vanadium chemical element

Vanadium a chemical element with the symbol V and atomic number 23 It
is a steel-gray, bluish shimmering, very soft in its pure state
transition metal. The metal in the periodic table, together with the
heavier niobium, tantalum, and the fifth dubnium Group or vanadium
group. The majority of vanadium is used as ferrovanadium called in
steel production. The addition of vanadium in chromium-vanadium steels
leads to an increase in toughness and thus to an increased resistance
of the steel.
The element has different biological meanings, and is essential for
many organisms. It plays a role in controlling the phosphorylation of
enzymes and is used by bacteria for nitrogen fixation.
The most popular combination of vanadium, vanadium (V) oxide, which is
used as a catalyst for the production of sulfuric acid.

Vanadium is a common element on earth, its share of the continental
crust is about 120 ppm. Have a similar frequency element zirconium,
and chromium chloride. The element is not dignified, but only bound in
different minerals before. Despite the frequency of the vanadium
deposits with high concentrations of the element are rare, many
vanadium minerals are not common. Compared to the Earth's crust, the
content in seawater is much lower, it lies at about 1.3 mg / l. [13]
Among the most important vanadium minerals are especially vanadates as
Vanadinite [Pb5 (VO4) 3Cl], descloizite Pb (Zn, Cu) [OH | VO4] and
carnotite [K2 (UO2) 2 (VO4) 2.3 H2O], and the vanadium sulfide
Patronit VS4. The majority of vanadium is found in trace amounts in
other minerals, especially iron ores such as magnetite. The vanadium
content of titanium-magnetite ores is usually between 0.3 and 0.8%
[14], but may reach in some South African ores up to 1.7% [12].
Animals and plants contain vanadium, man contains about 0.3 mg / kg of
the element. This is mostly found in cell nuclei or mitochondria. Some
living things, especially some Seescheidenarten and the fly agaric,
are able to accumulate vanadium. In ascidians, the vanadium content is
up to 107 times as large as in the surrounding sea water. [15] Based
on the vanadium content of organisms also are coal and petroleum,
which arise from these, vanadium. The content is up to 0.1%. [14]
Particularly high levels of vanadium are found in crude oil from
Venezuela and Canada. [16]

Vanadium ores to promote
In 2006, a total of 55 700 tonnes of Vanadium ores were promoted
(calculated as vanadium metal). The main producing countries are South
Africa, China and Russia. Vanadium is not a scarce resource, there are
a total of 63 million tonnes of known reserves. [17]

The presentation of vanadium takes place in several steps. First you
have from different source materials vanadium (V) oxide produced. This
can then be reduced to elemental metal and clean if necessary.
Possible starting materials from which vanadium can be recovered are
Vanadium ores such as carnotite or Patronit, vanadium-containing
titanium-magnetite ores and petroleum. Vanadium ores were important in
earlier times for the production, but they play no important role more
and have been replaced primarily by the titanium-magnetite ores.
Vanadium ores are reduced to iron in the blast furnace process, the
vanadium remains in the first pig iron. To continue to process the pig
iron into steel, is injected during refining oxygen. It goes over the
vanadium in the slag. This contains up to 25% vanadium (V) oxide and
is the main source for the extraction of the metal. To the pure
vanadium (V) oxide to win, the finely ground slag with sodium salts
such as sodium chloride or sodium carbonate is roasted oxidizing. This
forms water-soluble sodium metavanadate, which is separated from the
rest of the slag by leaching. The addition of acid and ammonium salts,
the resulting insoluble Ammoniumpolyvanadat falls out of solution.
This may be due to roasting of vanadium (V) oxide can be converted.
From other vanadium-bearing ores in an identical way, the oxide can be
obtained. From petroleum, the vanadium by forming an emulsion with the
addition of water and magnesium nitrate are extracted. The further
work is done as in the extraction of iron ore. [12]
The actual extraction of vanadium by reduction of vanadium (V) oxide
with other metals. As a reducing agent, aluminum, calcium, ferro
silicon and carbon are used, with the latter form, however, the
reaction carbides, which can be separated from the heavy metal.

