We’ve been a part of Oz Minerals Extraction Challenge for a while, so to see the seven groundbreaking new technologies outlined in their latest white paper is great news.
Launched in February 2021, the Challenge explored ideas to disrupt traditional leach and electrowinning processes—and move towards lower impact on-site metals production as a result.
It’s the sort of broad based collaboration and “why not” attitude that will be needed to deliver decarbonisation of the resources sector, and underpins our own Zero Emission Copper Mine of the Future project.
The Oz Minerals Challenge was equally as ambitious. From a field of 260, seven final teams proposed new and innovative extraction systems with potential for economic recovery of metals from copper concentrate which were then tested.
Leaching copper production presents an exciting opportunity for mining companies to bring metal extraction on-site, but large cost and performance challenges still remain to resolve.
The seven teams represent startups to universities and tech companies and all delivered exciting results with important research opportunities going forward. You’ll find all the detail in the Oz Minerals White Paper, but briefly:
Clean & Recover: Replace electrowinning stage with electrodialysis.
MPS & Curtain University: Glycine leaching and sulphate electrowinning.
DCS Technical: Halide leaching and chloride electrowinning.
tfgMM Strategic Consulting & T.P. McNulty & Associates: Roast & water leaching and sulphate electrowinning.
Minetometal: Ammonium and ammonium chloride leaching and metal precipitation.
University of British Columbia: Ferric chloride & thiocyanate leaching and sulphate electrowinning.
BIOX: Bacteria leaching and sulphate electrowinning.
Several of the innovative technologies could prove to be economically competitive at scale—for example the BIOX technology or the ferric chloride system—and OZ Minerals will continue to explore these options.
This is an exciting time for copper mining. Not only is it a crucial part of the ‘green economy’ with demand set to surge as electrification and clean energy become dominant, but the spirit of collaboration across industry, academia and business to boost decarbonisation efforts is also unprecedented.
We look forward to the next chapter in the OZ Minerals innovation journey as we all strive to deliver a Zero Emissions copper mine.
