- Start Date:
- 12 Jul 2021
- End Date:
- 12 Jul 2025
- Location:
- Western Australia, Northern Australia, Victoria
In a resource constrained world and with growing cost and energy pressures, sustainable gold production relies on the maximisation of near-mine resource development and productivity. Current world-wide gold production mainly comes from low-grade deposits associated with high energy and water consumption together with vast volumes of waste. Furthermore, as easily accessible resources are steadily depleting, there is a growing shift towards exploration and extraction for high-grade mineralisation. Down the line, the development of environmentally friendly mineral processing techniques to reduce the environmental impact of mining, represents a growing challenge for the Australian mining industry. A better understanding of the chemical processes leading to the solubilisation, transport and deposition of high-grade gold in natural ore systems is therefore critical for future sustainable development of the gold resource sector and associated technological applications.
This project aims to improve our understanding of how extremely high-grade gold occurrences form by deciphering the processes associated to metal transport and accumulation within the Earth’s crust. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of gold geochemistry using novel experimental programs, interdisciplinary approaches and by utilising advanced technologies. Expected outcomes of this project include reducing the unpredictability of high-grade gold occurrences and strengthening existing alliances with industry partners. This project should benefit the mineral industry partners by helping to discover high grade gold resources.
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Funding Agencies: ARC (LP200200897) and MRIWA
Industry Participants: Northern Star, Newmont, Korora Resources, Agnico Eagle