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

在美国和欧盟，锑(Sb)被列为优先污染物，因为摄入含Sb的液体或吸入含Sb的颗粒可导致肺、心脏和胃部疾病。环境中Sb的主要来源是矿山废物，它含有百万分之10到100s的Sb。据估计，世界各地产生的固体矿山废物的数量与全球基本地质过程所搬运的地球物质的数量相当，每年约为数十亿吨。这一数字预计将在未来100年内增长，原因是对矿产资源的需求不断增加，加上矿石品位较低。因此，矿山废渣衍生SB的数量也将增加。矿山废渣中含Sb物质的溶解可导致水中Sb的污染和动植物(包括人类)对Sb的吸收。虽然无法获得受矿山废物衍生的锑直接影响的确切人数，但考虑到仅中国一人在锡矿山锑矿区受到影响的居民就有10,000人，这些人很可能在1万到10万人之间。环境中Sb的其他来源主要来自工业，包括阻燃剂、电池、化工、陶瓷和玻璃。矿业公司、政府机构和其他负责提供清洁水的机构必须通过修复水以将Sb浓度降低到监管当局认为安全的水平来降低Sb污染的风险。通过矿物的沉淀，特别是那些相对不溶的和生物可获得性低(即被植物、动物和人类吸收的能力低)的矿物的沉淀，可以减轻这一风险，并修复受SB污染的水。矿物三氧化二锑(FeSbO4)就是这样一种矿物，因此可以用于修复和改善世界各地受Sb污染的环境中的生态系统和人类健康。此外，闪锌矿还可用作回收和循环利用Sb的方法，用于其他用途(例如，半导体器件、金属合金、阻燃材料、涂料、珐琅、玻璃、陶器)。对于这个探路者项目，我们建议开发一种沉淀和稳定三辉石的方法，用于修复受锑污染的矿山水和回收工业用锑。探路者建议旨在(I)评估市场机会和商业需求，以开发Tripuhyite技术的商业模式，以及(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调查和进行科学实验来实现。探路者项目的结果将增加Tripuhyite技术商业采用的可能性，因为它提供了关于Tripuhyite沉淀和扩大技术的机制的全面实验数据，以及与更多项目合作伙伴和潜在利益攸关方接触的机会。

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.