Effect of deep-sea drilling on sustainability of deep-sea ecosystems. Offshore oil and gas production makes a significant contribution to the Australian economy and enhances our energy security. Australia's vast deep-sea reserves of hydrocarbons lie on the NW Shelf and in Bass Strait, ecological 'hot spots' that are extremely vulnerable to the impact of exploration, extraction and production. Using deep-sea equipment, we will conduct the field experiments that are essential to understanding the ....Effect of deep-sea drilling on sustainability of deep-sea ecosystems. Offshore oil and gas production makes a significant contribution to the Australian economy and enhances our energy security. Australia's vast deep-sea reserves of hydrocarbons lie on the NW Shelf and in Bass Strait, ecological 'hot spots' that are extremely vulnerable to the impact of exploration, extraction and production. Using deep-sea equipment, we will conduct the field experiments that are essential to understanding these ecosystems and the impact of deep-sea structures. Our advances will produce data and develop methodologies that will make Australia a world leader in reconciling our deep-sea energy and environmental needs.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0345760
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$210,000.00
Summary
Nanoscale Interaction Forces in Particulate and Molecular Systems. We seek to establish a world-class facility for the measurement of nanoscale interaction forces. The ability to measure forces between particles, polymers, emulsion droplets, bubbles, proteins and powders will augment our research capabilities in minerals and material processing, thin film technology, structured surfaces, and in molecular and bio-technology (eg. proteins, DNA, cells, bone, bio-implants). A Molecular Force Probe ....Nanoscale Interaction Forces in Particulate and Molecular Systems. We seek to establish a world-class facility for the measurement of nanoscale interaction forces. The ability to measure forces between particles, polymers, emulsion droplets, bubbles, proteins and powders will augment our research capabilities in minerals and material processing, thin film technology, structured surfaces, and in molecular and bio-technology (eg. proteins, DNA, cells, bone, bio-implants). A Molecular Force Probe (Asylum Research) instrument will allow precise and flexible force measurements on the nano-metre scale. The proposed multi-disciplinary facility will advance research in the areas of engineering, chemistry, pharmacology and biotechnology.
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Beyond Compliance - Safety, Health and Environmental Regulation in the Mining Sector, An Empirical Analysis. Through empirical research on the mining sector, this study will enrich our understanding of the motivators of corporate safety, health and environmental performance. It will explain how regulation, social licence pressures, economic constraints and internal management style, affect outcomes and cause some, but not others, to go 'beyond compliance'. Its significance will be to explain and ....Beyond Compliance - Safety, Health and Environmental Regulation in the Mining Sector, An Empirical Analysis. Through empirical research on the mining sector, this study will enrich our understanding of the motivators of corporate safety, health and environmental performance. It will explain how regulation, social licence pressures, economic constraints and internal management style, affect outcomes and cause some, but not others, to go 'beyond compliance'. Its significance will be to explain and model the pathways to better corporate safety, health and environmental performance and thereby advance regulatory theory and contribute to effective policy design. By facilitating and rewarding industry for going beyond compliance it will enable better policy outcomes at less cost.Read moreRead less
Practical Application of Filtration Theory to the Minerals Industry. The project aims to provide a quantitative basis for the selection, design, operation and maintenance of filter devices in the minerals industry. This will be achieved through characterisation of materials to be filtered by developing a model of the true role of the membrane in filtration. Experimental parameters will be input to first principles filtration models. This will reduce the incidence of poor operational outcomes ....Practical Application of Filtration Theory to the Minerals Industry. The project aims to provide a quantitative basis for the selection, design, operation and maintenance of filter devices in the minerals industry. This will be achieved through characterisation of materials to be filtered by developing a model of the true role of the membrane in filtration. Experimental parameters will be input to first principles filtration models. This will reduce the incidence of poor operational outcomes for filter presses and provide a sound basis for the maintenance of filter cloths and membranes.Read moreRead less
Pelletisation of seawater-neutralised bauxite refinery residues (Bauxsol?) for construction of permeable reactive barriers to treat flowing acid mine waters. Acid mine drainage (AMD) occurs where sulphides (mostly pyrite, but also sulphides of other metals) are exposed to oxygen and water; the estimated global liability from AMD is over US$300 billion. There is currently no cost-effective way to prevent the release of acid and heavy metals from exposed sulphide minerals especially at abandoned m ....Pelletisation of seawater-neutralised bauxite refinery residues (Bauxsol?) for construction of permeable reactive barriers to treat flowing acid mine waters. Acid mine drainage (AMD) occurs where sulphides (mostly pyrite, but also sulphides of other metals) are exposed to oxygen and water; the estimated global liability from AMD is over US$300 billion. There is currently no cost-effective way to prevent the release of acid and heavy metals from exposed sulphide minerals especially at abandoned mine sites. This study investigates the pelletisation and use of neutralised bauxite refinery residues (Bauxsol?) to treat flowing metal-rich acid mine drainage waters using reactive-barriers that will neutralise acid and remove heavy metals without impeding flow.Read moreRead less
