792 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
CURRENT STATE AND OUTLOOK
This paper presents the state of PROMISE as of June 2024.
The first intake had started their courses in September
2022 and by now have concluded the first three modules.
They have also finished their master’s theses and are pre-
paring for their final exams and thesis defense. The first
intake will yield 20 master degrees. About half of them have
already secured a position after PROMISE—partly with an
AP where they did either internships or the thesis, partly by
being a graduate soon of several well-known universities.
The second intake has finished their first module and
is about to conclude the second. They will continue their
studies either in Croatia or in Chile. At the same time, the
composition of the third intake is already known. These
students’ currently work on their visa required to join
PROMISE physically in September 2024.
Thesis topics of the first intake
The first intake covers a wide range of topics:
• Secondary copper processing
• Investigation of carbon produced by pyrolysis:
Characterization and processing
• Iron ore processing: Press agglomeration of direct
reduced iron ore
• Refractory breakouts: Processing and sorting of fines
and leftovers
• Electrostatic separation and flotation: A mineral
processing comparison of fluorite and barite-bearing
samples
• Comparison of conventional and advanced plastic
separation technologies
• Water electrolyzer recycling: Development of fine
particle separation processes for HTEL (High
Temperature Electrolyzer) considering the effect of
modifying reagents
• Investigation of sulfide flotation with two types of
sulfhydryl collectors in the case of a copper porphyry
ore from Nevada
• Mineral characterization and reprocessing of ultra-
fine cassiterite and zinnwaldite from historical tail-
ings using innovative pneumatic Imhoflot cell
• Modelling of scheelite flotation based on pilot scale
testwork
• Computers Lithium batteries recycling: selective
graphite separation by selective flotation
• Flotation hydrodynamics and chemistry
• Concord cell
• Modelling and Simulation: Flotation Lab to pilot
• Flotation and hydrocyclone for purification of the
Vivianite slurry
• Influence of oxidation of iron sulfides (Py and Po)
in Cu flotation/ Study of the relationship between
complex particle geometry and critical time step in
DEM simulation
• Leaching
• Reverse flotation of phosphates
This list clearly illustrates the sustainability theme of
PROMISE. By the time of the corresponding IMPC, the
entire first intake is expected to have graduated and the
respective presentation at the congress will provide an
update on the state of the first PROMISE alumni.
Nationalities and Scholarships
A core feature of EMJMs is the multinational composition
of the cohorts and mobility during the courses. In order
to enable students worldwide to participate, the European
Union provides funding in terms of substantial scholarships
(currently €1400 per month and student) and co-funding
the institutional costs of the HEI partners. The origi-
nal funding of PROMISE covers 84 scholarships in four
intakes.
The international aspect of the program is clearly dem-
onstrated by the composition of the first two intakes com-
bined, see Figure 3. It is also worth noting that the second
intake has achieved gender equality.
Part of the PROMISE scholarships are dedicated to
students from IPA countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Kosovo, and Montenegro. IPA is short for the “Instrument
for Pre-accession Assistance” of the EU. None of these
scholarships has been awarded yet, so suitable applications
from these countries are explicitly welcome for the fourth
and final intake.
Issues in execution of the program
Internationality is definitely one of the key benefits of an
EMJM program. However, the actual composition of the
cohorts presents challenges on its own.
To start with, almost all of the students need to apply
for a student’s visa. While this is relatively straight forward
for most of them, this process may require several months
for certain countries of origin.
The PROMISE students are undergraduates from
a variety of different universities. Therefore, their actual
background knowledge differs, even if they covered basi-
cally the same subjects according to their prior curricula.
This means, that lecturers need to cope with these differ-
ences during courses on the fly, without prior notification.
CURRENT STATE AND OUTLOOK
This paper presents the state of PROMISE as of June 2024.
The first intake had started their courses in September
2022 and by now have concluded the first three modules.
They have also finished their master’s theses and are pre-
paring for their final exams and thesis defense. The first
intake will yield 20 master degrees. About half of them have
already secured a position after PROMISE—partly with an
AP where they did either internships or the thesis, partly by
being a graduate soon of several well-known universities.
The second intake has finished their first module and
is about to conclude the second. They will continue their
studies either in Croatia or in Chile. At the same time, the
composition of the third intake is already known. These
students’ currently work on their visa required to join
PROMISE physically in September 2024.
Thesis topics of the first intake
The first intake covers a wide range of topics:
• Secondary copper processing
• Investigation of carbon produced by pyrolysis:
Characterization and processing
• Iron ore processing: Press agglomeration of direct
reduced iron ore
• Refractory breakouts: Processing and sorting of fines
and leftovers
• Electrostatic separation and flotation: A mineral
processing comparison of fluorite and barite-bearing
samples
• Comparison of conventional and advanced plastic
separation technologies
• Water electrolyzer recycling: Development of fine
particle separation processes for HTEL (High
Temperature Electrolyzer) considering the effect of
modifying reagents
• Investigation of sulfide flotation with two types of
sulfhydryl collectors in the case of a copper porphyry
ore from Nevada
• Mineral characterization and reprocessing of ultra-
fine cassiterite and zinnwaldite from historical tail-
ings using innovative pneumatic Imhoflot cell
• Modelling of scheelite flotation based on pilot scale
testwork
• Computers Lithium batteries recycling: selective
graphite separation by selective flotation
• Flotation hydrodynamics and chemistry
• Concord cell
• Modelling and Simulation: Flotation Lab to pilot
• Flotation and hydrocyclone for purification of the
Vivianite slurry
• Influence of oxidation of iron sulfides (Py and Po)
in Cu flotation/ Study of the relationship between
complex particle geometry and critical time step in
DEM simulation
• Leaching
• Reverse flotation of phosphates
This list clearly illustrates the sustainability theme of
PROMISE. By the time of the corresponding IMPC, the
entire first intake is expected to have graduated and the
respective presentation at the congress will provide an
update on the state of the first PROMISE alumni.
Nationalities and Scholarships
A core feature of EMJMs is the multinational composition
of the cohorts and mobility during the courses. In order
to enable students worldwide to participate, the European
Union provides funding in terms of substantial scholarships
(currently €1400 per month and student) and co-funding
the institutional costs of the HEI partners. The origi-
nal funding of PROMISE covers 84 scholarships in four
intakes.
The international aspect of the program is clearly dem-
onstrated by the composition of the first two intakes com-
bined, see Figure 3. It is also worth noting that the second
intake has achieved gender equality.
Part of the PROMISE scholarships are dedicated to
students from IPA countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Kosovo, and Montenegro. IPA is short for the “Instrument
for Pre-accession Assistance” of the EU. None of these
scholarships has been awarded yet, so suitable applications
from these countries are explicitly welcome for the fourth
and final intake.
Issues in execution of the program
Internationality is definitely one of the key benefits of an
EMJM program. However, the actual composition of the
cohorts presents challenges on its own.
To start with, almost all of the students need to apply
for a student’s visa. While this is relatively straight forward
for most of them, this process may require several months
for certain countries of origin.
The PROMISE students are undergraduates from
a variety of different universities. Therefore, their actual
background knowledge differs, even if they covered basi-
cally the same subjects according to their prior curricula.
This means, that lecturers need to cope with these differ-
ences during courses on the fly, without prior notification.