Reduction with calcium
In order to obtain pure vanadium, expensive calcium or aluminum is
used as a reducing agent, as can be reached with the cheaper high
purity ferrosilicon no. While calcium is extracted directly with pure
vanadium, aluminum forms first a vanadium-aluminum alloy, is obtained
from the vacuum by sublimation in pure vanadium.
A large part of vanadium will not be used as a pure metal, but in the
form of iron-vanadium alloy, ferro vanadium, which contains at least
50% vanadium [12]. To produce them, it is not necessary to win before
the pure vanadium. Instead, the vanadium and iron-rich slag with lime
and ferro-silicon is reduced to ferrovanadium. This alloy is
sufficient for most engineering applications.
Pure vanadium can be displayed either electrochemically or by the Van
Arkel-de Boer method. To the pure vanadium is melted together with
iodine in an evacuated glass ampoule. The formed in the heated ampoule
vanadium (III) iodide decomposed on a hot tungsten filament to
high-purity vanadium, and iodine.

Physical Properties
Crystal structure of vanadium, a = 302.4 pm
Vanadium is a non-magnetic, ductile, malleable and clear steel blue
heavy metal with a density of 6.11 g/cm3. [12] Pure vanadium is
relatively soft, but harder by amounts of other elements and then has
a high mechanical strength. In most properties, it resembles its
neighbors in the periodic system, the Titan. The melting point of pure
vanadium is at 1910 ° C, this will be increased significantly by
impurities such as carbon. At a concentration of 10% carbon it is
about 2700 ° C. crystallized [16], vanadium, such as chromium or
niobium in a body-centered cubic crystal structure with space group
and lattice parameters a = 302.4 pm and two formula units per unit
cell. [18 ]
Below a critical temperature of 5.13 K becomes superconducting
vanadium. [19] Just as pure vanadium are also alloys of vanadium with
gallium, niobium and zirconium superconducting. At temperatures below
5.13 K shows vanadium, as well as the vanadium group metals niobium
and tantalum, in small lumps up to 200 atoms, a hitherto unexplained,
spontaneous electric polarization, as otherwise they have only
non-metallic substances. [20] [21]
Chemical Properties
Vanadium is a base metal and able to react with many non-metals. In
air, it stays for weeks metallic luster. When viewed over a long
period clearly visible green rust is perceived. Vanadium should be
preserved, it must be kept under argon. In the heat it is attacked by
oxygen and vanadium (V)-oxide. While carbon and nitrogen react with
vanadium only at white heat, the reaction takes place with fluorine
and chlorine in the cold.
Against acids and bases, vanadium is stable at room temperature is
usually attacked because of a thin passivating oxide layer, it is only
by hydrofluoric acid and strong oxidizing acids such as hot nitric
acid, concentrated sulfuric acid and aqua regia.
Up to a temperature of 500 ° C, vanadium is able to absorb hydrogen.
Here, the metal is brittle and can easily powders. Can remove the
hydrogen at 700 ° C in vacuum. [12]
Isotope

Of vanadium total of 25 isotopes and nuclear isomer further 6 are
known. [22] Of these, two occur naturally. These are the isotopes 50V
with a natural frequency of 0.25% and 51V at a frequency of 99.75%.
50V is slightly radioactive, it decays with a half-life of 1.5 x 1017
years to 83% below to Electron 50Ti, 17% in β - decay can be used 50cr
[22] Both cores for studies with NMR spectroscopy. be.
The artificial isotopes are stable 48V with a half life of 16 days and
49v with a half-life of 330 days. These are used as tracers. [16] All
other isotopes and nuclear isomer is very unstable and decompose in
minutes or seconds.
→ List of vanadium isotopes
Use

Ferrovanadium
Pure vanadium is used only a small percentage due to its low neutron
capture as a cladding material for nuclear fuel. [23] but it can also
be more stable vanadium alloys are used. About 90% of production is
used in a variety of alloys, usually with the metals iron, titanium,
nickel, chromium, aluminum and manganese. Only a small part in
compounds, mostly as vanadium (V) oxide is used.

