Transforming mine waste into a raw material for sustainable battery production

This project will investigate the potential for the transformation of pyrite (iron disulphide) from mine waste (tailings) into raw materials for batteries. The research conducted will be the crucial link between the mineral processing of pyrite from tailings and subsequent battery performance. The research will build on a proof-of-concept study in which a functioning battery was produced from tailings pyrite. Although the concept has been demonstrated, an efficient processing route for pyrite in tailings for optimised battery performance has not yet been presented. Many unanswered questions remain regarding the characteristics of pyrite from tailings and their effect on battery performance after processing. The project will study pyrite-bearing waste from multiple sites (e.g., Spain/Portugal) and at different ages (fresh tailings and older tailings ponds). The aim is to establish the variability of the pyrite from a given location, the processes required for cleaning the pyrite to an acceptable purity, and the limits of that purity with respect to battery performance to identify suitable locations for future implementation. The research will consider the environmental impact of recovering pyrite from tailings at an industrial scale, through modelling and simulation.