Mineralogical Classification of Tailings and Development of Advanced Separation Strategies for Resource Recovery

The Challenge

There is a lack of mineralogical composition data for mine tailings in Western Australia. 

Proposed Solution

​​This project aims to classify mine tailings based on mineralogical composition and evaluate potential recovery strategies using existing data sources and process modeling.  The approach will be entirely desk-based, leveraging published datasets, mine reports, and computational tools rather than laboratory testing. 

​Key objectives:  

• ​Tailings classification 

• ​Content range determination 

• ​Proposed extraction processes 

​Proposed Benefits to WA

The project will deliver a classification framework for tailings, a database of mineral content range, and conceptual process flowsheets for resource recovery.  This will support decision-making for repurposing tailings, reducing waste, and improving economic returns for the mineral industry in Western Australia. 

DOI

10.71342/257755086291