What is “Comprehensive Extraction”? - UNECE · PDF fileEXAMPLE: SANTA QUIT...

What is “Comprehensive Extraction”?

Dr. Julian Hilton Chairman, Aleff Group

Chair, IAEA/ OECD-NEA Ux Expert Working Group

Aleff Group

IAEA/ UNECE/ CYTED UNFC Workshop Colegio de Ingenieros de Chile

Santiago, Chile 9-12 July 2013

Change Drivers • Sustainable development requiring Triple Bottom Line returns –

economic, social and environmental • Redrawing the lines between products, co-products, by-products,

residues and wastes… • Waste as designation of last resort – target zero discharge – “net

zero” • Change perspective: Liability to asset: waste to wealth… “zero to

net+” • New focus on “critical minerals” and the “circular” (continuous

recycling) economy • Life-cycle resource management • Need for a new sustainable, equitable equilibrium in the mining

and processing of mineral resources (geological endowment/ natural capital) – stakeholders and stockholders

IAEA/ UNECE/ CYTED/ Colegio de Ingenieros de Chile

Comprehensive extraction

• The term “comprehensive extraction” was (re)introduced by Dr. Pingru Zhong (China) during an IAEA UxP Technical Meeting, September 26-30, 2011

• Brought into currency during the follow-on Training Workshop, Marrakech, October 31 – November 5, 2011

• Finding the New Point of Equilibrium (Nash) between the Interests of Stockholders and Stakeholders

• New business models … disruptive technologies? • Intrinsic linkage with a) social licensing and b)

competency-based capacity building See http://www.iaea.org/OurWork/ST/NE/NEFW/News/2011/repository/New-Comprehensive-Approaches-to-Uranium-Mining-and-Extraction.html


Comprehensive extraction: core principles • Disturb the ground only once • All useful materials to be extracted

from the ore in an optimised, integrated sequence (single flow sheet)

• By-products and residues (re)used (closed system, available for successive life-cycles)

• Mine/ by-products/ tailings at End of Life to be “future proofed”

• Waste streams minimised/ legacy costs greatly reduced

• Sustainable service delivery • New business model(s) eg green U • TBL returns, economic, social and

environmental

U extraction from phosphates

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CYCLE


Example: Compagnie des Phosphates de Gafsa (Tunisia)


Outcomes

• Recovery of P lost to tailings • Increase in strategic reserves of 16-18% • Synergy with GCT UxP project in Gabes • Opens up life-cycle management option


With a long and distinguished track record

EXAMPLE: SANTA QUITÉRIA, BRAZIL, U AND P PROJECT FLOWCHART

Phosphate Mining

Phosphate Beneficiation

Phosphoric Acid Production

Sulphuric Acid Production

Sulphur

Uranium Recovery

Uranium Ore Concentrate

Fertilizers (MAP, DAP...)

Animal Feed Salt (DCP)

Thorium Removal

4

Characteristics

• Innovative joint venture (new business model) • DAP and yellowcake as co-products • Linkage between food security and energy

security • On the path to comprehensive extraction


The Wengfu “Closed” System • Closed loop process water, zero discharge • Anhydrous hydrogen fluoride from fluorosilicic acid –

phosphoric acid by-product • Iodine from phosphate ores; world first; capacity 100 ty • 40% PG use

– chemicals, – fertilizers and – construction material

• Decompose suspended or fluid PG to manufacture sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and calcium carbide (CaC2)

• Alternate processes in use or being developed


SiO2 Fe2O3 Al2O3 CaO MgO TiO2 K2O Na2O SO3 Water 1 hydrate2 Grade3

3.23 to

7.60

0.040 to

0.058

0.16 to

0.19

29.81 to

31.06

0.028 to

0.062

0.019 to

0.032

0.0084 to

0.014

0.051 to

0.16

41.60 to

43.92

14.33 to

22.36

18.64 to

20.42

89.44 to

94.43

PG produced in Wengfu contains very little radioactive elements and other heavy metals. Analysis reveals that it falls into the category of first grade of naturally occurring gypsum. It is very safe and it meets the requirements of first grade construction material products .

