Sustainable membrane-based treatment of tailings and wastewater for contaminant removal, resource recovery, and acid mine drainage prevention in Western Australia

The Challenge

Australia faces growing water stress from population growth, climate change and industry. Over‑extraction of groundwater and surface water causes land subsidence, seawater intrusion and biodiversity loss. Wastewater treatment and reuse remain inefficient, increasing freshwater demand. In 2021–22, Western Australia’s minerals sector extracted 987 GL of water, but only 536 GL was returned. Mining wastewater contains toxic contaminants. Although membrane technologies can treat wastewater effectively, fouling, high energy use and poor sustainability limit large‑scale deployment globally.  

Proposed Solution

This research aims to:

(1) develop robust polymeric and ceramic membranes with bio-inspired additives and green solvents to resist the complex chemistry of mining and tailings wastewater;

(2) apply antifouling and anti-scaling surface modifications to mitigate fouling from metal hydroxides, silicates, and organic residues;

(3) evaluate energy-efficient operation methods suitable for remote mining sites; and

(4) integrate experiments with computational modeling to predict long-term performance and enable scalable membrane applications for tailings and mine wastewater treatment. 

Proposed Benefits to WA

This research delivers clear benefits for Western Australia by enabling on‑site wastewater treatment at mining operations, particularly in water‑scarce regions. Local treatment reduces freshwater extraction, transport costs and environmental impacts, while supporting water recovery and zero‑liquid‑discharge goals. It also enables recovery of valuable minerals such as cobalt and lithium, reducing external dependence. Predictive modelling supports adaptive water governance and aligns with national and global water security and sustainability goals. 

Supervisors

Dr Masoumeh Zargar 

Dr Javad Farahbakhsh 

DOI

10.71342/706241959240