Hybrid tailings treatment with integrated mineral carbonation for CO₂ sequestration

The Challenge

WA’s mining sector faces significant risks from tailings, including AMD, salinity, metalloid and heavy metal mobilisation and enduring environmental and closure liabilities. A critical challenge in tailings management is the absence of integrated treatment approaches that can simultaneously stabilise contaminants, recover water and address CO₂ emissions through permanent mineral sequestration pathways at scale. Existing tailings handling practices typically treat dewatering, contaminant control and carbon management as separate processes, resulting in high water demand, persistent AMD risks and limited opportunities for CO₂ mitigation. This fragmentation constrains the effectiveness, safety and sustainability of tailings management, particularly in Western Australia’s arid mining regions where water scarcity, long-term liability and decarbonisation pressures converge. Without integrated and scalable pathways for contaminant stabilisation, water recovery and permanent CO₂ sequestration, tailings will continue to impose escalating environmental, water and carbon liabilities.

Proposed Solution

The project introduces a hybrid tailings treatment process that integrates mineral carbonation with advanced filtration and electrocoagulation techniques. By utilising mining tailings as the treatment medium, the approach examines the potential to capture CO₂ through carbonation reactions while simultaneously reducing the mobility of contaminants. Filtration and electrocoagulation are incorporated to support the removal or stabilisation of dissolved and particulate species, improving the overall chemical control of tailings streams. Mineral carbonation is investigated as a pathway to convert reactive tailings components into more geochemically stable forms, with the aim of reducing long-term environmental risk. Together, these integrated treatment steps are intended to address key limitations of conventional tailings handling practices by linking contaminant management and CO₂ mitigation within a single treatment framework relevant to tailings management challenges in WA.

Proposed Benefits to WA

The project has the potential to deliver environmental, economic and strategic benefits to WA’s mining sector. A key benefit is the evaluation of mineral carbonation within tailings treatment, providing a pathway for permanent CO₂ sequestration using existing mine residues. By investigating the recovery of valuable metals such as copper and gold from tailings, the project supports improved resource efficiency and reduced waste handling burdens. Reducing tailings reactivity and the risk of AMD contributes to lower long-term environmental liabilities and reduced reliance on ongoing dam monitoring and maintenance. Positioning mineral carbonation alongside tailings stabilisation strengthens the link between emissions reduction and mine closure objectives in WA. Collectively, these benefits align with state priorities in mine closure, environmental protection and emissions reduction, while strengthening more sustainable approaches to tailings management across the mining lifecycle.

Financial Assistance DOI:

10.71342/706972443265