BHP Tailings Challenge
The ARC Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals is pleased to announce that the chief investigators Associate Professor Seher Ata (University of New South Wales) and Laureate Professor Graeme Jameson (University of Newcastle) are part of the proposal led by UNSW that has been selected to advance to the 2nd round of the BHP Tailings Challenge. The Challenge aims to deliver new technological solutions and business models for reusing copper tailings. The UNSW proposal will apply strategies to foster a circular economy approach including tailings reprocessing, repurposing, management and minimising the environmental footprint. The BHP Tailings Challenge is supported by Fundacion Chile through its Expanded program and the Foundation will provide a total of $US10 million in funding to successful researchers.
The Challenge aims to deliver new technological solutions and business models for reusing copper tailings. The UNSW proposal will apply strategies to foster a circular economy approach including tailings reprocessing, repurposing, management and minimising the environmental footprint. The BHP Tailings Challenge is supported by Fundacion Chile through its Expanded program and the Foundation will provide a total of $US10 million in funding to successful researchers.
Associate Professor Seher Ata and Laureate Professor Graeme Jameson will bring their extensive knowledge and wealth of experience in froth flotation to convert mining waste into valuable materials. In the proof-of-concept stage, the NovaCell developed by Prof Jameson, along with other innovative solutions, will be used to extract valuable minerals while removing harmful heavy metals from tailings streams.