NEUTRALISING MINERAL REACTIONS IN ACID MINE DRAINAGE CONTROL. The project addresses the serious environmental problem of acid and toxic element release from iron sulfides in waste rock dumps and tailings storage in the mining industry. Long-term neutralising capacity, currently not tested in laboratory assessments, is available from the reaction of some silicate and aluminosilicate minerals. This potential has not been systematically tested or modelled. The research project aims to understand th ....NEUTRALISING MINERAL REACTIONS IN ACID MINE DRAINAGE CONTROL. The project addresses the serious environmental problem of acid and toxic element release from iron sulfides in waste rock dumps and tailings storage in the mining industry. Long-term neutralising capacity, currently not tested in laboratory assessments, is available from the reaction of some silicate and aluminosilicate minerals. This potential has not been systematically tested or modelled. The research project aims to understand the relative mechanisms and rates for long-term alleviation of acid production with mineral layered and blended combinations. Improved understanding will provide methodology for assessment and control of acid mine drainage.Read moreRead less
Development of an efficient oxygen-thiosulfate process for the recovery of gold from ores. Gold is currently recovered from the ore by a cyanide leaching process. This high risk procedure is used because there is currently no safe alternative. The research we propose to undertake will investigate a novel thiosulfate-oxygen process to dissolve gold. Successful completion of the project will identify the mechanism of the process and could lead to the replacement of the highly toxic cyanide with th ....Development of an efficient oxygen-thiosulfate process for the recovery of gold from ores. Gold is currently recovered from the ore by a cyanide leaching process. This high risk procedure is used because there is currently no safe alternative. The research we propose to undertake will investigate a novel thiosulfate-oxygen process to dissolve gold. Successful completion of the project will identify the mechanism of the process and could lead to the replacement of the highly toxic cyanide with the non toxic thiosulfate. Thus the proposed project has the potential to substantially alter the gold recovery process, particularly in an era where environmental and public concerns exist over the use of cyanide.Read moreRead less
Development of a risk assessment tool to minimise mixed metals toxicities from mine tailings. Research based on animal uptake from mine tailings is required to quantify comparative bioavailability of mixtures of metals to provide data for mine rehabilitation design during the planning stage. Such data also provides risk assessment in humans. The optimum balance is minimum environmental effects from the rehabilitated mine structure versus minimised cost through planning prior to project commencem ....Development of a risk assessment tool to minimise mixed metals toxicities from mine tailings. Research based on animal uptake from mine tailings is required to quantify comparative bioavailability of mixtures of metals to provide data for mine rehabilitation design during the planning stage. Such data also provides risk assessment in humans. The optimum balance is minimum environmental effects from the rehabilitated mine structure versus minimised cost through planning prior to project commencement. The significant cost of mining ore bodies, particularly by modern open cut methods, is the removal of rock and soil. The research on animal toxicity testings will provide a tool to more accurately detail mine rehabilitation and give quantitative indicators for closure.Read moreRead less
BEACH FORMATION OF NON-SEGREGATING TAILINGS. Thickened tailings from mining operations discharged onto flat ground build into a low conical hill, forming a straight beach slope. This method of stacked tailings disposal is currently employed at nine Australian mine-sites. It is cost effective and environmentally friendly. Discharged thickened pastes can develop steeper slopes, thus requiring less area for the tailings stack. However, a tailing discharge system design must be based on an accurate ....BEACH FORMATION OF NON-SEGREGATING TAILINGS. Thickened tailings from mining operations discharged onto flat ground build into a low conical hill, forming a straight beach slope. This method of stacked tailings disposal is currently employed at nine Australian mine-sites. It is cost effective and environmentally friendly. Discharged thickened pastes can develop steeper slopes, thus requiring less area for the tailings stack. However, a tailing discharge system design must be based on an accurate prediction of the beach slope. The aim is to produce a method of predicting the beach slope angle from laboratory experiments involving particle mechanics, rheology, and process parameters like flowrate and concentration.Read moreRead less
Flow field evaluation of AusIron top submerged injection system. The top submerged gas injection system is widely used in the metallurgical industry in many metal refining processes. The AusIron process, which uses dual top submerged lances injection, has been developed recently for direct smelting of iron ore to produce pig iron using low quality coal as fuel and reductant. Successful implementation of the process requires optimum furnace design. This project aims to study fluid flow within the ....Flow field evaluation of AusIron top submerged injection system. The top submerged gas injection system is widely used in the metallurgical industry in many metal refining processes. The AusIron process, which uses dual top submerged lances injection, has been developed recently for direct smelting of iron ore to produce pig iron using low quality coal as fuel and reductant. Successful implementation of the process requires optimum furnace design. This project aims to study fluid flow within the furnace using a laboratory scale model, plant trials and numerical analysis. The project will enhance our fundamental understanding of the top submerged injection processes and assist in optimising AusIron furnace design.Read moreRead less