Ore-sand: a circular economy solution to reduce mineral wastes and produce alternative construction materials (2024-2025)
Abstract
This research proposal will tackle two of the biggest sustainability challenges faced by the mining industry: tailings waste and sand extraction. Over 13 billion tonnes of tailings waste are produced annually, which poses environmental threats and the risk of catastrophic accidents. Sand is essential in modern life, but its extraction can also cause significant damage to ecosystems with >50 Gt extracted per year. This project will create a circular and sustainable solution by reducing tailings waste and introducing mineral processing techniques to make fit-forpurpose co-products known as ore-sand (novel manufactured sand from mining operations) that can be tailored to the Australian market/exports while minimising environmental impact. We will build on previous work we have done with Newcrest Mining Limited to extensively characterise HydroFloat reject samples from Cadia's coppergold ore mine in Australia in a controlled laboratory environment. We will extend this work by comprehensively testing the technical behaviour of these samples as part of an integrated product system in concrete mixes. By performing laboratory tests, we will determine if the samples require further upgrading via mineral processing to comply with technical standards for concrete and shotcrete. We aim to accelerate the progress of ore-sand coproduction towards a higher TRL and future ore-sand commercialisation to benefit the Australian mining sector, construction supply chains and consumers.