Gun made of chrome-vanadium steel.
With 85% of vanadium produced the vast majority is consumed in the
steel industry. Since no high purities are required, Ferro vanadium is
used as raw material. Vanadium increases in small quantities in
steels, the strength and toughness and hence the wear resistance. This
is caused by the formation of hard vanadium carbide. Depending on the
application of different amounts of vanadium are added. Structural
steels and tool steels thus contain only small amounts (0.2 to 0.5%),
vanadium, high speed steel up to 5%. [14] Vanadium steels are mainly
used for mechanically stressed tools and springs. Steels containing,
in addition to iron and vanadium and cobalt are magnetic.
Titanium alloys, which also usually contain vanadium and aluminum, are
extremely stable and heat resistant and are used in aircraft for
structural components and turbine blades of aircraft engines. [12]
Vanadium is used in a type of so-called redox flow cell as the main
electrolyte, an example of such an application is the vanadium redox
battery.
Proof

A preliminary test provides the phosphorus salt bead, with the
vanadium in the reduction characteristic green flame appears. The
oxidizing flame is pale yellow and thus nonspecific. [24]
A qualitative test for vanadium based on the formation of
Peroxovanadiumionen. To an acidic solution, the vanadium in the +5
oxidation state will contain, mixed with a little hydrogen peroxide.
This forms the reddish-brown [V (O2)] 3 + cation. This reacts with
larger amounts of hydrogen peroxide to pale yellow Peroxovanadiumsäure
H3 [VO2 (O2) 2] [24].
Vanadium can be quantitatively determined by titration. This one
vanadium-containing sulfuric acid solution with potassium permanganate
is oxidized to pentavalent vanadium and then back-titrated with iron
(II) sulfate solution and diphenylamine as indicator. Also, a
reduction of pentavalent vanadium present with iron (II) sulfate to
tetravalent oxidation state, followed by potentiometric titration with
potassium permanganate solution is possible. [12]
In the modern analysis of vanadium can be detected by several methods.
These include atomic absorption spectrometry at 318.5 nm and the
spectrophotometry with N-benzoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine as a color
reagent at 546 nm [14]

Vanadium - a metal with unlimited fields of application

Wieland Hopfe
FRITSCH GMBH

The energy debate is moving society. Alternative energy is due to lack
of development unfortunately not feasible in a broad mass. A small
step in this direction is the development of novel vanadium batteries,
which allow unlimited recharging cycles without wear. However, this
requires a suitable treatment of this particular metal. Among these
the FRITSCH FRITSCH Cutting Mills and planetary ball mills play an
important role in research and development. These allow complex
comminution of tough-metallic materials such as Vanadium.

The first in the 18th Century discovered metal that is known for its
electronic configuration and the transition metal was processed for
the first time 100 years later. With the technological advances made
it possible to prepare vanadium so that the properties of this element
came into its own. By the addition of crushed vanadium could create
new properties and metallic surfaces. Among other fine addition to
vanadium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, tungsten and other metals in a
balanced mixture is used for the alloy. Biochemical processes of
animal cells, for example use of vanadium for its metabolism and
circulation, plant cells, however, require it to conduct
photosynthesis for energy production can be.

small power plants vanadium redox flow battery

Battery tank
The vanadium redox flow battery
By Dr. Adam H. Whitehead

Small power plants

It is obvious that the vanadium redox battery particularly well suited
for stationary applications, which provides an operating time of
several years have and require frequent charging / discharging cycles.
The former, large-vanadium redox batteries were used as load balancing
in the network or as a large uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for
entire factories - eg a battery pack with 3 MW and 1.5 MWh in Sanyo's
LCD plant in Tottori, Japan. The new generation of smaller batteries
is better suited for small island power plants - "remote area power
supplies" (RAPS) - together with renewable energy sources or diesel
generators. This RAPS provide enough power available for homes,
businesses and telecom equipment.
When considering a RAPS system with a diesel generator, a typical
total run time of the diesel generator set with approximately 18 000
hours - assuming regular maintenance. The diesel generator is very
efficient when it is operated close to maximum capacity, but with
greatly reduced efficiency at lower loads. By adding a vanadium redox
battery, the diesel generator can be operated in two points: with
maximum efficiency and off. Energy that is not used by the load is
stored in the battery.
When the battery is charged to a predetermined level, the diesel
generator is switched off and the load supplied from the battery.
Although for a diesel generator with a slightly higher power is
needed, as in the operation without battery, but this investment pays
for itself very quickly, because the fuel consumption goes down much
lower. With the lower fuel consumption also results in lower CO2
emissions. The on / off operation extends the lifetime of the diesel
generator and the service intervals, since the daily operation of the
diesel engine is reduced. This is specifically designed for unmanned,
remote applications important to represent where an exchange of parts
or fuel supplement difficult and expensive processes.

