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 be – Rio Tinto and QAL have supported the research for the past