Tailings repurposing continues to emerge as a technically and commercially viable sector. GHD’s team brings decades of combined experience in tailings reprocessing and repurposing, including bioleaching, carbon sequestration, technosol development, and producing construction materials from mine waste. We continue to lead the development of practical, value-driven solutions through participation in international initiatives, such as the 2020 BHP Tailings Challenge, as well as multiple applied research and industry-led projects. These studies are now translating into executable projects.
Tailings reprocessing and repurposing strategy
Australia | 2025-2026
GHD is supporting a long-life mining operation that is facing tailings storage constraints by assessing opportunities to reduce on-site waste through reprocessing and value recovery. The study includes advanced tailings characterisation – size-by-size and density-based analysis supported by XRF and XRD – to pinpoint viable value streams. The strategy is designed to deliver multiple market-ready products, from mineral concentrates to construction materials suited to both local and international demand. The scope extends from construction material sample development and preliminary compliance assessment through to industry partner engagement, underpinned by a clear, staged pathway from laboratory validation to pilot trials and full-scale implementation.
Australia | 2025-2026
GHD is supporting a long-life mining operation that is facing tailings storage constraints by assessing opportunities to reduce on-site waste through reprocessing and value recovery. The study includes advanced tailings characterisation – size-by-size and density-based analysis supported by XRF and XRD – to pinpoint viable value streams. The strategy is designed to deliver multiple market-ready products, from mineral concentrates to construction materials suited to both local and international demand. The scope extends from construction material sample development and preliminary compliance assessment through to industry partner engagement, underpinned by a clear, staged pathway from laboratory validation to pilot trials and full-scale implementation.
Tailings characterisation and repurposing study
Australia | 2025-2026
We are undertaking a comprehensive geochemical and mineralogical assessment of multiple tailings streams to unlock metal recovery and high-value repurposing pathways, supporting accelerated site remediation. The program integrates XRD, XRF and quantitative mineralogical analysis (SEM) to evaluate physical separation, thermal and chemical processing routes, including dehydration, decarbonation, sintering/vitrification and alkaline activation. Repurposing options under review include ceramic products, low-carbon construction materials, technosols and land reclamation solutions. A targeted, data-led sampling program underpins a staged remining strategy aligned with the objective of complete tailings removal within a defined timeframe.
Australia | 2025-2026
We are undertaking a comprehensive geochemical and mineralogical assessment of multiple tailings streams to unlock metal recovery and high-value repurposing pathways, supporting accelerated site remediation. The program integrates XRD, XRF and quantitative mineralogical analysis (SEM) to evaluate physical separation, thermal and chemical processing routes, including dehydration, decarbonation, sintering/vitrification and alkaline activation. Repurposing options under review include ceramic products, low-carbon construction materials, technosols and land reclamation solutions. A targeted, data-led sampling program underpins a staged remining strategy aligned with the objective of complete tailings removal within a defined timeframe.
Research project – critical metals and low carbon materials
Australia | 2025-2026
GHD was selected to support a collaborative research program – backed by a grant from the Franco-Australian Indo-Pacific Centre for Energy Transition – focused on critical metal recovery from tailings while minimising residual waste and carbon intensity. The scope includes advanced geochemical and mineralogical characterisation (XRF, XRD, QEMSCAN), evaluation of upstream and downstream separation pathways for rare earth and critical metal recovery, and stoichiometric assessment of alkaline and acid activation routes – including geopolymerisation of aluminosilicate phases to produce low-carbon construction materials. Delivered in collaboration with Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), one of Europe’s leading research organisations, the project targets near-zero mine waste outcomes and lower-carbon processing solutions.
Australia | 2025-2026
GHD was selected to support a collaborative research program – backed by a grant from the Franco-Australian Indo-Pacific Centre for Energy Transition – focused on critical metal recovery from tailings while minimising residual waste and carbon intensity. The scope includes advanced geochemical and mineralogical characterisation (XRF, XRD, QEMSCAN), evaluation of upstream and downstream separation pathways for rare earth and critical metal recovery, and stoichiometric assessment of alkaline and acid activation routes – including geopolymerisation of aluminosilicate phases to produce low-carbon construction materials. Delivered in collaboration with Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), one of Europe’s leading research organisations, the project targets near-zero mine waste outcomes and lower-carbon processing solutions.
