The cross-disciplinary team of mineral processing technology company Metso and the University of Cape Town (UCT) took first place in the Mining Innovation and Research Battlefield competition held in Cape Town from February 3 to 6.

Participants were challenged to present innovative and sustainable solutions for revolutionising tailings management and achieving zero harm, while supporting a more responsible and circular mining economy.

The Metso and UCT team's approach to sustainable tailings management saw them being awarded a $25 000 research grant for their success. 

The winning approach of the Metso and UCT team focused on decoupling water and tailings and enabling distributed, mineral-specific water circuits. The concept is based on years of research at a medium-sized concentrator and focuses on the fundamental principles of electrochemistry of sulphide flotation and on understanding the interactions between sulphur minerals and process water. 

The results indicate that immediate decoupling of tailings and water allows for the preservation of recycled water quality. Separate water circuits enable additional revenues and improve profitability by tailoring the water matrix of each flotation circuit to the mineral-specific surface chemistry requirements.

“Decoupling tailings and water also allows for the implementation of any tailings treatment process without affecting the operation of the main process itself. Consequently, the innovation proposes a paradigm shift in how to move towards a more resilient mineral resource conversion,” Metso Eco-system senior manager Dr Eija Saari explains.

Metso’s team comprised of Saari, academic researcher Diana Kasymova, and technology director Professor Kari Heiskanen.

The UCT team consisted of senior lecturer Dr Lisa October, post-doctoral researcher Dr Rešoketšwe Manenzhe, and Professor Kirsten Corin.   

The Mining Innovation and Research Battlefield is a competitive event held as part of the yearly Investing in African Mining Indaba, in Cape Town.

The competition brings together innovative thinkers from the mining industry, academia, nongovernmental organisations and young leaders to present solutions to sustainability challenges in the mining sector.