Functional nano-porous metal membranes for sustainable separation in industrial processes. There are many waste streams that need to be purified which degrade conventional membranes. This project with local company AMS aims to develop nano-porous metal membranes as a sustainable alternative to conventional membrane materials. Highly porous and ultra-thin metal membrane sheets with narrowly distributed nano-scale pores will be fabricated and functionalised to purify both model and industrial wast ....Functional nano-porous metal membranes for sustainable separation in industrial processes. There are many waste streams that need to be purified which degrade conventional membranes. This project with local company AMS aims to develop nano-porous metal membranes as a sustainable alternative to conventional membrane materials. Highly porous and ultra-thin metal membrane sheets with narrowly distributed nano-scale pores will be fabricated and functionalised to purify both model and industrial wastewaters. This intends to lead to the production of stronger, more versatile and chemically stable membrane materials that will exhibit longer lifespan and performance. The most significant outcome is expected to be low cost metal alloys with pores below the current 100 nm benchmark and assess their thermo-chemical stability.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC190100017
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,703,664.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Integrated Operations for Complex Resources. This Training Centre aims to increase value in mining through clever applications of ‘lean processing’ and train the next generation of scientists and engineers in advanced sensors and data analytics in complex resources; knowledge priorities for the mining industry. Sensor information will be linked to the resource’s in-place knowledge to enable data analytics of all embedded knowledge. Processing can then be tuned to resource ....ARC Training Centre for Integrated Operations for Complex Resources. This Training Centre aims to increase value in mining through clever applications of ‘lean processing’ and train the next generation of scientists and engineers in advanced sensors and data analytics in complex resources; knowledge priorities for the mining industry. Sensor information will be linked to the resource’s in-place knowledge to enable data analytics of all embedded knowledge. Processing can then be tuned to resource attributes, maximising value ‘on the fly’. Benefits will include increasing certainty on product quality and maximising throughput and recovery. Outcomes will include new tools to rapidly model geological and geometallurgical uncertainty with sensor inputs, to track the resource to product and enhance interpretation.Read moreRead less
Transformation Dual Phase Synergy for Unprecedented Superelasticity. This project aims to develop metallic materials of unprecedented mechanical properties based on a novel concept of transformation triggered dual-phase synergy. This is enabled by harnessing the intrinsic strength of interatomic bonds in solids using the nanoscience principle of lattice strain matching between phase transforming bodies. The project will provide significant benefits, such as innovating our metal production techno ....Transformation Dual Phase Synergy for Unprecedented Superelasticity. This project aims to develop metallic materials of unprecedented mechanical properties based on a novel concept of transformation triggered dual-phase synergy. This is enabled by harnessing the intrinsic strength of interatomic bonds in solids using the nanoscience principle of lattice strain matching between phase transforming bodies. The project will provide significant benefits, such as innovating our metal production technology and to value-add the metal processing and manufacturing industries of Australia.Read moreRead less
Enhanced metal recovery from a modified Caron leach of mixed nickel-cobalt intermediate concentrate. Nickel metal production from lateritic deposits involves dissolution in acid followed by purification and selective alkaline precipitation of the nickel and cobalt as hydroxide phase. Hydroxides from several plants are transported to a central refinery where the hydroxide is redissolved in ammoniacal solutions and nickel and cobalt are separated and reduced to metal.
This project will examine t ....Enhanced metal recovery from a modified Caron leach of mixed nickel-cobalt intermediate concentrate. Nickel metal production from lateritic deposits involves dissolution in acid followed by purification and selective alkaline precipitation of the nickel and cobalt as hydroxide phase. Hydroxides from several plants are transported to a central refinery where the hydroxide is redissolved in ammoniacal solutions and nickel and cobalt are separated and reduced to metal.
This project will examine the effect of preparation conditions and aging of the hydroxide precipitate on the refining process.
