Sustainable solution to mining’s ‘red mud’ waste enters final stage of testing

Source: Sustainable solution to mining’s ‘red mud’ waste enters final stage of testing | Central Queensland Today University of Queensland has developed technology that could rehabilitate mine waste back to useful soil is entering full-scale trials. University of Queensland has developed technology that could rehabilitate mine waste back to useful soil, with the technology now entering full-scale trials. Developed by researchers at UQ’s Sustainable Minerals Institute in partnership with Rio Tinto and Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) the bio-engineering technology works by transforming bauxite residue, a by-product of alumina refining also commonly called ‘red mud’, into a soil-like material capable of hosting plant life. QAL Environment and Tailings Manager Trent Scherer said there was an excitement amongst the team to see the project move to a full-scale trial. “After years of watching various trials unfold within our daily work environment, to now be able to see the tangible outcomes of UQ’s work unfolding has been encouraging for the team,” he said. Mr Scherer said QAL were committed to minimizing their environmental footprint through their 5-YES program and the funding and resources provided to this project were further steps in that journey. In 2018 QAL commenced works for their 5-Year Environmental Strategy, comprising of 60 capital works projects and culture change initiatives. With a budget of $440 million designed to improve the environmental performance of QAL. This initiative with UQ is in addition to the 5-YES funding and QAL are hoping will pave the way for the future of tailings management. Ecological Engineering of Mine Wastes Group Leader Professor Longbin Huang said the technology would be trialed on an operational scale at two red mud sites in Queensland after the team secured new multi-million dollar funding agreements with Rio Tinto and QAL. “The technology demonstrates how transformative industry-academia partnerships can [...]

Reusable Ionic Liquid from Coal Fly Ash Enables Extraction of Rare Elements

Source: Reusable Ionic Liquid Enables Extraction of Precious Rare-earth Elements from Coal Fly Ash | School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Turnipseed Family Chair and Professor Ching-Hua Huang, left, and Ph.D. candidate Laura Stoy, right, published research outlining a new method for extracting rare-earth elements from coal fly ash.  By Melissa Fralick  Researchers from Georgia Tech’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering have discovered a way to extract rare-earth elements—essential ingredients for nearly all modern electronics—from the ash left behind at coal-burning power plants using a non-toxic ionic liquid. In a paper published in ACS’s Environmental Science and Technology on June 23, the Georgia Tech researchers showed that by applying an ionic liquid directly to solid coal fly ash, rare-earth elements can be successfully removed in a safe process that creates little waste. The study is co-led by Ching-Hua Huang, a professor of environmental engineering and Ph.D. candidate Laura Stoy. A third co-author, Victoria Diaz, is an undergraduate student who joined the lab as part of Georgia Tech’s Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering/Sciences (S.U.R.E.) program. Rare-earth elements (REEs) are a set of 17 elements that are utilized to make everything from permanent magnets in windmills to LED screens for computers and smart phones. While rare-earth elements aren’t as scarce as their name implies, only a few locations around the globe have deposits large enough to mine directly. Many of these reserves are in politically sensitive locations, resulting in global supply chain tensions. “Right now, China produces over 80 percent of the world’s supply of rare-earth elements, meaning that if something were to happen to disrupt the global supply chain— like a ship getting stuck in the Suez Canal, or a pandemic, or a trade war with China—United States manufacturing might be cut off,” Stoy said. “Our work is one of many efforts to secure a [...]

Using Torque Testing for Better Designs

Source: Using Torque Testing for Better Designs All Engineers can relate to an experience we’ve had where what we designed was not how it turned out in “the real world”. Rarely does a project end up being exactly as what we put down on paper. Soil testing for foundation supports is no exception and unfortunately these differences almost never end on the positive side of a cost estimate. One way to mitigate those differences is to use a testing process which directly relates with the type of foundation being used. For helical piles, while there are well-established trends between ASTM D1586 N60 blow count N values and potential pile length, even the slightest variations in testing methods and/or soil description can create significant differences in the “design” versus “reality”. The more accurate method for a helical pile foundation design would be to do actual torque tests (a.k.a. helical probe tests) at the site. While most designs initially begin with a Geotechnical Report including boring logs, for helical piles using an actual torque test prior to start of work instead will provide a much more accurate picture of soil capacity and allow for a finite design. Even with boring logs and N60 blow counts being used for preliminary designs, a torque test can be used to “fine-tune” the foundation design. Many owners might think that the additional cost associated with a site torque test, albeit nominal, is not needed. However, time and time again, the small additional cost has proven to save substantial money on the foundation project by allowing the engineer to confirm and enhance their foundation design. In addition, site torque tests can be incorporated directly into a design created in the HeliCAP® v3.0 Helical Capacity Design software to provide real time updates to designs giving better solutions with more confidence. Adding actual [...]

