Molecular and surface properties and interactions in the extraction of critical minerals

Project description

Critical minerals, including REEs (rare earth elements) and Li-bearing minerals, are vital to the next generation of global technologies. They have been extracted from hard rocks and are subject to regional and geopolitical supply concerns. India, Australia and many other advanced economies seek to secure their sustainable future supply. However, sustainably extracting these minerals brings many challenges as they occur in trace amounts in natural deposits. Advanced extraction technologies are needed. This project aims to investigate molecular and surface properties and interactions to develop economically sustainable and eco-friendly technologies to extract critical minerals from rocks. Specifically, we will discover new surfactant molecules that can highly selectively adsorb at the mineral surfaces and thereby facilitate their efficient extraction by flotation separation using air bubbles. Advanced research tools like atomic force microscopy and molecular modelling will be applied to establish key molecular and surface properties and interaction forces between surfactants and critical mineral surfaces. Advanced flotation devices like Jameson and MicrocelTM cells will be used to perform the lab and pilot-scale experiments to validate the outcomes of fundamental studies. Advanced surface and chemical analysis tools like XPS, XRD, XRF, and SFG will used to quantify surface chemical composition, adsorption, hydration, wettability and hydrophobicity. Collaboration with mining companies will be developed to apply new extraction technologies.

Outcomes

Novel (highly efficient) surfactants based advanced extraction technology will be developed for the extraction of critical minerals by flotation separation. The proposed work will be highly valuable to various industries needing critical minerals and is expected to generate high quality peer-reviewed publications as well as patents.

Essential capabilities

Understanding of basics of materials science and engineering, chemistry, metallurgy

Desireable capabilities

Separation, surface and interfaces

Expected qualifications (Course/Degrees etc.)

Bachelor, Masters

Additional information for applicants

i-students must have own scholarship to apply (CSIR, UCG-NET, etc)