Analysis of Wengfu PG

1. water absorbed in PG; 2. Crystallized water; 3. Dihydrate gypsum grade


With consideration of the specifics of the PG, Wengfu industrialized technologies for a comprehensive utilization and three segments have been set up to manufacture products accordingly: chemicals, fertilizers and construction materials.

Wengfu: Current Progress in Utilization of PG


Ammonium Sulphate, Wengfu

Two plants with annual capacity of 250,000 tons each are under construction.

It consumes 1,040,000 tonnes of PG and reduces 170,000 tons of CO2 emission each

year .

Achievements of the Kailin Green Mine

• Mining recovery increased from 70% to 93% • No “waste” is wasted

– PG used for mine backfilling and bricks – Slag used for backfilling and bricks – Waste gas from ammonia plant use to produce

methane for buses – Both fluorine and chlorine made into chemicals – Waste heat recovery

• 100% water recycle


SAFE, SUSTAINABLE USE OF PHOSPHOGYSUM – GREEN MINES WORK…

From a base of almost no use of Phosphogypsum 4 years ago:

Wengfu Group is at 40% PG use ↑ Kailin Group is at 60% PG use ↑

17

Pictures from Kailin: 1. NO STACK! 2. CONSTRUCTION

MATERIALS FROM PG


Slide, courtesy Hari Tulsidas, IAEA

SQM Chile…. Potash

SQM Chile…. Lithium

SQM Chile…. Human capital

SQM Chile…. English visitors

Sustainable uses of P ores (PS) Means: integrated flow sheet/ control points/ performance indicators

Sustainable Development

Comprehensive Extraction:

Use and Reuse of all Mineral Resources

PS PG U

REE

S

Comprehensive Use of Each Resource

Sustainability/ Life-cycle tracking - Control Points and Performance Indicators

Efficient P use

Agriculture & Livestock

IT, Cars, Batteries Electricity

Agriculture, Roads,

Construction

Industrial Processes

Flow sheet integration/ modification

Uses

Stakeholders Needs Control Point(s) Equilibrium Geology and mining engineers

– Exploration and discovery

– Verifiable classification, characterisation and quantification of resources/ reserves

– Energy basin management – Green mines

Beneficiation and processing specialists

– Technologies – Flowsheets

– Recovery rate – Waste stream(s)

– Near perfect recovery (“Comprehensive extraction”)

– Zero waste

Fertilizer and feed manufacturers and distributors

– Market(s) – Commodity prices – Value add services (extension service model)

– Utility prices

Farmers/ livestock producers

– Fertile soil – Market(s)

– Critical P value – Critical P level sustained – Stable prices and margins

Food processors – Reliable supply chain

– Effective “one up/ one down” integration

– Stable prices and margins

Consumers – Safe, affordable food

– Storage/consumption of food

– Diet/ nutrition – Waste

– Diet/ lifestyle in balance (no obesity)

– Zero waste

Waste managers and processors

– Prevention/ Collection

– Recovery and reuse rates – Reward for prevention – Waste as concept of last resort

PRIMARY SOURCES

OUTPUT H OUTPUT B

OUTPUT G OUTPUT C

OUTPUT D

OUTPUT E

OUTPUT F

PROCESSING

WASTES MARKETS

SECONDARY SOURCES

RESIDUES

Res

ourc

e pr

ogre

ssio

n

Aleff Group

OUTPUT A

What is Comprehensive Extraction? • Disturb the ground only once • All useful materials to be extracted from the ore in an

optimised, integrated sequence (single flow sheet) • By-products and residues (re)used (closed system, available for

successive life-cycles) • Mine/ by-products/ tailings at End of Life to be “future proofed” • Waste streams minimised/ legacy costs greatly reduced • Sustainable service delivery • New business model(s) eg green U • TBL returns, economic, social and environmental

Thank you! ¡Muchissimas Gracias!

Muito Obrigado

[email protected]

United Nations Framework

Classification for Fossil Energy and Mineral Reserves and Resources – 2009 (UNFC–2009) applications in uranium and thorium resources:

Focus on Comprehensive Extraction

IAEA/ UNECE/ CYTED Workshop Colegio de Ingenieros de Chile

Santiago, Chile July 9-12, 2013

What is “Comprehensive Extraction”? - UNECE · PDF fileEXAMPLE: SANTA QUIT...

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