Fibre-reinforced composites: Single-crystal mullite fibres from topaz. The project aims to develop the means of fabricating single-crystal mullite fibres from topaz that are suitable for reinforcement of metal and ceramic matrix composites. Single-crystal mullite is the most sought after fibrous additive, but is not available commercially. It is expected to attract an immediate clientele in laboratories and companies servicing the aviation industry and the military. This will allow large depos ....Fibre-reinforced composites: Single-crystal mullite fibres from topaz. The project aims to develop the means of fabricating single-crystal mullite fibres from topaz that are suitable for reinforcement of metal and ceramic matrix composites. Single-crystal mullite is the most sought after fibrous additive, but is not available commercially. It is expected to attract an immediate clientele in laboratories and companies servicing the aviation industry and the military. This will allow large deposit of topaz in Torrington, NSW to be used to develop a high-value niche product (fibres) and a large-volume, low-value product (fluoride). This will provide significant economic and environmental benefits and it addresses the research priorities - Resources and Advanced Manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH130200031
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,273,780.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Advanced Technologies for Australian Iron Ore. ARC Research Hub for Advanced Technologies for Australian Iron Ore. This Research Hub aims to bring together three world-class groups covering fine particle beneficiation, raw materials handling, and iron ore characterisation to address the complex issues that arise from the different ore types that have emerged in recent years. This Research Hub will focus on the development and adoption of advanced beneficiation and handling t ....ARC Research Hub for Advanced Technologies for Australian Iron Ore. ARC Research Hub for Advanced Technologies for Australian Iron Ore. This Research Hub aims to bring together three world-class groups covering fine particle beneficiation, raw materials handling, and iron ore characterisation to address the complex issues that arise from the different ore types that have emerged in recent years. This Research Hub will focus on the development and adoption of advanced beneficiation and handling technologies into iron ore mining operations, and new knowledge for informing producers and end-users, while providing the training for a new generation of research leaders.Read moreRead less
Enhancing Direct Cu Recovery through Increased Gas Processing Understanding. This project aims to investigate mechanisms of copper loss during smelting and find new ways to reduce the loss. Smelting, which produces copper matte product and slag tailings, is an important step of the copper-making process from copper sulphides. The loss of copper to slag can be as high as 12 per cent. The project aims to create new knowledge about copper loss by matte droplets floated with gas bubbles generated by ....Enhancing Direct Cu Recovery through Increased Gas Processing Understanding. This project aims to investigate mechanisms of copper loss during smelting and find new ways to reduce the loss. Smelting, which produces copper matte product and slag tailings, is an important step of the copper-making process from copper sulphides. The loss of copper to slag can be as high as 12 per cent. The project aims to create new knowledge about copper loss by matte droplets floated with gas bubbles generated by chemical reactions to the slag phase. The outcomes are intended to enable copper smelters to maximise direct copper recovery, reduce copper production costs and increase the productivity of the smelting process.Read moreRead less
Surface characteristics and hydrodynamics in detachment of coarse particles. Froth flotation is widely used for separating coal and minerals from the gangue. The largest particles that can be floated in the industry are 10 times smaller than the particles that can be floated under quiescent conditions. This project aims to better understand and quantify the detachment of large particles from the bubble surface. It aims to develop innovative modelling and experimental approaches to examine the ef ....Surface characteristics and hydrodynamics in detachment of coarse particles. Froth flotation is widely used for separating coal and minerals from the gangue. The largest particles that can be floated in the industry are 10 times smaller than the particles that can be floated under quiescent conditions. This project aims to better understand and quantify the detachment of large particles from the bubble surface. It aims to develop innovative modelling and experimental approaches to examine the effect of particle surface characteristics and hydrodynamic conditions on coarse particle detachment and flotation. New ways to save energy by floating coarse composite particles are proposed to be developed. This research is at the forefront of flotation science and technology, and is expected to deliver significant outcomes to the mining industry.Read moreRead less
Designing starches for increased productivity in mineral flotation. Designing starches for increased productivity in mineral flotation. This project aims to understand the process of starch-mineral surface interactions, and design and develop tailored starch depressant/flocculant biopolymers for mineral beneficiation via the froth flotation process. Natural and modified starches are used as depressants and flocculants in mineral flotation, but scientists lack knowledge of mechanisms describing s ....Designing starches for increased productivity in mineral flotation. Designing starches for increased productivity in mineral flotation. This project aims to understand the process of starch-mineral surface interactions, and design and develop tailored starch depressant/flocculant biopolymers for mineral beneficiation via the froth flotation process. Natural and modified starches are used as depressants and flocculants in mineral flotation, but scientists lack knowledge of mechanisms describing starch-mineral surface interactions, particularly how they process base metal sulphides. This project also intends to develop starch characterisation techniques and novel methods for modifying starch structures and functionalities. Anticipated outcomes are new novel manufacturing applications for starch in Australia.Read moreRead less