Detecting a sinkhole: New device geared for homeowners – wave3.com-Louisville News, Weather & Sports

Detecting a sinkhole: New device geared for homeowners Karst map for the state of Kentucky (Source: Kentucky Geological Society)Karst map for the state of Kentucky (Source: Kentucky Geological Society) Map showing Karst in Indiana. (Source: Indiana Geological Survey)Map showing Karst in Indiana. (Source: Indiana Geological Survey) Matt Dettman developed MSEDS, short for Mechanical Sinkhole Early Detection System.Matt Dettman developed MSEDS, short for Mechanical Sinkhole Early Detection System.LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - It could cost big bucks to detect whether a sinkhole could open up, but soon there may be a device developed in Kentucky to keep families safe nationwide.MORESLIDESHOW: How karst sinkholes formLearn how karst sinkholes form and whether or not you live in an at risk area.MoreGeological surveys to predict a sinkhole cost tens of thousands of dollars. Companies shell out $10,000 to $20,000 for a geotechnical and subsurface investigation before construction.The process isn't necessarily feasible for everyday people.However, a Western Kentucky University Geotechnical Engineer developed a device to detect what's happening beneath your feet.Karst terrain covers more than half of Kentucky. Karst sinkholes form when the bedrock of the Earth is slowly worn away by erosion.[SLIDESHOW: How karst sinkholes form]Under the top soil is a layer called the overburden. Under that is bedrock, which may seem tough and solid, but it's actually filled with cracks and crevices water is constantly seeping through and infiltrating. As the water erodes the bedrock, the overburden starts to fall down into the space left behind. Years later, all that's left is a thin layer and the potential for a sinkhole to open up.However, if there's a slab over the surface you may not know there's a problem until it's too late. That's why Matt Dettman developed MSEDS, short for Mechanical Sinkhole Early Detection System. Dettman is a WKU Associate Professor of Civil Engineering [...]

MSD budgets $200 million for Ohio River Tunnel project – WDRB 41 Louisville News

The Metropolitan Sewer District is budgeting $200 million for the Ohio River Tunnel project to improve water quality in Louisville. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – The Metropolitan Sewer District is budgeting $200 million for the Ohio River Tunnel project to improve water quality in Louisville. According to Jacob Mathis, an MSD engineer and manager of this project, just a tenth-of-an-inch of rain can overwhelm parts of the sewer system in the district, sending stormwater and drainage straight into the Ohio River or Beargrass Creek. “In a typical year, there’d be four billion gallons of sewage released into these waterways,” Mathis said. In hopes to reduce sewer drainage across the country, the federal government is requiring communities to find ways to mitigate the damage by Dec. 31, 2020. If Louisville does not meet the deadline, the government could enforce fines or penalties. In response, MSD engineers devised a plan of three new basins in three different neighborhoods to store overflow. But there were concerns over how much that could interrupt construction, business and daily life. MSD decided to take a different route and came up with the Ohio River Tunnel project. “This project is one of the first of its kind in Louisville or even the state of Kentucky,” Mathis said. Engineers describe it as being on the same level and magnitude as the Ohio River bridges undertaking. But this project is intended to be out of sight, out of mind. “There will be less disruption to the community itself with traffic impacts, economic impacts,” Mathis said. “We won’t disturb the big economic corridor along Main Street.” The tunnel will start underneath what will be the western part of Waterfront Park near 13th and Rowan Streets. It’ll head east underneath the Ohio River towards I-64. At the Second Street Bridge, the tunnel then jogs inland to Butchertown. [...]

Drilling in Southwest Indiana at a 15-year peak

Indiana State officials say Southwest Indiana is experiencing a boom in oil and gas exploration, with a peak number of wells drilled over the past 15 years. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Oil and Gas released a report earlier this week that says oil and gas wells are being drilled in Indiana "At a pace that hasn't been seen for at least 15 years," according to Herschel McDivitt, director of the DNR Division of Oil and Gas. DNR officials say the division issued more than 450 drilling permits in 2006, a number that McDivitt expects to steadily increase during the next several years, due to the anticipated higher prices for crude oil and natural gas. "This is an exciting time to be in the oil and gas business," McDivitt said in a press release announcing the news. "While much of the interest is in drilling for crude oil, a growing number of wells are being drilled for natural gas, especially in the southwestern part of Indiana where companies are actively developing wells." McDivitt acknowledged that along with the increase in drilling applications has come a significant number of questions from landowners who have been approached by companies seeking to obtain leases from the landowners allowing them to drill on their properties. "Many landowners are unfamiliar with the process of leasing their land for oil and gas and are seeking more information about oil and gas operations and looking to find answers to their questions," McDivitt said. DNR has also made some changes in the Division of Oil and Gas's organizational structure. Jim AmRhein will be responsible for all inspections and compliance- related functions within the division's program. Previously, AmRhein was in charge of all permitting functions, as well as inspections and enforcement duties in central and northern [...]

Go to Top