Cell Power

Figure 3 A small island power plant with a 5-kW redox battery (20
kWh), combined with a 6-kW diesel generator: The diesel generator is
only 40% of the time for supplying the load and charge the battery
(positive battery power). This operation works only with an energy
storage device that is suitable for frequent deep discharge cycles.
Figure 3 shows the charge state of a vanadium redox battery (5 kW, 20
kW) with a 6-kW diesel generator in a simulation with a non-constant
load of about 40 kWh / day and 3.5 kW peak power. The battery runs
through periodic deep discharge cycles - approximately two full cycles
/ day. The diesel generator is running in the optimal operating point
with maximum efficiency, but only 40% of the time. 60% of the time it
is turned off. This is a typical mode of operation, wherein the
vanadium redox battery last longer than a lead acid battery. A larger
amount of electrolyte - more energy - would reduce the frequency of
the diesel starts even further, but would have no effect on the
percentage term.
In areas with suitable climatic conditions, photovoltaic modules
represent a useful addition to a remote small power plant (RAPS).
Complementary services of the solar energy saves diesel fuel and leads
to even more durability and longer service intervals. The correct
dimensioning of the system of energy storage, solar cells and diesel
generator is crucial for an economic operation. Fortunately for some
software packages are available - eg HOMER [8] and RETScreen [9].
Also, wind turbines can be included as a current generator with. A
correct simulation is more difficult here but, since local influences
- buildings, trees, etc. - can have a significant impact on earnings.

vanadium redox flow battery history

The vanadium redox flow battery
By Dr. Adam H. Whitehead

History and comparison with other battery types

Already in the 19th Century was known batteries in which the
electrolyte flowed by gravity to prevent the formation of gas bubbles
at the electrodes. Similarly, we already knew redox fuel - a fuel cell
that contained a redox battery element. Modern redox flow batteries
were invented in 1949 by Prof. Walter Kangro and patented [1]. The
development of useful systems, however, took place until 1970, when
NASA began to explore these energy stores.
After examining many different systems developed by NASA functioning
iron-chromium redox flow batteries. These were fairly complex and
suffered from a steady and irreversible loss of capacity, since iron
and chromium diffused through the membrane. In 1986, the Scylla of
Prof. Maria-Kazacos at the University of New South Wales, Australia,
developed for solving the problem of membrane junction has been
patented [2]. She sat in two vanadium electrolyte. Vanadium diffused
equally true, but the steady loss of capacity was now completely
reversible by simply recharging.
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.. [3] adapted the vanadium redox flow
battery of Prof. Scylla-Kazacos, to produce the first generation of
large batteries. Sumitomo vanadium redox batteries were installed
exclusively in Japan. VRB Power Inc. [4] used Sumitomo reactors for
its large battery installations in South Africa, Australia and the
United States.

Christian Pichler

Figure 2 The youngest vanadium redox flow battery FB10/100 - 10 kW,
100 kWh of energy at a voltage of 36 V to 58 V. It fits with tanks and
all units in a 4.1 m × 2.2 m × 2.4 m large box with full tanks and
weighs 10.2 tons
Currently, a handful of companies is active in the development of
redox flow systems. Despite the significant advantages of the vanadium
redox battery technology in certain applications, the university's
research activities were surprisingly limited. A new generation of
small, commercial-vanadium redox flow batteries became independent of
the company Cell Power Ltd. [5] (Fig. 2) and VRB Power Inc. develops.
Both companies have patents that are of importance for their
respective technology. The Scylla-Kazacos original patent has now
expired.
Comparison with other battery types
In conventional rechargeable batteries - for example Lead-acid,
nickel-metal hydride, nickel-cadmium and lithium-ion battery -
changing the electrode chemically loaded or unloaded while. This
causes the solid electrodes, a change in volume. After a few cycles by
the beginning of a mechanical breakdown. Through the use of dissolved
electroactive material as it comes in the vanadium redox battery is
used, this decay is avoided completely.
Lead-acid batteries fail by the formation of thick, insulating lead
sulfate crystals (sulfation), if they are held for long periods in the
partially discharged state, as in photovoltaic applications typically
often the case. Especially in winter the sun is often no longer enough
to fully charge the batteries and to dissolve the lead sulfate
crystals. The vanadium redox battery is also not affected by this
failure mechanism, there are no sulfate crystals. In addition,
vanadium-redox batteries are also insensitive to stratification of the
electrolyte (acid density fluctuations along the cell) or grid
corrosion (dissolution of the current collector), which also
contribute to shortening the lifetime of lead acid batteries.
Included with all rechargeable batteries, water, creates a potentially
explosive hydrogen loading. The crowd, which arises in vanadium redox
battery is extremely low and can be directly over the tanks is
collected and discharged. Some other batteries, specially produce wet
cell lead-based, as much hydrogen gas that the operation is permitted
only in rooms with appropriate ventilation and anti-static floor [6,
7].
Compared with high-performance batteries, e.g. the Li-ion batteries,
vanadium redox battery pretty sure. Thus cause a short circuit or
reverse polarity of the cells no harm. And since all cells are
traversed by the same electrolyte, you do not need individual cell
monitoring and control. All cells have the same capacity, not an
equalizing charge is required.
The vanadium redox battery is more complex than other batteries and
inevitably more expensive than lead-acid batteries with a set of
comparable energy. Nevertheless, it is expected, the vanadium redox
battery, since you can expect a very long cycle life. For lead-acid
energy storage systems are from time to time all the battery-swap
rates, whereas in the vanadium redox battery only relatively small
items such as Pumps must be renewed and thus a long service life is
achieved with good efficiency.

