We are pleased to invite you to an insightful guest lecture on the topic of "Geometallurgical Modelling of Tailings Deposits – A Particle-Based Approach," which will take place on 30 October, from 15:00 to 16:30, in Block 6, Room 6.105.
The lecture will be delivered by Max Frenzel from the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, Germany, alongside co-researchers Rosie Blannin, Lucas Pereira, Raimon Tolosana-Delgado, and Jens Gutzmer.
Abstract
With the global mining industry continuously generating vast volumes of mine tailings, the associated environmental, human health, and geotechnical risks are becoming an urgent concern for the future. Re-mining and re-processing tailings offers a promising solution, but achieving optimal results requires a detailed understanding of the tailings' characteristics, such as mineralogy, particle sizes, and microstructure, along with their spatial distribution within tailings dams.
Although mines regularly collect data on tailings streams, much of this data focuses on bulk chemistry and particle size distributions, leaving gaps in our understanding of the mineralogical and microstructural details essential for effective re-processing. Tailings dams, influenced by sedimentary-style deposition processes, often present complex spatial segregation that complicates efforts to infer material distribution. Further changes in material properties can also result from weathering.
This lecture will provide an overview of state-of-the-art methods and tools used in geometallurgical modeling of tailings deposits, offering insights into how this data can be translated into practical applications for re-mining and re-processing. The seminar will also explore potential future developments in this evolving field.
Speaker:
Max Frenzel, Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, Freiberg, Germany