Strategic and Critical Minerals Recovery Using a Novel Acoustic Flotation Technology (AEA Ignite Grant administered by The University of New South Wales) (2025-2026)
Abstract
The primary goal of this project is to refine a novel flotation technology for processing fine and ultrafine particles, particularly targeting strategic and critical minerals. This technology addresses the limitations of existing flotation methods for these challenging particle sizes through a two-step approach: first, utilising ultrafine bubbles to capture fine particles, and second, applying acoustic energy to agglomerate these microbubbles, thereby increasing their buoyancy. This approach promises significantly improved flotation performance and maximises resource utilisation and environmental benefits. The current TRL is 3, with an anticipated TRL of 5 upon project completion.
