Conclusion

Critical raw material-containing residues

This chapter addresses the general properties and characteristics of the following residue categories: mining wastes, mineral processing wastes or tailings, metallurgical wastes (slags, dusts, slimes, and muds), and wastewaters. Residue origin, storage, disposal, and a brief indication of associated environmental impacts are discussed;...

Residue sampling and characterization

This chapter provides a comprehensive review of techniques, instruments, and methods suitable for mine residue sampling and characterization, using the potential recovery of critical raw materials (CRMs) from bauxite residues as an example. The sampling methods address diverse strategies for assessing the suitability of CRMs recovery,...

TRIM4Post-Mining: Transition Information Modelling for Attractive Post-Mining Landscapes—A Conceptual Framework

TRIM4Post-Mining is a H2020/RFCS-funded project that brings together a consortium of European experts from industry and academia to develop an integrated information modelling system. This is designed to support decision making and planning during the transition from coal exploitation to a revitalized post-mining landscape, enabling...

Challenges in the sampling and characterisation of mining residues for CRMs recovery

The recent Circular Economy Action Plan for Europe1 considers mine waste a secondary source of minerals. These deposits contain potentially economic concentrations of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs), such as Al, Li, Co and REE, which are strategic for the global economy and energy transition. However, there are significant knowledge and...

Framework for monitoring and control of the production of calcined kaolin

In response to the growing demand for sustainable products and services, the kaolin calcination industry is developing practices that optimise the use of resources. The main challenges include more efficient use of raw materials and a reduction in the energy consumed by the calcination furnace. An opportunity to achieve this lies in the...

Detection of factors that determine the quality of industrial minerals: An infrared sensor-based approach for mining and process control

Industrial minerals are essential to human activity. The products derived from them make an integral part of a wide range of materials that are ubiquitously present in our daily lives. The performance and attributes of these materials depend significantly on the properties and quality of the industrial minerals and the products generated from...

Prediction of Soluble Al2O3 in Calcined Kaolin Using Infrared Spectroscopy and Multivariate Calibration

In the production of calcined kaolin, the soluble Al2O3 content is used as a quality control criterion for some speciality applications. The increasing need for automated quality control systems in the industry has brought the necessity of developing techniques that provide (near) real-time data. Based on the understanding that the presence of...

The use of infrared spectroscopy to determine product quality of carbonate-rich diatomite ores

Diatomite, a rock formed by the accumulation of opaline diatom frustules, is a preferred raw material for the manufacturing of filters. Its uniqueness relies on the high porosity and inertness of the frustules. The presence of carbonates in some diatomite ores hinders these properties. The~purpose of this study was to identify the type of...

Towards an On-line Characterisation of Kaolin Calcination Process Using Short-Wave Infrared Spectroscopy

In the production of calcined kaolin, the on-line monitoring of the calcination reaction is becoming more relevant for the generation of optimal products. In this context, this study aimed to assess the suitability of using infrared (IR) spectroscopy as a potential technique for the on-line characterization of the<br/>calcination of kaolin. The...

Detection of mineral impurities in diatomite ores

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is commonly used in the industry for the manufacturing of filters, where diatomite is preferred due to its low chemical reactivity and high porosity. Diatomite deposits with major amounts of mineral impurities, such as carbonates, present a problem in the production DE. In this study, samples from a diatomite deposit with...

Infrared detection of ore variability that influences the environmental risks during perlite mining and processing

In the mining of perlite deposits, controlling the generation of fine particles and the concentration of metals is of outstanding importance to meet the environmental and market requirements. Particle size and chemical purity are conventionally manipulated during the processing of the ore to achieve high product specifications. However, the...

Integrating LIBS and NIR for detection of heavy metals in perlite ores

Perlite products are used as a filter aid in the food industry. For such applications, the purity of the material is one of the most significant parameters of control. Early detection of heavy metals is therefore of great industrial interest. In this study, a sensor-based approach for chemical and mineralogical characterization enabled the...