The site is the former Bicapa chemical works in Tarnaveni, Mures County (now Mures Magnesium Srl) and was first established as a nitrogen producing unit in 1916.   During the nearly 90 years of site operations (closing in 2001) it has had a varied number of chemical production operations (nitrates, fertilisers, carbide, caustic soda ceramics and gold/silver bullion refining on the site. The operations included two sodium dichromate production facilities, with an associated purpose-built waste storage facility. At its peak the site employed some 6,500 personnel, primarily from the Târnăveni City area.  Originally covering over 120 ha, Mures Magnesium has retained 42 ha including the waste storage facilities known as Batal 2 & 3 which covers circa 19 ha and contains the 1.92 million tonnes of target waste resource.  Historical it was known to contain environmentally hazardous wastes and was built to standards of the time.

The MMg project will excavate the waste, extract the target minerals and return the remaining and now inert waste (circa 54% of the original feedstock) into newly renovated batals (to current EU standards).  The MMG project effectively “reprocesses to remediate” and in doing so makes this a model project in sustainability, circularity and secondary resourcing.