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HomeResearch at CurtinCurtin Institute for Energy TransitionOur researchTechnology and resourcesMining and critical minerals

Mining and critical minerals

Efficient extraction of minerals is key to the mining industry’s future, and we’re exploring how to maximise our mineral resources towards a low-carbon tomorrow.

Critical minerals are vital for the energy transition. Our researchers are investigating how mining processes can be improved to yield greater efficiency and reduce environmental disruption.

Overview

Trailblazer Resources Technology & Critical Minerals

Trailblazer Resources Technology & Critical Minerals

Accelerating innovation and research commercialisation.
Trailblazer builds new research capabilities and drives commercialisation outcomes in the technology and critical minerals sector. The program support innovative start ups and business growth across Australian SMEs in this sector, enabling businesses to thrive.

Critical Minerals, Metals, and Materials for the Energy Transition (C3MET)

Critical Minerals, Metals, and Materials for the Energy Transition (C3MET)

Dedicated to the sustainable and efficient recovery of critical minerals from both primary and secondary resources
Led by Professor Jacques Eksteen, C3MET’s team of 29 academics deploy their research expertise across the areas of extraction and processing of various commodities such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, vanadium, PGMs, rare earth elements, graphite and precious metals.

Associate Professor Laurence Dyer

Associate Professor Laurence Dyer

CIET Mining and Critical Minerals Theme Lead
Based at Curtin’s Kalgoorlie campus, Laurence Dyer’s research includes process solutions, industrial water and waste treatment. He is actively pursuing opportunities in multidisciplinary projects including the contribution of mining and metallurgical engineering to energy supply and demand, decarbonisation and process sustainability.

Key projects

Professor Jacques Eksteen, Dr Lina Hockaday, HILT CRC

Upgrading of iron ore for DRI production using products from seawater RO brines

This project explores a novel method to remove impurities from iron ores and thus upgrade low-grade iron ore quality by using byproducts from seawater desalination – specifically, the salty brine left over after removing fresh water – as the source of reagents.
This project aims to create a scalable hydrometallurgical process to upgrade low-grade iron ore (47-56% iron) to high-grade iron ore (63-67% iron), a critical requirement for producing low-carbon DRI. The process uses reagents extracted from seawater desalination brines, eliminating waste while producing valuable byproducts such as lithium salts, zeolites (used in water purification), silica and fertiliser minerals.

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Bush landscape
Dr Byran Maybee, CRC TiME

Natural capital accounting in the mining sector

Growing concern about risks to economic stability associated with changing climates and declining biodiversity have generated calls for greater action from the private sector. The prominence of natural capital accounting and natural capital assessment in responding to these calls for improved disclosure has accelerated considerably over the last decade, which has seen the emergence of numerous initiatives, frameworks, metrics and targets, all aimed at improving the consistency and comparability of reporting in relation to natural capital.

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