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| Betolar |
Turning Waste Streams into Dual-Value Resources
Finnish material technology firm Betolar has unveiled a pioneering process that simultaneously extracts valuable metals and produces low-emission, cement-free binder materials—commonly known as green cement—from industrial waste. The innovation addresses two critical industrial challenges: the recovery of strategic metals and the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, according to CEO Tuija Kalpala.
The process utilises industrial side streams such as mining tailings and metal industry slag, enabling a circular system. After extracting metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, the leftover material is transformed into Geoprime, Betolar’s proprietary low-carbon binder designed to replace traditional cement.
“This is the result of long-term research and development. Our goal from the beginning was to develop our own low-carbon binder – and now we’ve achieved that,” says Kalpala. Betolar has filed seven new patent applications to secure international protection for the innovation.
Circular Innovation with Broad Industrial Application
The mining industry generates tens of billions of tonnes of tailings annually, while the global steel sector produces 400–500 million tonnes of slag—both often underutilised and environmentally hazardous. Betolar’s process brings new value to these materials, turning them into critical raw material sources and sustainable construction inputs.
Unlike traditional methods, the Betolar process separates metals efficiently, then repurposes the residual slag to create Geoprime. Kalpala notes that slag alone could meet 10% of the world’s binder demand, potentially cutting global CO₂ emissions by 1%. Mining tailings offer even greater potential, contributing to EU raw material self-sufficiency and reducing reliance on virgin resources.
The solution also offers economic upside. With 1,000 steel plants worldwide, the licensable metal extraction method represents significant commercial value, especially since it bypasses the need for new, high-impact mining operations.
Commercial Momentum and Climate Advantage
Betolar’s process is already gaining commercial traction. Consolis Parma, a Finnish precast concrete producer, is preparing for production of low-carbon hollow-core slabs using Betolar’s technology. Construction firm YIT is set to evaluate the slabs in practical applications. Betolar’s flagship product, Geoprime, has also been used by JA-KO Betoni to create lower-emission concrete components.
Beyond emissions reduction, the method strengthens resource resilience and enables scalable, industrial circular economy solutions. “Many companies in the cement sector are focused on reducing emissions through carbon capture,” Kalpala says. “But our solution goes further. It prevents emissions in the first place and reduces the need for raw material extraction.”
By using artificial intelligence and advanced digital tools to optimise material input and performance, Betolar is positioning itself at the intersection of climate action, resource recovery, and construction innovation. Kalpala concludes, “This is more than a technical breakthrough. It’s a step toward scalable industrial solutions that reduce environmental impact and promote material self-reliance.”
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