About us
SmartDry Liquefaction is a resource development group focused on sustainable extraction from alternative sources, metallurgy and critical material supply chains. Headquartered in Rio Maior, Portugal, our flagship project is located in São Domingos, Mértola, an area with a rich mining history that we aim to honor through responsible innovation.
We believe that the minerals required for decarbonization must be sourced responsibly. Our approach combines advanced geological science with environmental remediation. By focusing on tailings reprocessing, we reduce the environmental footprint typically associated with mining while unlocking significant economic value.
Our Mission:
To become a leading European provider of critical raw materials through low-carbon, circular, tailing mining practices and high-efficiency refining.
Our Commitment:
Environmental: Strict adherence to EU environmental directives and land rehabilitation.
Social: Partnering with the Mértola community for long-term regional development.
Governance: Transparent operations compliant with international safety and ethical standards.
How we do it
Technology Driven. Sustainability Led.
Section 1: Tailings Reprocessing (The Mine)
Unlike traditional mining, our primary source of material comes from historical tailings deposits in São Domingos.
Remediation: We safely rehandle and process legacy tailings, reducing environmental risk.
Extraction: Using our new proprietary liquefaction based technologies, for concentration, inverted chemical leaching and pre-inoculation with PLS + Raffinate seeding for bioleaching and modern solvent separation and electrodeposition technologies to recover Cu, Au, Ag, Zn, and Ni.
Efficiency: Minimizing water usage and energy consumption through closed-loop systems.
Section 2: Polymetallic Refining
Our on-site refinery transforms PLS into high-purity metals ready for industrial application.
Hydrometallurgy & Pyrometallurgy: Utilizing a hybrid approach to maximize recovery rates across different metals.
Low Emissions: Equipped with state-of-the-art filtration and gas treatment systems.
By-Product Synergy: Waste from one process is utilized as input for another, moving toward zero-waste operations.
Section 3: Environmental Safeguards
Real-time water quality monitoring.
Dust suppression and noise control protocols.
Progressive land and open pit rehabilitation plans.
The indicators are:
IBERIAN HUB CRITICAL MATERIALS AND POLYMETALLIC REFINERY – MERTOLA
The Mértola Project is more than a mine and refinery; it is an industrial hub designed to secure the supply chain for the Iberian Peninsula and the wider European Union. Located within the prolific Iberian Pyrite Belt, our site leverages existing infrastructure and geological endowment to produce the metals needed for electrification, renewable energy infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing.
Production Focus:
Copper (Cu): Essential for electrical grids and EVs.
Gold (Au) & Silver (Ag): Critical for electronics and financial reserves.
Zinc (Zn): Vital for galvanization and batteries.
Nickel (Ni): Key component for stainless steel and battery cathodes.
Strategic Importance:
In alignment with the European Critical Raw Materials Act, this hub reduces strategic dependency on non-EU suppliers. By integrating mining and refining in one central Iberian Pyrite Belt location, we lower logistics costs, reduce carbon emissions from transport, and ensure traceability from the ground to the final product.
Economic Impact:
Direct and indirect job creation in the Alentejo region.
Revitalization of local supply chains and services.
Tax revenue and infrastructure investment for Mértola.
Environmental Restoration
This is the soul of our company! Our reason for being! Through the mining process of tailings, low-grade ores, or industrial waste, we extract metals via hydrometallurgy. These chemical solutions are sent to our polymetallic refinery for further processing.
This generates profit, and part of that profit is used for environmental remediation.
A complete vertical operation to solve the environmental challenge and recovery.
Os Nossos Parceiros
Associations with the same goals that allow us to offer our customers the best possible solutions for their business.
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“O povo português é, essencialmente, cosmopolita. Nunca um verdadeiro português foi português: foi sempre tudo.” – Fernando Pessoa