Innovation Centre
University of Sunshine Coast
90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs 4556
University of Sunshine Coast
90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs 4556
Contact Luke Berry
0417 077 342
Contact Luke Berry
0417 077 342
Tailings seepage and acid mine drainage have four key problems: high salinity, low pH, lots of sulphate, and lots of dissolved heavy and transition metals.
Common treatments involve neutralisation through chemical addition, but this method only partially treats the problems and requires large amounts of chemicals to be stored onsite.
We are developing a simple electrochemical membrane technology to simultaneously target all four problems and recovery valuable products for on-site use and/or sale.
We are working on cost-effective techniques to render waste rock dumps relatively inert to production of acid mine drainage (AMD).
AMD forms when waste rock, especially pyrite, from mining operations is exposed to air and water, forming a highly acidic and toxic solution containing high concentrations of dissolved heavy metals and sulphates.
Current technologies focus on treating AMD for release into natural waterways rather than preventing it from forming, which is a costly process.
We are developing a novel chemical surface coating strategy to passivate pyrite. This will involve altering the surface of the rock to prevent the (bio)geochemical processes which cause AMD to form. The technique forms a physical barrier on the rock drastically slowing exposure to water, air and/or microorganisms.
Mines are concerned about the timeframe when mine drainage might become acidic. Often mine drainage from waste rock dumps is neutral during the life of a mine as the acidic drainage from pyrite is neutralized by dolomite or other naturally-present compounds. However, over time these neutralizing compounds may dissolve away, leaving the pyrite to form increasing acidic drainage.
Current models tend to be point-in-time and do not fully account for the underlying chemical reactions. Such models often only account for water balance rather than primary and secondary chemical reactions.
Kinetic is developing more comprehensive models of the long-term potential for AMD at specific mine sites based on the underlying chemical reactions.
We have an early-stage model for a major mine-site with a significant amount of fresh and aged tailings.
