Gravity Separation and Desliming of Fine Particles. This project will be of benefit to the Australian coal and mineral processing industries, worth tens of billions of dollars to the Australian economy each year. The objective is to establish an innovative system of cascading Reflux Classifiers for achieving both gravity separation and desliming of fine particles. Presently millions of tonnes of fine coal exist in tailings dams, unrecoverable by existing technologies such as flotation. This rese ....Gravity Separation and Desliming of Fine Particles. This project will be of benefit to the Australian coal and mineral processing industries, worth tens of billions of dollars to the Australian economy each year. The objective is to establish an innovative system of cascading Reflux Classifiers for achieving both gravity separation and desliming of fine particles. Presently millions of tonnes of fine coal exist in tailings dams, unrecoverable by existing technologies such as flotation. This research will provide options for the recovery of this resource, making the remediation of these sites economically viable. The project will also support the education and training of researchers in this field of importance to Australia’s future.Read moreRead less
Enhanced recovery and concentration of cenospheres from fly ash. The purpose of this project is to investigate the recovery of valuable particles, referred to as cenospheres, from the fly ash waste of coal fired power stations. An understanding of the complex gravitational settling behaviour of fly ash suspensions in inclined channels will lead to a new technology for recovering and concentrating the particles.
Particle scale modelling and analysis of the multiphase flows in coal preparation. Australia is the world's biggest coal exporter, and black coal is Australia's largest export, with an annual value >$20 billion. Optimum design and control of the processes in coal preparation play a critical economic role in coal production. This project aims at providing substantial improvements through the application of a novel combined continuum and discrete modelling method. Specifically, the improvements ta ....Particle scale modelling and analysis of the multiphase flows in coal preparation. Australia is the world's biggest coal exporter, and black coal is Australia's largest export, with an annual value >$20 billion. Optimum design and control of the processes in coal preparation play a critical economic role in coal production. This project aims at providing substantial improvements through the application of a novel combined continuum and discrete modelling method. Specifically, the improvements targeted relate to better process and product control, a decrease in unit energy consumption and improvements in productivity, which, together with the research training offered, will further enhance Australia's leading position in global coal industry.Read moreRead less
A high-rate process for mineral flotation. Flotation is an important operation in the minerals industry, the bedrock of Australia's prosperity. Currently it is hard to recover the finest valuable particles. A new device has been discovered that is up to a 100 times faster, giving improved recoveries and much lower capital cost. This project will investigate new phenomena used in the device.
Flotation of composite particles. This project will address an important problem in the flotation process for the minerals industry, the recovery of composite particles, which are mixtures of pure mineral and host rock. The project will investigate several remarkable discoveries recently reported that have the potential to improve significantly the recovery of composites and, surprisingly, of particles of pure mineral as well. New flotation devices will be developed in which the flow conditions ....Flotation of composite particles. This project will address an important problem in the flotation process for the minerals industry, the recovery of composite particles, which are mixtures of pure mineral and host rock. The project will investigate several remarkable discoveries recently reported that have the potential to improve significantly the recovery of composites and, surprisingly, of particles of pure mineral as well. New flotation devices will be developed in which the flow conditions are highly favourable to the recovery of coarse and ultrafine particles, with potential to reduce the costs of grinding energy and milling media in concentrators by half.Read moreRead less
Fundamental investigation of the briquetting behaviour of iron ore fines. Handling, including transport and processing, may account for up to 60 per cent of the total delivered price of iron ore. This project will develop an integrated computer model for an improved briquetting process of ore fines with reduced operation cost and less environmental impact, leading to a more competitive and sustainable mineral industry in Australia.
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH140100035
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Computational Particle Technology. ARC Research Hub for Computational Particle Technology. This research hub aims to develop and apply advanced theories and mathematical models to design and optimise particulate and multiphase processes that are widely used in the minerals and metallurgical industries. This should be achieved through detailed analysis of the fundamentals governing fluid flow, heat and mass transfer at different time and length scales, facilitated by various ....ARC Research Hub for Computational Particle Technology. ARC Research Hub for Computational Particle Technology. This research hub aims to develop and apply advanced theories and mathematical models to design and optimise particulate and multiphase processes that are widely used in the minerals and metallurgical industries. This should be achieved through detailed analysis of the fundamentals governing fluid flow, heat and mass transfer at different time and length scales, facilitated by various novel research techniques. Research outcomes including theories, computer models and simulation techniques, as well as well-trained young researchers, should have a significant impact across a range of industries of vital importance to Australia’s economic and technological future, including the minerals, metallurgical, materials, chemical, energy, pharmaceutical and environment sectors.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100266
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$367,446.00
Summary
Granular interfaces for sustainable processing of raw materials. This project aims to develop an innovative interface model and a comprehensive understanding of the interfacial behaviours between granular materials using advanced numerical, experimental and theoretical approaches. This project expects to generate new knowledge of mixing and segregation in particle science and technology and a practical guide to applications. Expected outcomes of this project include the enhanced competitiveness ....Granular interfaces for sustainable processing of raw materials. This project aims to develop an innovative interface model and a comprehensive understanding of the interfacial behaviours between granular materials using advanced numerical, experimental and theoretical approaches. This project expects to generate new knowledge of mixing and segregation in particle science and technology and a practical guide to applications. Expected outcomes of this project include the enhanced competitiveness of Australia and energy efficiency in its important industries such as minerals, metallurgical, chemical, energy and pharmaceutical. These outcomes should provide significant benefits such as mitigated emissions and global warming in a carbon and resource constrained world.Read moreRead less
Triboelectric separation - fundamentals and practice. Triboelectric separation is a novel way to refine mineral ores without using scarce water resources, based on the familiar generation of electrostatic charge by friction. This project will provide a practical dry particle separation process, and a better understanding of a common and important problem in electrostatics.
Depressing pyrite in selective flotation of complex polymetallic ores . This project aims to understand the reactions taking place on the major gangue (waste) mineral during the recovery of base-metal and precious minerals. The mining industry is processing low grade complex ores and experiencing difficulties in rejecting gangue minerals in mineral separation and metal extraction plants. The project will develop new technologies that manipulate these reactions to achieve mineral separation and ....Depressing pyrite in selective flotation of complex polymetallic ores . This project aims to understand the reactions taking place on the major gangue (waste) mineral during the recovery of base-metal and precious minerals. The mining industry is processing low grade complex ores and experiencing difficulties in rejecting gangue minerals in mineral separation and metal extraction plants. The project will develop new technologies that manipulate these reactions to achieve mineral separation and metal extraction efficiently and economically. These technologies may provide value in processing low quality complex polymetallic resources using low quality water, whilst halving the operating costs of mineral concentrators and providing corresponding reductions in harmful emissions.Read moreRead less