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Unlocking Critical Metals from Australian Sediments and Ores
Unlocking Critical Metals from Australian Sediments and Ores
Highly-weathered soils (i.e., laterites) of Australia contain economic quantities of nickel (Ni) but current technologies to extract this metal are inefficient, leaving this vital resource underdeveloped. This project aims to explore the recrystallisation of Ni-bearing minerals in laterites to understand how Ni may be extracted from stable mineral phases under ambient conditions. Stable isotope tracers and 3D atomic-scale tomography will be used to resolve the recrystallisation mechanisms, determine the role of these processes in natural environments and their applicability to natural ores. Expected outcomes include new strategies to process Ni-rich laterites, which is of high interest to industry and society in Australia and abroad.
Collaborators
Steven Micklethwaite, School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University
CSIRO Process Science and Technology Group
Controls on Trace Element Partitioning and Enrichment in Deep-Sea Ferromanganese Nodules
Controls on Trace Element Partitioning and Enrichment in Deep-Sea Ferromanganese Nodules
Marine ferromanganese nodules and crusts are prime commodities for future deep-sea mining ventures due to their unusual enrichment of critical metals (e.g., Ni, Cu, Co, REEs). Metal recovery and processing of these deposits represent cost-intensive components of the marine mining value chain and will require innovative solutions. The main objective of this project is to investigate the impact of dynamic mineral recrystallisation – a process that catalyses trace metal exchange between minerals and fluid phases – on Mn oxides. State-of-the-art synchrotron techniques and stable isotope tracers are utilised to explore this atomic-scale process and evaluate its potential for sustainable, energy-efficient hydrometallurgical applications.
Iron Isotope Geochemistry of Jarosite
Iron Isotope Geochemistry of Jarosite
Coming soon
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