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On demand three-dimensional printing of stainless steel parts. On demand three-dimensional printing of stainless steel parts. This project aims to revolutionize the security of supply of critical stainless steel parts by producing them on-site and on demand, using three dimensional metal printing. Australia’s oil and gas industry uses tonnes of stainless steel for critical processing components in production plants. Australia is also one of the few developed nations without appreciable productio ....On demand three-dimensional printing of stainless steel parts. On demand three-dimensional printing of stainless steel parts. This project aims to revolutionize the security of supply of critical stainless steel parts by producing them on-site and on demand, using three dimensional metal printing. Australia’s oil and gas industry uses tonnes of stainless steel for critical processing components in production plants. Australia is also one of the few developed nations without appreciable production and processing facilities for stainless steels, so relies on specialist overseas suppliers. This is a major risk to the industry, which stores billions of dollars’ worth of replacement parts, including stainless steels, in inventory. This project should reduce reliance on overseas steel suppliers and free up hundreds of millions of dollars of capital invested in the inventory stores of replacement stainless steel parts.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100579
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$445,754.00
Summary
The existence and abundance of small bases of permutation groups. This project aims to study bases for permutation groups, which are the mathematical formalisation of symmetry. Bases are crucial to encoding and computing with groups in diverse areas of science. Small bases are desirable for efficiency, but can be hard to find. This project expects to combine techniques from areas of algebra and probability to determine the existence and abundance of bases. Expected outcomes of this project inclu ....The existence and abundance of small bases of permutation groups. This project aims to study bases for permutation groups, which are the mathematical formalisation of symmetry. Bases are crucial to encoding and computing with groups in diverse areas of science. Small bases are desirable for efficiency, but can be hard to find. This project expects to combine techniques from areas of algebra and probability to determine the existence and abundance of bases. Expected outcomes of this project include new methods to address enduring open problems in the study of bases, as well as novel applications of existing techniques. This should provide significant benefits, such as creating and strengthening international collaborations, and building on Australia’s reputation as a powerhouse of finite group theory.Read moreRead less
Defining the multi-scale controls on high-grade gold mineralisation. This project aims to improve our understanding of how extremely high-grade gold occurrences form in order to further our understanding of metal transport and accumulation within the Earth’s crust. This project will generate new knowledge in the area of gold geochemistry using novel experimental programs, interdisciplinary approaches and by utilising advanced technologies. Expected outcomes of this project include reducing the ....Defining the multi-scale controls on high-grade gold mineralisation. This project aims to improve our understanding of how extremely high-grade gold occurrences form in order to further our understanding of metal transport and accumulation within the Earth’s crust. This project will generate new knowledge in the area of gold geochemistry using novel experimental programs, interdisciplinary approaches and by utilising advanced technologies. Expected outcomes of this project include reducing the unpredictability of high-grade gold occurrences that impact both production and exploration strategies. This project should benefit the mineral industry partners by helping to discover high grade gold resources which is of great benefit to Australia.Read moreRead less
Stabilisation of Titania Pigment Slurries During Processing. This project aims to improve the stabilisation properties of titania pigment slurries during production. Current polyphosphate dispersants used by Tiwest are unstable under processing conditions. Tailored, robust dispersing reagents will therefore be investigated in order to provide improved stabilisation of pigments during processing. Enhanced understanding of the dispersing reagents interaction with the titania pigment surface and th ....Stabilisation of Titania Pigment Slurries During Processing. This project aims to improve the stabilisation properties of titania pigment slurries during production. Current polyphosphate dispersants used by Tiwest are unstable under processing conditions. Tailored, robust dispersing reagents will therefore be investigated in order to provide improved stabilisation of pigments during processing. Enhanced understanding of the dispersing reagents interaction with the titania pigment surface and the subsequent stability of the pigment will allow advances in processing and consequently improved final products. The potential growth in market share, by improved product performance, is in excess of $50M pa.Read moreRead less
Prospectivity of late Archean basaltic and gabbroic rocks associated with major gold and base-metal deposits. This project will establish a new set of criteria for the discovery of hidden deposits of gold, lead, zinc, copper and silver in rock aged between 2.8 and 2.6 billion years old. In 2009, the mining of these deposits contributed $5.5 billion dollars to Australia’s export earnings and provided the financial backbone for many regional communities.
Advancing Mineral Exploration Models for Orogenic Gold Deposits. This interdisciplinary project links geochemistry with crustal-scale fluid migration, aiming to improve mineral exploration success for orogenic gold deposits. In doing so, it intends to provide a more holistic view of gold deposit genesis. This project plans to focus on the Victorian goldfields, which have world-class historic gold production, an existing seismic transect, and a geologic setting that will address key problems in g ....Advancing Mineral Exploration Models for Orogenic Gold Deposits. This interdisciplinary project links geochemistry with crustal-scale fluid migration, aiming to improve mineral exploration success for orogenic gold deposits. In doing so, it intends to provide a more holistic view of gold deposit genesis. This project plans to focus on the Victorian goldfields, which have world-class historic gold production, an existing seismic transect, and a geologic setting that will address key problems in gold deposit genesis. A series of modelling techniques will be used to marry structural and geochemical aspects of gold deposit formation at a scale that has not been previously attempted.Read moreRead less