A team of Murdoch postgraduate students have an award-winning plan to recycle mining waste, recover a ‘critical’ metal and add value to the mining industry.

Copper mining is big business, but it also produces a significant amount of waste and pollution.

Each year, approximately 35 million tons of copper slag waste is produced worldwide. The associated risks are a rising concern, particularly, the release of potentially toxic elements into the environment which could lead to human health challenges and loss of biodiversity.

A multidisciplinary team of postgraduate students has developed a business plan to launch the technology commercially. Their pitch recently won the team first place in the West Coast leg of ClimateLaunchpad, the world’s largest green business competition.

Combining science and business expertise, the team included Tina Phiri Chanda, PhD scholar in metallurgical engineering, Muhammad Adeel, PhD scholar from the WA State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre based at Murdoch University, and Voon Kuin Kong, an alumna of the Murdoch Business School.  

Muhammad Adeel said the technology had the potential to the reduce the environmental burden of copper mining and deliver value to the mining industry.

Currently, all waste is being dumped which raises environmental concerns and is an unsustainable practice." 

“Our technology allows that waste to be recycled and reduce environmental costs for the mining companies,” Mr Adeel said. 

Designed by Tina Phiri Chanda under the guidance of Professor Aleksandar Nikoloski, Academic Chair of Extractive Metallurgy at Murdoch University, and Emeritus Professor Pritam Singh, the technology will deliver numerous direct and indirect benefits to the industry at large.

“Cobalt is a high-priced mineral, and recovery will allow sustainability in the market.

“This new technology will also help to promote ethical mining as well as strengthen relationships between academia and industry,” Mr Adeel said.  

The winning team from Murdoch will compete in the National Finals on August 26, with the winner to compete in a Global Grand Final later this year.

Ms Chanda said the team was grateful for the support they’d received along their cleantech journey.

“We’d like to thank ClimateLaunchpad and Climate-KIC Australia for the opportunity and guidance, Murdoch University for the expertise and the FBICRC and the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship for the financial support,” she said.