The vanadium redox flow battery

Each charge / discharge cycle batteries usual stressed out because of
the charge transfer changes the volume of the electrodes. They are
usually not suitable for operation with many cycles and deep
discharge. Redox batteries, however, work with two liquid electrolyte
and can withstand changes in volume without stress. They are suitable
for many cycles, rapid and deep discharge cycles consequences.
By Dr. Adam H. Whitehead

A vanadium redox flow battery had been with the appearance of
conventional batteries and accumulators little in common. Rather, it
resembles a small chemical plant. Here you can find tanks that are
filled with green liquid blue - the color changes during charging -,
pumps, valves, sensors and reactors. And the battery is large: the
most commercial systems in the power range of 0.1 - 4 MW have a mass
of some 100 t. Recently, however, a new generation of redox batteries
in the range of 1 to 10 kW, small enough to be found in standard ISO
containers place.
What is now a vanadium redox flow battery? Like all rechargeable
batteries converts it to load the electricity into chemical energy and
makes electricity by reversing the chemical reaction during discharge
ready. The main difference from conventional batteries is that here
the chemical reactions take place only in solutions. In the vanadium
redox battery are two solutions, called electrolytes, are used: one
for the positive and negative reactions for. Chemically speaking, both
solutions are very similar: vanadium salts that are dissolved in
sulfuric acid - the same acid, which is also used in conventional lead
acid batteries.

Cell Power

Figure 1 Core of a redox battery is the reactor. In it, the charge
carrier exchange between the two liquid electrolytes, which are pumped
through the reactor.
The bulk of the electrolyte is stored in external tanks. During the
charging and discharging process, these pumped through the reactors
and then flow back into the same tank. In the reactors (Fig. 1) run
the critical chemical reactions take place for the loading and
unloading. Each reactor consists of a plastic block that contains many
individual cells, which are electrically connected in series. The
cells in turn have two chambers, filled with porous graphite
electrodes, but by a very thin, about 100 microns strong membrane are
separated. This membrane prevents contact and thus the internal short
circuit of the graphite electrodes. Among themselves, the cells are
connected with conductive bipolar plates, end plates which make the
connection to the external electrical connections.
While the positive and negative electrolyte flow through the reactor
internal distribution channels, the distribution of the river to take
on the individual cells. Within the cells, they flow through the
graphite electrodes, but remain separated by the membrane. Such a
mixing of the electrolyte. But this electric current can flow, the
selected ion membrane enables the transition from one electrolyte to
another.
This exchange of electrons between the electrodes and electrolytes,
the salts of vanadium are chemically reduced or oxidized - hence the
name "Redox". The degree of oxidation of vanadium in the solution is
indicated numerically. For example, the metallic vanadium oxidation
state 0 The vanadium in the electrolyte, the positive oxidation states
4-5, while the negative in two stages - there are third This results
in each cell to increase the potential difference to about 1.4 V. This
potential difference changes continuously from 1.25 V to 1.55 V while
the cell is loaded. This effect is exploited for the precise
measurement of the charge state with the help of a simple cell.
The size of the electrodes and the membrane determines the performance
of the battery. By increasing the number of cells or the cells may
increase the overall performance will be raised. In contrast, the
energy content is determined by the amount of dissolved vanadium. Will
be increased by the addition of liquid electrolyte in the tanks, the
amount of energy. Power and energy of the battery can be sized
independently of each other and optimized for each application.

