| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2023 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
New Directions in Mineral Processing, Extractive Metallurgy, Recycling and Waste Minimization: An EPD Symposium in Honor of Patrick R. Taylor
|
| Presentation Title |
Evaluating Waste Reprocessing: Framework Development |
| Author(s) |
Joseph T. Trouba, Nina Zaronikola, Roderick Eggert, Elizabeth Holley |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Joseph T. Trouba |
| Abstract Scope |
Mining wastes are increasingly proposed as sources for critical minerals, with reprocessing incentivized by both waste minimization and critical element recovery. One problem often encountered results from employing elemental assays as evidence for potential recovery without explanation of why the valuable components went unrecovered to begin with. Slags, tailings, and other mining wastes form during processes designed to maximize profit. For reprocessing to be economically possible, something must have changed from when they were generated.
The objective of this work is to provide a framework, based on industrial examples, for evaluating waste reprocessing projects by identifying the key variables that must change to positively impact project viability. Factors discussed include technological developments, constituent economic value, awareness of secondary resources, ESG influences, and government policy. Critical element recovery is the focus of this work, but the conclusions can be applied much more broadly. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Extraction and Processing, Sustainability, Other |