquid.

Acquisition of critical minerals via refinement from aqueous sources. Technological and geopolitical advantages inure to conflict-free refinement of rare materials including critical minerals used in production of energy storage devices, among other applications. Additionally, the applied clean tech methods advance environmental goals such as those given in the Paris Agreement. Various site-specific system configurations and corresponding site-specific methods of operation bring to bear a panoply of economically viable approaches to critical mineral refinement. In some approaches, electrical power needed to drive refinement is provided by selected site-specific renewable energy sources. Real-world implementations involve co-locating a dissociating reactor with a geothermal energy plant near a salar. Refined critical minerals are produced on site. Deployment of the various site-specific configurations of systems and practice of corresponding site-specific methods reduces or eliminates negative environmental impacts such as those incurred by legacy mining-based techniques.

A method for plasma treatment of wet metal-containing wastes in which a plasma treatment unit comprises an electrically conductive hearth for holding a layer of slag and optionally a layer of metal produced by the plasma treatment. A graphite electrode is arranged above the hearth, so that, in use, a plasma arc is formed between the electrode and the hearth. One or more inlets for the particulate metal-containing waste are arranged adjacent to the electrode and sufficiently close to the electrode so that, in use, the particulate metal-containing waste fed into the plasma treatment unit falls close to the arc formed between the electrode and the hearth and is heated by the plasma arc before contacting the slag layer such that moisture present in the particulate metal-containing waste is completely volatilized in a head space of the furnace.

A system and method for melting a raw material. The raw material is fed into an electrically conductive vessel. A plasma arc torch melts at least some of the raw material within the vessel to thereby create a molten material. An inductor, physically disposed adjacent the vessel, and electrically disposed in series with the vessel in operation, effects electromagnetic stirring of the molten material by interacting with the current of the plasma arc torch.

This invention relates generally to novel methods and novel devices for the continuous manufacture of nanoparticles, microparticles and nanoparticle/liquid solution(s). The nanoparticles (and/or micron-sized particles) comprise a variety of possible compositions, sizes and shapes. The particles (e.g., nanoparticles) are caused to be present (e.g., created) in a liquid (e.g., water) by, for example, preferably utilizing at least one adjustable plasma (e.g., created by at least one AC and/or DC power source), which plasma communicates with at least a portion of a surface of the liquid. At least one subsequent and/or substantially simultaneous adjustable electrochemical processing technique is also preferred. Multiple adjustable plasmas and/or adjustable electrochemical processing techniques are preferred. The continuous process causes at least one liquid to flow into, through and out of at least one trough member, such liquid being processed, conditioned and/or effected in said trough member(s). Results include constituents formed in the liquid including micron-sized particles and/or nanoparticles (e.g., metallic-based nanoparticles) of novel size, shape, composition and properties present in a liquid.

Described herein are methods of making polysialate systems using earth materials treated by plasma or microwave to make the earth materials alkali reactive. A treated earth material is obtained, for example by treating an earth material using plasma, microwaves, or both. A metal is removed from the treated earth material, for example by mixing with an organic solvent or aqueous solution having pH less than about 9. The remaining earth material is alkali reactive and can be formed into a polysialate system by exposure to a high pH aqueous solution.

A method and system for carrying out non-thermal plasma direct reduction of ore ultrafines into resource material are described. In particular, the present invention is directed to a method for direct reduction of ultrafines using an integrated system including an ultrafines source and a non-thermal plasma source. The method includes delivering ultrafines to a reduction reaction zone; and applying, within the reduction reaction zone, a non-thermal plasma to the ultrafines.