Sustainable Minerals and Recycling

The minerals industry is of utmost importance to the Australian economy. This subject focuses on the liberation, size reduction, size separation and concentration separations in minerals processing. A range of design processes in extractive metallurgy, including hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy will be highlighted. Concepts behind aspects of physico-chemical principles of mineral separation processes to produce metals and ceramic products from ores as well as recycled materials and consumer products will be described. The systems approach to recycling of products, process sustainability and environmental considerations is extremely important in mineral processing and this will be studied in detail.

• 1Interpret the complex interaction of processes within the material cycle, starting with primary material production from minerals, materials production, consumer products and ending with recycled material, waste and environmental issues, including design of a recycling process
• 2Design equipment for mineral processing
• 3Design tailings dewatering processes
• 4Have a good understanding of sustainability in mineral processing and recycling.