Development of the Tripuhyite Technology for Remediating Antimony-Contaminated Waters and Recovering Antimony

锑在美国和欧洲联盟被列为优先污染物，因为摄入含锑液体或吸入含锑颗粒可导致肺部、心脏和胃部疾病。环境中锑的主要来源是矿山废物，其中含有百万分之数十至百万分之100的锑。据估计，全世界产生的固体矿山废物的数量与全球基本地质过程所移动的地球物质的数量相当，每年约为几十亿吨。由于对矿产资源的需求不断增加，加上矿石品位降低，预计这一数字在未来100年内还会增长。因此，矿渣中锑的含量也会增加。含锑物质在矿山废物中的溶解可导致水体的锑污染和植物和动物（包括人类）对锑的吸收。虽然没有确切的数字直接受到矿山废物产生的锑的影响，但考虑到仅在中国锡矿山锑矿区就有1万居民受到影响，他们的人数可能在10万到10万之间。环境中锑的其他来源主要是工业，包括阻燃剂、电池、化学品、陶瓷和玻璃。要求矿业公司、政府机构和其他负责提供清洁水的机构通过对水进行修复，将锑的浓度降低到监管当局认为安全的水平，从而降低锑污染的风险。通过沉淀矿物质，特别是那些相对不溶性和生物可及性低（即植物、动物和人类吸收能力低）的矿物质，可以减轻这种风险，并对受硒污染的水进行修复。矿物三辉石（氧化锑酸铁，FeSbO4）就是这样一种矿物，因此它可以用于修复和改善世界范围内锑污染环境中的生态系统和人类健康。此外，三辉石可以作为回收和再循环Sb的一种手段，用于其他用途（例如，半导体器件、金属合金、阻燃材料、油漆、搪瓷、玻璃、陶器）。对于这个探路者项目，我们建议开发“Tripuhyite Technology”，这是一种沉淀和稳定Tripuhyite的方法，用于修复受锑污染的矿山水和回收Sb用于工业用途。Pathfinder提案旨在(i)评估市场机会和商业需求，以开发开发tripuhyite技术的商业模式；（ii）开展“技术里程碑i”工作，以确定tripuhyite技术的可行性。这些目标将通过委托市场研究和进行科学实验来实现。Pathfinder项目的结果将通过提供有关Tripuhyite沉淀机制的综合实验数据、扩大技术规模以及与其他项目合作伙伴和潜在利益相关者接触的机会，提高Tripuhyite技术商业应用的可能性。

Antimony (Sb) is classified as a priority pollutant in the United States and European Union because ingestion of Sb-bearing fluids or inhalation of Sb-bearing particles can lead to lung, heart and stomach diseases. The major source of Sb in the environment is mine wastes, which contain 10s to 100s of parts per million of Sb. It has been estimated that the quantity of solid mine waste generated throughout the world matches that of Earth materials moved by fundamental global geological processes, at approximately several thousand million tonnes per year. This figure is predicted to grow over the next 100 years due to increasing demand for mineral resources, coupled with lower ore grades. Therefore, the amount of mine waste-derived Sb will also increase. Dissolution of the Sb-bearing materials in mine wastes can lead to Sb contamination of waters and to Sb uptake in plants and animals (including humans). Though precise numbers of people directly affected by mine waste-derived Sb are not available, they are likely to be in the range of 10s to 100s of thousands, given that 10,000 inhabitants are impacted in the Sb mining area of Xikuangshan, China alone. Other sources of Sb in the environment are largely industrial, including flame retardants, batteries, chemical, ceramics and glass. Mining companies, government bodies and others responsible for providing clean water are required to reduce the risk of Sb contamination by remediating the water to reduce Sb concentrations to levels considered safe by regulatory authorities. This risk can be mitigated, and Sb-contaminated waters remediated, by the precipitation of minerals, especially those that are relatively insoluble and have low bioaccessibility (i.e., low ability to be taken up by plants, animals and humans). The mineral tripuhyite (iron antimonate oxide, FeSbO4) is such a mineral, and it could therefore be used for remediation and improvement of ecosystem and human health in Sb-contaminated environments worldwide. In addition, tripuhyite could be used as a means of recovering and recycling the Sb for other uses (e.g., semiconductor devices, metal alloys, flame-retardant materials, paints, enamels, glass, pottery). For this Pathfinder project we propose to develop the 'Tripuhyite Technology', a method for precipitating and stabilizing tripuhyite for use in remediation of antimony-contaminated mine waters and for recovery of Sb for industrial uses. The Pathfinder proposal aims to (i) evaluate the market opportunity and commercial need in order to develop a business model for developing the tripuhyite technology and (ii) carry out 'Technical Milestone I' work to determine the feasibility of the Tripuhyite Technology. These aims will be achieved by commissioning market research and conducting scientific experiments. The results of the Pathfinder project will increase the likelihood of commercial adoption of the Tripuhyite Technology by providing comprehensive experimental data on mechanisms for tripuhyite precipitation and scale-up of the technology and opportunities for engagement with additional project partners and potential stakeholders.