Practical Application of Filtration Theory to the Minerals Industry. The project aims to provide a quantitative basis for the selection, design, operation and maintenance of filter devices in the minerals industry. This will be achieved through characterisation of materials to be filtered by developing a model of the true role of the membrane in filtration. Experimental parameters will be input to first principles filtration models. This will reduce the incidence of poor operational outcomes ....Practical Application of Filtration Theory to the Minerals Industry. The project aims to provide a quantitative basis for the selection, design, operation and maintenance of filter devices in the minerals industry. This will be achieved through characterisation of materials to be filtered by developing a model of the true role of the membrane in filtration. Experimental parameters will be input to first principles filtration models. This will reduce the incidence of poor operational outcomes for filter presses and provide a sound basis for the maintenance of filter cloths and membranes.Read moreRead less
Nanostructures of Surfactants at Solid-Liquid and Gas-Liquid Interfaces and Interfacial Properties. The proposed research aims to investigate nanostructures of surface-active agents at interfaces and related interfacial properties. Specifically, the proposal focuses on quantitative models for the self-assembly of surfactants at solid-liquid and gas-liquid interfaces, experimental validation of the models and interfacial properties produced by the surfactants for industrial applications. The stud ....Nanostructures of Surfactants at Solid-Liquid and Gas-Liquid Interfaces and Interfacial Properties. The proposed research aims to investigate nanostructures of surface-active agents at interfaces and related interfacial properties. Specifically, the proposal focuses on quantitative models for the self-assembly of surfactants at solid-liquid and gas-liquid interfaces, experimental validation of the models and interfacial properties produced by the surfactants for industrial applications. The study will increase our understanding of surfactant-interface interaction to allow us to have greater control over the interfacial properties and improve the interface-based industrial processes. The research is relevant to the minerals and coal processing industry worth hundreds of billions dollars annually to Australia and USA.Read moreRead less
Thickener operation optimisation and design for the minerals industry. Thickening is the main process used in the minerals industry for recovery and recycling of water and the environmental management of waste products. This project will provide simple but fundamental experimental and modelling tools to enhance thickener design and operations. The result will be improved water recovery, reduced waste volumes, environmentally sustainable options for waste tailings disposal and significant cost r ....Thickener operation optimisation and design for the minerals industry. Thickening is the main process used in the minerals industry for recovery and recycling of water and the environmental management of waste products. This project will provide simple but fundamental experimental and modelling tools to enhance thickener design and operations. The result will be improved water recovery, reduced waste volumes, environmentally sustainable options for waste tailings disposal and significant cost reductions through improved device design at a large number of sites both in Australia and overseas. An additional benefit will be an integrated design and operational approach to thickener utilisation in the minerals industry.Read moreRead less
Molecular phenomena and engineering of saline water-air interfaces. Saline water use in Australia's mining, agricultural, and drinking water industries is increasing. Many of the production processes of these industries are underpinned by many complex molecular phenomena and interactions at the saline water - air interfaces which we want to understand, optimise and design. The findings will have direct benefits in the field of flotation used to recover valuable minerals using hyper-saline bore w ....Molecular phenomena and engineering of saline water-air interfaces. Saline water use in Australia's mining, agricultural, and drinking water industries is increasing. Many of the production processes of these industries are underpinned by many complex molecular phenomena and interactions at the saline water - air interfaces which we want to understand, optimise and design. The findings will have direct benefits in the field of flotation used to recover valuable minerals using hyper-saline bore water and to produce drinking water from seawater by desalination. This project is important because it will lead to sustainable ways of producing water and using water in industry. Its success will ensure that our industries remain at the forefront of innovation and are globally competitive.Read moreRead less
Effect of Saline Water on Flotation Processes. The Australian mineral and coal industry is valued at $40 billion in export income per year. This significant component of the Australian economy will benefit from this research into the increased use of highly saline water to improve coal and mineral flotation recovery. The project will keep Australia at the leading edge of flotation research, research training and development for the coal and mineral industry. With direct relevance to the National ....Effect of Saline Water on Flotation Processes. The Australian mineral and coal industry is valued at $40 billion in export income per year. This significant component of the Australian economy will benefit from this research into the increased use of highly saline water to improve coal and mineral flotation recovery. The project will keep Australia at the leading edge of flotation research, research training and development for the coal and mineral industry. With direct relevance to the National Research Priorities: Water - a Critical Resource, this project will make contributions to the development of a more environmentally sustainable coal and mineral processing industry.Read moreRead less
Behaviour of particles in flotation froths. Froth flotation is widely used for the separation of mineral particles. Currently, there is an upper limit on the size of particles that can be treated. It has recently been found that the upper limit can be extended from a few hundreds of microns, up to millimetre sizes, by processing the particles in the froth. We will study the forces acting on particles in flotation froths, as well as froth drainage and entrainment, to find the factors that limit t ....Behaviour of particles in flotation froths. Froth flotation is widely used for the separation of mineral particles. Currently, there is an upper limit on the size of particles that can be treated. It has recently been found that the upper limit can be extended from a few hundreds of microns, up to millimetre sizes, by processing the particles in the froth. We will study the forces acting on particles in flotation froths, as well as froth drainage and entrainment, to find the factors that limit the flotation of large particles and objects. The work is relevant to water treatment and the separation of plastics for recycling.Read moreRead less
BIOPROSPECTING FOR NOVEL EXTRACTANTS TO SEPARATE NICKEL AND COBALT. Cobalt (Co) is a common 'guest' element in nickel (Ni) ore. Separating these metals is crucial to the production of high purity of Ni and Co, valuable metals for the Australian economy. Currently, processing of Ni-ore relies on energy-intensive dissolution followed by separation of Co from Ni using expensive synthetic chelators. A few rare Ni- and Co-accumulating plants however, have evolved biochemical mechanisms to distingu ....BIOPROSPECTING FOR NOVEL EXTRACTANTS TO SEPARATE NICKEL AND COBALT. Cobalt (Co) is a common 'guest' element in nickel (Ni) ore. Separating these metals is crucial to the production of high purity of Ni and Co, valuable metals for the Australian economy. Currently, processing of Ni-ore relies on energy-intensive dissolution followed by separation of Co from Ni using expensive synthetic chelators. A few rare Ni- and Co-accumulating plants however, have evolved biochemical mechanisms to distinguish between Ni and Co. We propose the first determination of the mechanisms of Ni/Co discrimination in these unusual plants, effectively biosprospecting for novel commercial extractants to separate Ni and Co. Read moreRead less