American Vanadium Corp.. announces positive feasibility study for Gibellini Vanadium Project

DJ PRESS RELEASE / DDP DIRECT American Vanadium Corp.. announces
positive feasibility study for Gibellini vanadium project
After-tax IRR of 43% and NPV of $ 170.1 million
(Ddp direct) All dollar values ​​are stated in U.S. dollars, unless
otherwise noted.

The Gibellini project would be the only mine in the U.S., primarily
in the vanadium would be degraded. It was planned as a day,
heap-construction project. The metallurgical tests were by McClelland
Laboratories, Inc. performed in Sparks (Nevada) under the direction of
AMEC.

The Roskill Consulting Group in London ("Roskill") reported in the
vanadium market outlook, they pay for AMEC as part of the feasibility
study prepared. "2012 is the global vanadium market in surplus, which
will begin in the next few years to sink in 2014, will reach the price
$ 10/Pfund pentoxide and $ 45/kg ferrovanadium, as the market prepared
for a potential deficit in 2015. Although predicted in prices fast
climbs, awaits Roskill, that they are below the record high in 2005
will remain. Taking into account the actual $ figures from 2010, the
vanadium prices expected to be during the entire forecast period,
below the 2005 figures. But could any problems that may prevent the
introduction of vanadium on the market, or delay, leading to a deficit
which would increase the prices. " The Roskill Consulting Group has
not taken into account in their calculations, a possible demand for
vanadium in relation to the flow battery or electric cars.

"We are very pleased to be able to give such a convincing economic
data to the project known," said Bill Radvak, President and CEO of
American Vanadium Corp.. "They provide us the foundation we need to
accelerate the development and expansion of the project. Our baseline
work has been no environmental material problems arise. We are now on
track to complete the action plan for review and comment by The
authority for the management of state-owned lands (Bureau of Land
Management) and the U.S. state of Nevada. The NI 43-101 technical
report will be available on SEDAR within 45 days. "

The feasibility study was conducted under the direction of Kirk
Hanson of AMEC. Hanson is defined by National Instrument 43-101, a
"qualified person" and has no affiliation with American vanadium.
Hanson has the contents of the press release in which the results of
the feasibility study are summarized agreed.

This press release was written by Alan Branham, a board member of the
company, tested and approved. He is a member of the American Institute
of Professional Geologists (CPG # 10 979), a Certified Professional
Geologist and a "Qualified Person" under NI 43-101.

About AMEC plc
AMEC plc is a company that specializes in high quality consulting and
engineering services and project management for natural resources,
nuclear energy, clean energy, water and environment. Designs with an
annual turnover of 2.5 billion GBP, delivers and maintains strategic
and complex AMEC Investments for its clients. The company employs more
than 21,000 employees in approximately 40 countries.

About American Vanadium Corp..
American Vanadium is currently developing the Gibellini Vanadium
Project, a vanadium deposit in the U.S. state of Nevada. Vanadium is
an essential metal alloy that is used for reinforcing steel and in the
growing fields of mass and energy storage lithium-vanadium batteries
for the next generation is becoming increasingly important. The
Gibellini vanadium project the company is offering unique
opportunities for economic extraction of vanadium in the steel and
alloy industries, as well as vanadium electrolyte for the mass storage
industry.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Bill Radvak, President and CEO
Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains
"forward-looking statements" as defined in applicable Canadian
securities laws, including statements regarding the expected use of
proceeds from the private placement as well as regarding future plans
and objectives for the Gibellini project. Such forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors that could cause actual results, performance or expectations
of American Vanadium differ materially from those expressed or implied
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve
estimates of the capacity and life of the mine, the proceeds from
future mining projects, the investment and operating costs and the
period for amortization. Factors that could affect actual results,
include: actual results of current exploration activities, conclusions
of economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as the
development of plans; future vanadium prices, possible fluctuations in
the stocks, in the content or yield, changes in estimating capital and
operating costs, delays to obtain permits or funds by the government,
or delays in the completion of development or in construction work.
American Vanadium has done his utmost to identify important factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements. Nevertheless, there may
be other factors that lead to results that are predicted neither
planned nor can be estimated. There is no assurance that such
statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future
events could differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking
statements could. The reader should therefore evaluate the
forward-looking statements in this press release with the necessary
caution. American Vanadium will not update forward-looking statements,
unless so required by applicable securities laws.

