A national award recognizing research that contributes to more sustainable metallurgy
Vincent Dickson, a doctoral student at the RAPSODEE Center UMR CNRS 5302 at IMT Mines Albi, has won the 2026 Thesis Award from the French Society of Process Engineering (SFGP). This award recognizes the excellence of his research focused on improving extraction processes for nickel and cobalt, metals that are strategic for the energy transition.
Research at the intersection of scientific excellence and industrial challenges
Selected from among six finalists, Vincent Dickson won over the jury during the finals held on June 30, 2026, by the SFGP’s Young Talents working group.
His thesis research focuses on optimizing the HPAL (High-Pressure Acid Leaching) hydrometallurgical process, which is used to extract nickel and cobalt. The goal is to simultaneously improve extraction efficiency and the purity of the metals produced, while minimizing scale formation in the reactors, in order to meet the requirements of continuous industrial operation.
This research contributes to the development of more efficient and sustainable processes for producing metals that are essential for batteries and energy transition technologies.
A thesis conducted as part of a partnership between research and industry
Conducted as part of a CIFRE thesis, this research is the result of a collaboration between IMT Mines Albi, the RAPSODEE research center UMR CNRS 5302, and Prony Resources New Caledonia.
Vincent Dickson conducted his research under the supervision of Fabienne Espitalier, Christophe Coquelet, and Thomas Deleau, with the support of all the research teams and his industrial partner. This award recognizes the scientific quality of this work, its potential impact on industry, and the commitment of the research teams at IMT Mines Albi to developing innovative processes that support the industrial transition.
Congratulations to Vincent Dickson on this wonderful national recognition.
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