Residue2Product-II
Transforming mining residues to valuable products (stage II) or Residue2Product-II project aims at developing and optimizing a novel combined recycling process for pyrite tailings and waste gypsum. Products such as lime, sulphur/sulphur dioxide and iron powder are produced.
Products such as lime, sulphur/sulphur dioxide and iron powder are produced. The specific project objectives are to; 1) Integrate and optimize a combined recycling process for waste gypsum and pyrite tailings, 2) Identify the factors that affect/ optimize the conversion of pyrite and gypsum to lime, sulphur/sulphur dioxide and iron powder, 3) evaluate generated products and identify the plausible separation techniques for the potential use of lime in cement industry and metallic iron in the steel industry, and 4) evaluate the potential recovery of additional valuable metals as e.g. cobalt
Wastes from the mining of sulphidic ores for Cu, Zn, Pb, etc. represent the largest volume of waste generated in the European mining industry. Weathering of pyrite tailings can lead to the formation of acidic water known as acid mine drainage (AMD). Neutralization of AMD with limestone/lime addition results in high production of gypsum residue (CaSO4·2H2O). Gypsum residues are by-products of many other processes, e.g. phosphoric acid production. Pyrite tailings and waste gypsum are fed into the new process, which will ensure mining sustainability, decrease the environmental burden from the generated wastes, and reduce the generated CO2.
The project results will strengthen the Swedish mining and metallurgical industry, by providing improved management of the residues. The results can be implemented in any extraction of base metals from sulphidic ore and chemical manufacturing industry, etc.
The project is funded through the strategic innovation program Swedish Mining Innovation, a joint venture by Vinnova, Formas and Energimyndigheten. The residue2product-II is a collaborative project between LTU, Boliden minerals and Cementa.
Contact
Hesham Ahmed
- Associate Professor, Associate Professor
- 0920-491309
- hesham.ahmed@ltu.se
- Hesham Ahmed
Updated: