Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Canada is one of the leading mining nations in the world, producing more than 60 vital minerals and metalsthat are used globally. Mining is a pillar of the Canadian economy, generating almost 3% of the national GDP.However, Canadian mining companies face a number of challenges in meeting the global demand forcommodities. Innovation is critical in the face of declining ore grades and more stringent environmentalregulations (Tracking the Trends 2013, Deloitte). The rapid depletion of high-grade mineral ore resources hasdriven the mining and mineral processing industry to explore new technologies to process lower grade ores.The effective recovery of valuable minerals from low grade ores requires energy-intensive fine grinding formineral liberation and a new technology for fine particle flotation. The flotation of fine particles of sizes lessthan 5 micron is extremely challenging due to inefficient bubble - particle collision and attachment,compounded by slime coatings, leading to a low recovery and a poor selectivity. The slime coatings on targetmineral particles are more problematic for fine particle flotation due to non-selective precipitation ordeposition of metal hydroxide species and fine gangue mineral particles on the surface of target minerals. Thisin turn results in a loss of valuable minerals in tailings. The proposed research in this strategic project is todevelop an innovative nano-reactive oily bubble technology for enhancing fine particle flotation byselectively increasing the particle size of traget mineral particles . The success of this research program will enhance the resources conversion and processing (strategic research topic) for the sustainable development and use of Canada's mineral resources (minerals sector) while minimizing the use of energy and the generation of mineral wastes. It is anticipated that the concept-proven nano-reactive oily bubble technology for enhancing fine particle flotation by selectively increasing the particle size of target minerals be applied in mineral processing industry timely within 10 years.