Tailor-made steel pipes are the backbone of the Nord Stream pipeline

Plant: Since 8 November provides the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline
from Russia directly to Germany. Before Chancellor Angela Merkel and
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the first of future two-leg was put
into operation, equipment and machinery manufacturers were required to
bring maximum benefits for the construction of 1224 km long pipeline.
For the large-diameter pipes are provided for customized high-tech
products.

VDI news, Düsseldorf, 25 11th 11, Si

The Nord Stream pipeline will continue to be with their two strands
each of length 1224 km one of the longest underwater pipelines in the
world. You should have a total annual transport capacity of about 55
billion m3 of natural gas. When fully commissioned in the next year,
the pipeline will connect the major gas reserves in Russia with the
European gas pipeline network. Both strands of 200 000 pipes with 1153
mm internal diameter and wall thickness between 26.8 mm and 41 mm are
required. Only the German manufacturers were responsible for the
production of about 140 000 tubes.

Pipes will be increasingly produced from high-strength steels such as
X65 and X100, the technical term for the strength of pipe grades. The
advantages: The pipes are significantly more resistant to
environmental influences. And they can be operated with a larger
internal pressure. At full capacity of the Nord Stream pipeline, the
pressure bar to 220. The company of the SMS Group, Hilchenbach
provide, for the entire process chain for the production of pig iron,
all essential equipment for the production of pig iron units to the
pipeline pipe.

In secondary metallurgical equipment receives its crude steel of the
first requirements for the subsequent material properties such as
hardness, tensile strength, yield strength, toughness, heat
resistance, wear resistance, machinability and corrosion resistance.
On the SMS Mevac, food, plants are supplied including the
high-strength steel grades, as it is needed for the pipeline pipes. To
achieve this, the liquid steel in so-called VD, VOD or RH plants
unwanted gases are removed under vacuum. Using a sophisticated slag
control the required purity of the steel is achieved. Then added
exactly predicted amounts of alloying elements such as chromium,
nickel, vanadium, for example, provide for high strength. SMS Mevac
has the technology necessary for this system developed in a way that
allows the chemical composition and the temperature control of liquid
steel in lead precisely target areas.

In continuous casting of molten steel through a cooled mold in which
forms an outer skin on the steel - it becomes a string. The shape of
the mold is in the form of a tow, such as slabs or billets. With the
continuous slab casters of SMS Siemag, Dusseldorf and Hilchenbach can
make customers more than 3 m wide slabs. The decisive factors are the
uniform metallurgical and quality interior flat, crack-free surfaces.
The company has the casting technique developed in recent years, which
on the one hand and productivity on the other hand, a constant high
product quality can be achieved.

For the strand guide segments in the SMS Siemag has developed the
Dynamic Soft Reduction. This system recognizes where transitions
within the slab of steel from liquid to solid state. Depending on this
position, the rollers exert a certain pressure in the segments of the
slab. The result is that the interior quality is improved.

In heavy plate rolling mills, the pre-heated slabs are rolled in a
reversing of heavy plates, directed and cut to the required
dimensions. One of the world's largest plate mills SMS Siemag for the
Russian steel firm MMK, Magnitogorsk completed. In the 1.5 km-long
work up to 5 m wide plates are produced. The specialty of the new
works are made of tubular steel plates to X 120th To these sheets with
high strength and yet produce flat surfaces, the plate mill has about
120 MN rolling force.

For the entire sheet metal fabrication is the interaction of the
correct rolling forces, rolling temperature, cooling rate and the
target parameters for the elementary plate quality. At the end of the
rolling process have emerged from the slab up to 52 m long sheets.

Order from a flat steel plate to produce a round tube, it must be bent
and then welded at the seams. For the production of "longitudinally
welded large pipes" was created by SMS Meer, Mönchengladbach,
developed the JCO process. It represents a novel flexible forming
process in a press. Here is the first sheet to a J, then a C and
finally formed into an O before it is sewn and welded under flux. The
JCO process is thanks to its flexibility, particularly for the
production of pipeline pipes in different sizes and for the use of
steel plates in high-strength material grades. Thilo Sagermann