Fundamental experimental and modelling studies of slag/matte/metal/gas systems in support of sustainable copper smelting and converting technologies. Australia is in the midst of a sustained increase in demand for its mineral resources that is leading to expansion in production and major capital investments across the industry sector. Most of the primary production of copper metal in Australia takes place through the use of high temperature smelting technologies. New technologies and significant ....Fundamental experimental and modelling studies of slag/matte/metal/gas systems in support of sustainable copper smelting and converting technologies. Australia is in the midst of a sustained increase in demand for its mineral resources that is leading to expansion in production and major capital investments across the industry sector. Most of the primary production of copper metal in Australia takes place through the use of high temperature smelting technologies. New technologies and significant changes to existing smelting technologies are currently underway; driven by the need to improve both productivity and environmental performance. This research partnership will provide important fundamental information about the complex chemistries of these high temperature processes. This project will assist these process improvements and will provide competitive advantage to Australian industry.Read moreRead less
Improvements in the pyrometallurgical processing of nickel oxide and laterite ores at QNI Yabulu, North Queensland. The QNI Yabulu operation in Queensland is an important supplier of nickel and cobalt metals to the export market. The company is planning to expand the scale of the operations but is faced with two important sustainability issues. One is the recent changes to the European regulations that require very low levels of residual nickel oxide in the nickel metal product. The second issue ....Improvements in the pyrometallurgical processing of nickel oxide and laterite ores at QNI Yabulu, North Queensland. The QNI Yabulu operation in Queensland is an important supplier of nickel and cobalt metals to the export market. The company is planning to expand the scale of the operations but is faced with two important sustainability issues. One is the recent changes to the European regulations that require very low levels of residual nickel oxide in the nickel metal product. The second issue relates to ensuring the supply and improved recovery of nickel and cobalt from oxide-based ores. Further fundamental scientific information is required to provide improved understanding of the complex chemical reactions occurring during the high temperature treatment of these materials, and to guide improvements in product quality, recovery and process efficiencyRead moreRead less
ADVANCED THERMODYNAMIC AND PROCESS MODELS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE METAL SMELTING TECHNOLOGIES - A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM IN PYROMETALLURGY. This 5-year ARC Linkage project developed by the Pyrometallurgy Research Centre, UQ brings together several consortia of major mineral companies in a genuinely collaborative way to address a range of complex technical problems associated with the high temperature chemical processing of minerals and metals.
The UQ research team brings new state-of-the- ....ADVANCED THERMODYNAMIC AND PROCESS MODELS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE METAL SMELTING TECHNOLOGIES - A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM IN PYROMETALLURGY. This 5-year ARC Linkage project developed by the Pyrometallurgy Research Centre, UQ brings together several consortia of major mineral companies in a genuinely collaborative way to address a range of complex technical problems associated with the high temperature chemical processing of minerals and metals.
The UQ research team brings new state-of-the-art research methodologies, and experimental and computer modelling techniques to provide scientifically important research outcomes which can be used by the industry. The research program will provide fundamental thermodynamic and physical property information on the complex chemical systems encountered in industrial processes, powerful computer models, and applied research outputs for industry. The project will also importantly provide research training in the field pyrometallurgy, deliver competitive advantage to the Australian mineral industry and bring economic benefits particularly to regional Australia.
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Precision Bending of 6xxx Aluminium Extrusions. The use of aluminium in transportation applications is predicted to double over the next 10 years. The use of extruded aluminium in structural components such as space frames is a growing area, and bending is an integral and critical process in the production of such components. The aim of this project is to develop key knowledge and technology necessary for precision bending of extruded aluminium profiles. The main outcomes will be: (i) Understand ....Precision Bending of 6xxx Aluminium Extrusions. The use of aluminium in transportation applications is predicted to double over the next 10 years. The use of extruded aluminium in structural components such as space frames is a growing area, and bending is an integral and critical process in the production of such components. The aim of this project is to develop key knowledge and technology necessary for precision bending of extruded aluminium profiles. The main outcomes will be: (i) Understanding of the relationship between extrusion conditions, microstructure and bendability of structural profiles. This will enable the optimisation of the extrusion process to ensure consistent bending behaviour. (ii) Development of the rubber-pad technology for precision bending.Read moreRead less
Mineral Flotation - Integrating Science and Practice. Froth flotation is one of the most important processes in the recovery of valuable minerals from ores. This project aims to achieve a quantum improvement in the understanding of flotation, delivered as a computer model that will predict flotation response from measurable particle properties such as size, mineral composition and hydrophobicity. Providing the scientific foundation for the current practice of flotation, it will also allow floa ....Mineral Flotation - Integrating Science and Practice. Froth flotation is one of the most important processes in the recovery of valuable minerals from ores. This project aims to achieve a quantum improvement in the understanding of flotation, delivered as a computer model that will predict flotation response from measurable particle properties such as size, mineral composition and hydrophobicity. Providing the scientific foundation for the current practice of flotation, it will also allow floatability to be predicted when regrinding, oxidation or reagent addition occurs, which is beyond the scope of any current modelling approach. The model will be validated on full-scale flotation plants in Australian mineral processing operations.Read moreRead less
