Exploiting the geochemical behaviour of inorganic residues in view of waste valorization

在全球人口不断扩大和日益城市化的推动下，目前和预测的全球工业活动水平已超过自然资源和环境的可持续阈值。特别是，腐蚀性/有毒废物的管理是加拿大和全球采矿和冶金行业的一个持续问题。然而，人们对它们的看法已逐渐改变;许多废物流现在被视为原始资源的低成本替代品，从而有可能减少其环境足迹，并缩短生产生命周期。因此，研究废物的价格稳定技术，同时了解材料的物理和热力学行为至关重要。我的研究计划的中心主题是无机工业残留物的价值，由材料行为的知识证实。考虑了三种稳定价格的办法：㈠将废物转化为高价值产品; ㈡稳定废物以供安全使用或储存; ㈢从废物中提取有价值的成分。NSERC支持的这一项目的短期目标是应用先进的分析技术，更好地表征矿渣矿物的内在矿物学、微观结构和地球化学性质，重点是非晶相和亚稳相。将研究一系列新的矿物，并考虑到未来的炉渣化学和更严格的浸出规定，对不同的重金属进行更广泛的考虑。所采取的方法包括：（a）合成结晶和非晶矿物;（B）确定矿物中元素分布、重金属形态和固溶体的存在;（c）评估所制备的材料在经过各种处理过程后的地球化学行为。将分析数据、实验室处理测试结果和建模预测联系起来，将为风化和废物增值反应提供有价值的见解。所产生的知识将有助于开发可将残留物用作投入材料的工业流程;预测储存期间向环境中的长期释放行为;并在生产期间预先改变残留物的组成。特别是，这方面的知识将支持生物采矿、原子效率加工、就地补救和催化剂开发等领域的研究活动。该研究计划的重点是无机残留物的利用/增值，预计将导致创新的工业工艺和产品应用。

Current and forecasted levels of worldwide industrial activities, driven by an expanding, increasingly more urbanized global population, have surpassed the sustainable thresholds of natural resources and the environment. In particular, management of corrosive/toxic waste is an ongoing issue for mining and metallurgical industries in Canada and globally. However, perception towards them has gradually shifted; many waste streams are now considered low-cost alternatives to virgin resources, making it possible to diminish their environmental footprint, and close production life-cycles. Therefore, research in waste valorization technologies, in combination with understanding physical and thermodynamic behaviours of the materials, is crucial.***The central theme of my research program is the valorization of inorganic industrial residues, substantiated by knowledge of material behaviour. Three valorization approaches are considered: (i) conversion of the wastes into high-value products; (ii) stabilization of the wastes for safe application or storage; and (iii) extraction of valuable components from the wastes.***The short-term objective of this NSERC-supported program is to apply advanced analytical techniques to better characterize the intrinsic mineralogical, micro-structural and geochemical properties of slag minerals, with a focus on amorphous and meta-stable phases. A new series of minerals will be studied, and a wider consideration of different heavy-metals will be made, in view of future slag chemistries and more stringent leaching regulations. The approach taken consists of: (a) synthesizing crystalline and amorphous minerals; (b) characterizing the elemental distribution, the heavy-metal speciation, and the presence of solid-solutions in the minerals; and (c) assessing the geochemical behaviour of the prepared materials when subjected to various treatment processes. The linking of analytical data, laboratory treatment test results and modelling predictions will provide valuable insight into weathering and waste valorization reactions.***The knowledge generated will serve to develop industrial processes that can use the residues as input materials; to predict long-term release behaviour into the environment during storage; and to preemptively modify the residue composition during production. In particular, this knowledge will support research activities in the areas of biomining, atom-efficient processing, in-situ remediation and catalyst development. With a focus on utilization/valorization of inorganic residues, this research program is expected to lead to innovative industrial processes and product applications.**