Thermochemical Processing of Low-Grade Ores and Mineral-Related Wastes
A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 October 2021) | Viewed by 4979
Special Issue Editor
Interests: mineral waste (characterisation, valorisation); coal fly ash; mine tailings; acid mine drainage; metal extraction; geopolymerisation; nanomaterials; carbon capture and mineralisation
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The development of new technological processes for metal recovery from untapped low-grade ores and mineral wastes is emerging as an area of great interest, owing to the decreasing grades and quality of primary ores, the precarious balance of supply and demand of critical raw materials (CRMs), and the modern-day concepts of “sustainable mining” and “circular economy.” Historically, metal extraction processes have consisted of one or more pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and/or bio-hydrometallurgical processing steps. These traditional processes used for metal extraction from primary, high-grade ores are generally uneconomical when applied to low-grade ores and mineral wastes. The development of novel or the modification of existing processing routes is therefore needed. In recent years, thermochemical processing of low-grade ores and mineral wastes has received renewed attention. This Special Issue will focus on recent advances in thermochemical processing of low-grade ores and mineral wastes, including but not limited to the following topics:
- Alkali roasting-leaching methods using e.g. NaOH, Na2CO3, CaCO3
- Ammonium salt roasting-leaching methods using e.g. (NH4)2SO4, NH4Cl
- Microwave-enhanced extraction methods
- Thermochemical processing applied to e.g., mine tailings, coal fly ash, individual minerals (e.g., serpentine)
- Extraction of rare earth elements, aluminium and other metals by thermochemical processing
- Thermochemical decomposition of extraction agents (e.g., (NH4)2SO4)
- Thermodynamics and kinetics studies
- Techno-economic and exergy studies
Dr. Frédéric J. Doucet
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- Thermochemical processing
- Thermal solid-solid processing
- Alkali roasting-leaching process
- Microwave-assisted processing
- Ammonium salts
- Mineral waste
- Low-grade ores
- Mineral recovery
- Metal extraction