Integrated processes for fine coal treatment. This project is concerned with new processes for the treatment of fine coal which forms an export market in excess of A$2 billion a year. The aim is to improve the separation of fine coal from silt and clay, and especially the recovery of larger particles in the flotation process. Further aims are to increase the ease of filtration and dewatering of fine coal, and to reduce the dust that is generated when fine coal is handled during transportation on ....Integrated processes for fine coal treatment. This project is concerned with new processes for the treatment of fine coal which forms an export market in excess of A$2 billion a year. The aim is to improve the separation of fine coal from silt and clay, and especially the recovery of larger particles in the flotation process. Further aims are to increase the ease of filtration and dewatering of fine coal, and to reduce the dust that is generated when fine coal is handled during transportation on land and sea. A laboratory-scale process will be developed and tested at a larger scale. The new knowledge that is gained will be essential for the successful introduction of the new technology into the Australian coal industry.Read moreRead less
Sustainable copper metallurgy and recycling – saving energy and resources. This project aims to develop new, powerful and sophisticated, computer-based models that can reliably predict the results of chemical reactions in complex, high temperature metal production processes. This project expects to use these models, initially applied to copper smelting systems, to enable the improved recycling of other valuable metals. These models should be able to be applied to a wide range of technologies use ....Sustainable copper metallurgy and recycling – saving energy and resources. This project aims to develop new, powerful and sophisticated, computer-based models that can reliably predict the results of chemical reactions in complex, high temperature metal production processes. This project expects to use these models, initially applied to copper smelting systems, to enable the improved recycling of other valuable metals. These models should be able to be applied to a wide range of technologies used in the metallurgical industry as most of the world’s metals are produced by these pyrometallurgical processes. This should provide significant benefits such as substantial improvements in productivity and process efficiencies, whilst at the same time delivering energy savings and improved use of valuable metal resources.Read moreRead less
Creating wealth from new resources - High temperature extraction of metals from complex copper ores and recycled materials. Most of the world’s copper is produced using high temperature chemical processing (smelting). Both primary ores and recycled raw materials contain valuable elements and also potentially harmful impurity elements. To unlock and utilise current and new resources, and also minimise the environmental impacts the industry has identified the need for new fundamental scientific da ....Creating wealth from new resources - High temperature extraction of metals from complex copper ores and recycled materials. Most of the world’s copper is produced using high temperature chemical processing (smelting). Both primary ores and recycled raw materials contain valuable elements and also potentially harmful impurity elements. To unlock and utilise current and new resources, and also minimise the environmental impacts the industry has identified the need for new fundamental scientific data that describe the chemical behaviour of impurity elements in these systems. The project aims to then use the data to develop powerful computer-based thermodynamic models that can predict the products of complex industrial processes. These sophisticated tools are intended to then be used to improve the performance of existing industrial operations and assist in the development of new process designs.Read moreRead less
Future polymetallic processing through lead smelting, recycling, refining. The aim of the project is to provide new data and thermodynamic modelling tools to be used in the development of the next generation of lead metal smelting, refining and recycling processes used to recycle electronic materials, process hazardous wastes and recover valuable metals. The intention is to combine recently developed experimental techniques with the latest advances in FactSage chemical thermodynamic modelling to ....Future polymetallic processing through lead smelting, recycling, refining. The aim of the project is to provide new data and thermodynamic modelling tools to be used in the development of the next generation of lead metal smelting, refining and recycling processes used to recycle electronic materials, process hazardous wastes and recover valuable metals. The intention is to combine recently developed experimental techniques with the latest advances in FactSage chemical thermodynamic modelling to overcome long-standing experimental and modelling obstacles. The new experimental data and databases are intended to provide important information on high-temperature chemistry of complex phase equilibria and on the distribution of minor elements in multiphase systems.Read moreRead less
Zirconium alloying and grain refinement of magnesium alloys with ZirCAST. Zirconium alloying and grain refinement is a key issue restricting the commercial production of value-added zirconium-containing magnesium alloys for use in the automotive industry. This 3-year linkage program builds on the applicants' invention of a proprietary grain refiner ZirCAST, and is undertaken to investigate the major fundamental aspects of zirconium alloying and grain refinement with ZirCAST. In addition to an ex ....Zirconium alloying and grain refinement of magnesium alloys with ZirCAST. Zirconium alloying and grain refinement is a key issue restricting the commercial production of value-added zirconium-containing magnesium alloys for use in the automotive industry. This 3-year linkage program builds on the applicants' invention of a proprietary grain refiner ZirCAST, and is undertaken to investigate the major fundamental aspects of zirconium alloying and grain refinement with ZirCAST. In addition to an excellent postgraduate training environment, it aims to provide and develop, in partnership with industry, optimum zirconium alloying and grain refinement technology with ZirCAST and enhance Australia's leading global position in this strategically and commercially important area.Read moreRead less