Minerals

The Minerals business unit has world-leading expertise in uranium ore processing, rare earth processing, lithium processing (brines and hardrock), zirconium/niobium/hafnium processing, base metals processing, radioactivity control and management, and novel flowsheet design.
 
We are committed to providing practical solutions and innovative technologies in ways that deliver financial and environmental benefits to our clients.

Consultancy / Process Development

The Minerals business unit has been providing consulting services and process development services to the mining and minerals processing industries for 40 years.

Our experienced team of engineers, metallurgists, chemists and scientists have a proven track record of working with our clients in Australia and around the world to design and evaluate novel flowsheets and improve established processes.

The capabilities and experience that our team has built over the last 40 years are outlined below. Please feel free to contact any member of our team to discuss how we can assist you and help develop your project.

Projects

The Minerals business unit has world-leading expertise in uranium ore processing, rare earth processing, zirconium/niobium/hafnium processing, base metals processing, lithium processing (brines and hardrock), radioactivity control and management, and novel flowsheet design.

We work with mining companies in Australia and around the world to design novel flowsheets and improve established processes. In addition to our process development work, site work, including surveys, audits and plant trials, has been an important feature of our involvement with industry. Involvement with our clients operations has continued to be an important conduit for transferring the results of our process development studies to industry. The work conducted at ANSTO has directly supported numerous NI 43-101 reports, and numerous preliminary, definitive and bankable feasibility studies.

Facilities and Capabilities

The Minerals business unit has extensive laboratory and piloting facilities to support our client projects including:

• Sample receipt and preparation facility
• Modern hydrometallurgical laboratories including cyanide leaching laboratory
• Autoclave laboratory – multiple materials of construction options, up to 2 L scale
• High engineering bay to house tall columns
• Dedicated solvent extraction separation facility – mixer-settler and pulsed columns
• Extensive ion exchange equipment – laboratory and pilot scale, fixed bed and RIP
• Nanofiltration / membrane equipment – laboratory and pilot scale
• Directly and indirectly heated rotary kilns – up to 100 kg/h
• Pilot plant facilities
• Demonstration plant facilities including bunded hardstand area
• Extensive sample storage area

All our facilities are ARPANSA and ASNO licensed to handle radioactive materials.

Our unit also has a dedicated suite of in-house analytical instruments to support our client projects. These analytical facilities can be operated as needed in order to meet project requirements, including 24/7 coverage during pilot plant trials. The range of analytical techniques available includes:

• Mineralogy – QEMSCAN / XRD / TEM
• Solids assay – XRF, digest ICP, LECO, TGA-DSC, DNA and NAA
• Liquor assay – XRF, ICP-MS, ICP-OES and ISE,
• α, β and γ spectrometry

A full description of our Analytical facilities and support they offer our clients is outlined below:

Research and Development

Our industry-focused Minerals research group carries out fundamental research uniquely applied to industrial problems in the areas of uranium, rare earth and lithium processing. Our research is targeted at improving our understanding of the processes that are the core of our client's businesses. It is the close interaction of our researchers with our scientists and engineers working in industry sponsored projects that provides an ideal environment for innovation, where everyone benefits.

ANSTO’s national research facilities also provide access to a wide range of advanced analytical techniques not typically available or considered for research in the mining and mineral processing sectors.

We encourage collaborative agreements with the university sector and support the next generation of researchers through our Year In Industry program, our support of Honours and PhD students, and new graduates.

A selection of our published and presented research is outlined below. Please feel free to contact Karin Soldenhoff our Technology Manager to discuss the application of our know-how and technologies to your project.

Our key research areas include:

• Developing alternative technologies that allow for processing of uranium from saline liquors
• Developing alternative technology for uranium recovery as a by-product of phosphoric acid production
• Application of modelling techniques for selected uranium and rare earth unit operations such as heap leaching, ion exchange and solvent extraction
• Understanding the impact of complex rare earth mineralogy on rare earth processing routes
• The study of zirconium and niobium speciation in sulphate media
• Examining the potential of ion exchange for rare earth recovery
• Investigating the potential for synergistic reagents in rare earth solvent extraction circuits
• Mapping the deportment of the radionuclides Th-232, U-238 and U-235 chains in rare earth processes
• Investigating the relatives rates of dissolution of different uranium minerals in carbonate leaching, and the impact of the key variables such oxidant

News

Keep up to date with the latest news relating to how the Minerals team have contributed to our client’s projects, plus our industry and research presentations.

Contact

Our team is available to discuss commercial projects, consultancy, research or any other areas of our business that you might be interested in. Feel free to contact any one of the team members directly or email our group via mineralsenquiries@ansto.gov.au

Minerals Management team