DUN3ES-SIRRIS | Development and Upcycling of Natural and Non-Natural E-circular Sands

Unlocking the potential of mineral resources through circularity

Part of the broader DUN3ES project portfolio, DUN3ES-Sirris aims to optimise the use of both natural and non-natural mineral resources while supporting the shift towards a circular economy. The project focuses on converting by-products into alternative secondary materials for various industrial applications. It addresses a key challenge: the underutilisation of mineral materials, often sourced from quarries or industrial processes, that offer high potential for modern industrial uses.
 

Target group

The project is particularly relevant for:

• Companies in the plastics and polymer industry
• Manufacturers using additive manufacturing (3D printing)
• Players involved in mineral resource management and recovery
• Sectors including packaging, construction, and industrial equipment

Context

In Wallonia, a significant share of primary and secondary mineral resources remains underused, despite growing concerns about the depletion of local sand sources. Fine fractions from quarries and industrial processes are often treated as waste, even though they have valuable properties. The lack of suitable industrial solutions prevents their integration into high-value products such as thermoplastic polymers used in additive manufacturing. This leads to resource wastage and increased reliance on virgin raw materials

Objectives & results

The goal of DUN3ES-Sirris is to develop and demonstrate innovative polymer formulations that incorporate primary and secondary mineral fillers. The aim is to reduce the use of virgin plastics and enhance end product sustainability. The project is built around three core activities:

• T0: Overall project coordination, administrative management, and indicator tracking
• T7: Development of polymer formulations with recycled mineral fillers, focusing on formulation, compounding, and optimisation of mechanical and thermal properties
• T8: Creation of generic demonstrators (TRL 5) to validate material performance in real-world industrial applications such as 3D printing (FDM) and injection moulding

Key results:

Project outputs will include:

• Stable and high-performance formulations
• Validated prototypes and demonstrators for real applications
• Performance data benchmarked against commercial materials
• Practical guidelines for integrating recycled mineral materials into industrial production

Approach

The project follows a structured, three-phase approach:

1. Laboratory-scale formulation and optimisation
2. Comparative performance testing against commercial materials
3. Industrial transfer via TRL 5 demonstrators. Activities include compounding, injection moulding, and 3D printing, as well as standardised testing of mechanical, thermal, and dimensional properties

Funding

• Funding agency: European Union (€235,286.74), Walloon Region (€294,708.44), other public sources (€58,221.69)
• Project type: FEDER Wallonie 2021–2027
• Total budget: €588,216.87

External links

• The FEDER and the FTJ in Wallonie
• En mieux