Flotation in high salt concentration: resolving critical knowledge gaps relating the ion effect on bubble production and behavior. Flotation separation of coal and mineral particles by attaching to rising air bubbles is significantly affected in high salt concentration but its exact mechanism still remains unclear. This project employs state-of-the-art surface sensitive spectroscopy and modeling tools to investigate how salt ions influence drainage and rupture of liquid films between two bubbles ....Flotation in high salt concentration: resolving critical knowledge gaps relating the ion effect on bubble production and behavior. Flotation separation of coal and mineral particles by attaching to rising air bubbles is significantly affected in high salt concentration but its exact mechanism still remains unclear. This project employs state-of-the-art surface sensitive spectroscopy and modeling tools to investigate how salt ions influence drainage and rupture of liquid films between two bubbles, and bubble production and behaviour relevant to the flotation processes. The research will develop better water use for coal and mineral flotation to reduce reagent usage and environmental impacts of water pollution. The project will contribute significantly to knowledge advancement in the coal and mineral industry.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC160100036
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,881,754.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre in Alloy Innovation for Mining Efficiency. ARC Training Centre in Alloy Innovation for Mining Efficiency. This centre aims to make Australian manufacturers dominant in the multi-billion dollar mining equipment sector by training innovators to design the world’s best highly customized long-life, wear resistant components. It intends to rapidly develop customized alloys that excel in severe mining conditions, using three-dimensional printing, novel characterisation and its netw ....ARC Training Centre in Alloy Innovation for Mining Efficiency. ARC Training Centre in Alloy Innovation for Mining Efficiency. This centre aims to make Australian manufacturers dominant in the multi-billion dollar mining equipment sector by training innovators to design the world’s best highly customized long-life, wear resistant components. It intends to rapidly develop customized alloys that excel in severe mining conditions, using three-dimensional printing, novel characterisation and its networked training environment. It expects these innovations will enable much needed efficiencies after the end of the mining super-cycle. Anticipated outcomes are the design of products with superior alloy design and material selection; jobs growth and security in the mining component production sector; and increased mining efficiency and cost reduction.Read moreRead less
Development of a novel process for recovering fluoride from spent pot-lining as AlF2(OH) using industrial waste solutions. Every year approximately 40,000 tonnes of a hazardous waste known as spent pot-lining is generated by Australia’s aluminium industry. It contains significant levels of leachable cyanide and fluoride and is currently being stored awaiting a suitable treatment technology. This project will develop a novel low-energy and low-cost process for extracting the fluoride as a usefu ....Development of a novel process for recovering fluoride from spent pot-lining as AlF2(OH) using industrial waste solutions. Every year approximately 40,000 tonnes of a hazardous waste known as spent pot-lining is generated by Australia’s aluminium industry. It contains significant levels of leachable cyanide and fluoride and is currently being stored awaiting a suitable treatment technology. This project will develop a novel low-energy and low-cost process for extracting the fluoride as a useful aluminium fluoride product that can be recycled back into the aluminium industry; destroy the cyanide; and recover other components for use in the metallurgical industry. If commercialised the benefit will be an end to the stockpiling of spent pot-lining in Australia, a more sustainable aluminium industry, and protection of the world’s natural fluoride resources.Read moreRead less
Three-dimensional flotation of fine particles. Three-dimensional flotation of fine particles. This project aims to research three-dimensional flotation of fine particles under both batch and continuous steady state conditions. In flotation, fine hydrophobic particles adhere to the two-dimensional surface of rising air bubbles, forming concentrate. In three-dimensional flotation, however, the particles adhere to and become embedded in a novel binder, forming a highly buoyant product. The process ....Three-dimensional flotation of fine particles. Three-dimensional flotation of fine particles. This project aims to research three-dimensional flotation of fine particles under both batch and continuous steady state conditions. In flotation, fine hydrophobic particles adhere to the two-dimensional surface of rising air bubbles, forming concentrate. In three-dimensional flotation, however, the particles adhere to and become embedded in a novel binder, forming a highly buoyant product. The process is very selective and arguably 1000 times faster than conventional flotation. The project is expected to provide the knowledge required to achieve scale-up, so the technology can be used to recover high value product from tailings waste, eliminating the capital impediment and possibly transforming the entire mining industry.Read moreRead less
A Fundamental Study of the Breakage of Gibbsite and Smelter Grade Alumina. This project aims to develop a fundamental understanding of the cracking of gibbsite and smelter grade alumina, thus providing useful guidance for the alumina refineries to control the particle size distribution of the smelter grade alumina. This addresses an important issue in alumina refineries in terms of providing a high quality product for the downstream aluminium smelter.