Reverse engineering nature: metal extraction through mineral replacement. This project aims to find new methods of copper recovery from low grade copper ores, which are currently uneconomic to mine. In nature, at the top of ore deposits and just below the water-table, is a region known as the supergene zone. Here mild oxidizing reactions take place causing primary ore minerals such as chalcopyrite to be replaced by more copper-rich, less refractory minerals. These processes are driven by disso ....Reverse engineering nature: metal extraction through mineral replacement. This project aims to find new methods of copper recovery from low grade copper ores, which are currently uneconomic to mine. In nature, at the top of ore deposits and just below the water-table, is a region known as the supergene zone. Here mild oxidizing reactions take place causing primary ore minerals such as chalcopyrite to be replaced by more copper-rich, less refractory minerals. These processes are driven by dissolution re-precipitation reactions (CDR reactions) and in many CDR reactions, the reaction mechanism, rather than intensive properties such as pressure and temperature, control the nature of the products and the overall reaction process. This project will explore the mechanism and controls on these reactions to see if they can be utilized in the mining industry to economically extract copper from low grade ores.
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Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH170100020
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,641,142.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Processing Lignocellulosics into High Value Products. The ARC Research Hub for Processing Lignocellulosics into High Value Products aims to convert renewable and readily-available biomass material and waste streams from the Australian Pulp, Paper and Forest Industry into new, high-value products that are in high demand in existing and developing markets. The Research Hub will translate leading scientific discoveries in biomass conversion into the manufacture of advanced mate ....ARC Research Hub for Processing Lignocellulosics into High Value Products. The ARC Research Hub for Processing Lignocellulosics into High Value Products aims to convert renewable and readily-available biomass material and waste streams from the Australian Pulp, Paper and Forest Industry into new, high-value products that are in high demand in existing and developing markets. The Research Hub will translate leading scientific discoveries in biomass conversion into the manufacture of advanced materials that can be used in the industries of the future. Research aims to identify new applications and products. They will be derived from lignocellulose through the advent of new smart paper packaging, green chemical and materials with unique properties. Benefits will flow to the pharmaceutical, chemicals, plastics and food packaging industries.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100236
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,000.00
Summary
Facilities for spectroscopy and diffraction at high pressures. The provision of infrastructure for the study of novel materials under high pressures will enhance Australia's capability in creating new materials and in creating new devices that meet needs in communication, environment and medicine applications. The new facility will enable researchers to understand the response of structures to extreme pressures and will exploit the unique capabilities of the synchrotron light.
New technologies for e-waste recycling. This project aims to provide commercially viable methods for recycling electronic waste (e-waste), with a focus on plastic recycling and precious metal recovery from circuit boards. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the separation and recovery of gold, silver, and palladium using novel leach reagents and sorbents. Additionally, new techniques will be evaluated for converting e-waste plastic into construction materials. Expected outcomes of ....New technologies for e-waste recycling. This project aims to provide commercially viable methods for recycling electronic waste (e-waste), with a focus on plastic recycling and precious metal recovery from circuit boards. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the separation and recovery of gold, silver, and palladium using novel leach reagents and sorbents. Additionally, new techniques will be evaluated for converting e-waste plastic into construction materials. Expected outcomes of this project include new capabilities for Australia's e-waste recycling industry, as the majority of circuit board waste is shipped overseas. This should provide significant economic benefits such as the recovery of valuable metals and the development of novel construction materials.Read moreRead less
Vortex fluidic mediated chemical transformations. This project aims to develop a continuous flow vortex fluidic device (VFD) for chemical and biochemical transformations. Vortex fluidic devices should lead to cleaner and faster ways of preparing complex molecules. Depending on the VFD’s operating parameters, including applying field effects such as Faraday waves, plasmas and light sources, reactions could have higher yields and selectivity than traditional batch processing. This will be translat ....Vortex fluidic mediated chemical transformations. This project aims to develop a continuous flow vortex fluidic device (VFD) for chemical and biochemical transformations. Vortex fluidic devices should lead to cleaner and faster ways of preparing complex molecules. Depending on the VFD’s operating parameters, including applying field effects such as Faraday waves, plasmas and light sources, reactions could have higher yields and selectivity than traditional batch processing. This will be translated into molecular assembly line syntheses in a single unit or a series. Such syntheses should provide a versatile toolbox for molecular transformations, under continuous flow conditions where scalability is addressed upfront. This will be attractive to industry and minimise effects on the environment.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC190100034
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,574,272.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing. Globally, there is demand for products that are effective, safe and environmentally benign. The ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing aims to utilise local and global experts to provide the next generation of Australian chemists and engineers, with skills to develop innovative products and processes that are intrinsically safe and benign. It will provide collaborating partners and the broader manufacturing industry with ....ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing. Globally, there is demand for products that are effective, safe and environmentally benign. The ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing aims to utilise local and global experts to provide the next generation of Australian chemists and engineers, with skills to develop innovative products and processes that are intrinsically safe and benign. It will provide collaborating partners and the broader manufacturing industry with new products and processes with strong export potential, and the ability to respond to the market pressures, underpinned by green chemistry and sustainable principles. Resulting benefits include increased competitiveness for Australia's manufacturing industry, jobs, social as well as environmental benefitsRead moreRead less
Modular Vortex Fluidic Mediated Molecular Transformations. The project aims to develop the use of electric and magnetic fields to control chemical and biochemical reactions in high shear thin films under readily scalable continuous flow conditions to then be able to precisely build complex functional molecules. Depending on the orientation, strength and frequency of external electric and magnetic fields, and novel shear stress induced electric fields in solution, rates of reactions can be enhanc ....Modular Vortex Fluidic Mediated Molecular Transformations. The project aims to develop the use of electric and magnetic fields to control chemical and biochemical reactions in high shear thin films under readily scalable continuous flow conditions to then be able to precisely build complex functional molecules. Depending on the orientation, strength and frequency of external electric and magnetic fields, and novel shear stress induced electric fields in solution, rates of reactions can be enhanced, with higher yields and tunable selectivity, and reduced waste and energy usage, which is not possible using traditional batch processing. This will be translated into molecular assembly line processing and the development of a new synthetic toolbox, with applications in preparing pharmaceuticals.
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Controlling the organisation of matter using vortex fluidics. Vortex fluidic devices will be developed and used to construct functional complex molecules and materials, and probe the structure of self assembled systems. The scalable processing will be assessed for application in advanced materials production, the chemical industry and in developing complex molecules for drug discovery.
Open framework organic materials for CO2 capture and conversion. The reduction of CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants is a technological challenge of global significance. This project will address this challenge by developing a unique system, based upon open framework materials, that will selectively capture CO2 from gas streams and then catalyse its transformation into industrially useful chemicals.