Critical metals recovery and repurposing study
Australia | 2025-2026
GHD is delivering a strategic study to evaluate multiple tailings streams and define an optimal composite feed for the staged remining of an existing tailings storage facility. The work is underpinned by detailed size-by-size mineralogical and geochemical analysis (XRD, XRF, QEMSCAN), informing assessment of potential processing routes including low-intensity magnetic separation, gravity separation, desliming, flotation, and high-intensity magnetic separation. The proposed process cascade is designed to generate multiple value streams, targeting metal concentrates – including cobalt, titanium, and rare earth elements –alongside compliant construction products. Residual material is projected to represent less than 10 per cent of the original mass, with further reuse pathways under review.
Australia | 2025-2026
GHD is delivering a strategic study to evaluate multiple tailings streams and define an optimal composite feed for the staged remining of an existing tailings storage facility. The work is underpinned by detailed size-by-size mineralogical and geochemical analysis (XRD, XRF, QEMSCAN), informing assessment of potential processing routes including low-intensity magnetic separation, gravity separation, desliming, flotation, and high-intensity magnetic separation. The proposed process cascade is designed to generate multiple value streams, targeting metal concentrates – including cobalt, titanium, and rare earth elements –alongside compliant construction products. Residual material is projected to represent less than 10 per cent of the original mass, with further reuse pathways under review.
Tailings repurposing and metal recovery assessment
Australia | 2025-2026
GHD has been delivering a remote study assessing the potential of fine tailings for both critical metal recovery and high-value construction material production. The tailings are dominated by a non-metallic fraction with favourable mineralogy for geopolymers, bricks, tiles, and cement replacement materials, supported by existing infrastructure. The metallic fraction, representing approximately 5 per cent of the material, contains copper- and iron-bearing minerals suitable for concentration through magnetic separation, flotation, or leaching. The proposed processing approach focuses on early gangue rejection to reduce circuit size, energy consumption, and reagent use, while generating saleable metal concentrates and construction materials. The study has also explored the reuse of residual mineral phases for soil amendment and land reclamation applications.
Australia | 2025-2026
GHD has been delivering a remote study assessing the potential of fine tailings for both critical metal recovery and high-value construction material production. The tailings are dominated by a non-metallic fraction with favourable mineralogy for geopolymers, bricks, tiles, and cement replacement materials, supported by existing infrastructure. The metallic fraction, representing approximately 5 per cent of the material, contains copper- and iron-bearing minerals suitable for concentration through magnetic separation, flotation, or leaching. The proposed processing approach focuses on early gangue rejection to reduce circuit size, energy consumption, and reagent use, while generating saleable metal concentrates and construction materials. The study has also explored the reuse of residual mineral phases for soil amendment and land reclamation applications.
Mine waste and tailings reprocessing scoping
Australia | 2024-2026
GHD is assisting clients in Australia with early-stage studies to explore reprocessing mine waste and tailings for additional base and precious metal recovery, while evaluating the use of residual sterile materials for construction aggregate and road base. The work reviews processing technologies – including flotation, magnetic and gravity separation, and ore sorting – to inform scoping studies. Our engineers also conducted sighter test work to assess the feasibility of combining alkaline mineral process waste with an acid-forming tailings stream to produce a neutral cement or concrete mix suitable for underground mine support.
Australia | 2024-2026
GHD is assisting clients in Australia with early-stage studies to explore reprocessing mine waste and tailings for additional base and precious metal recovery, while evaluating the use of residual sterile materials for construction aggregate and road base. The work reviews processing technologies – including flotation, magnetic and gravity separation, and ore sorting – to inform scoping studies. Our engineers also conducted sighter test work to assess the feasibility of combining alkaline mineral process waste with an acid-forming tailings stream to produce a neutral cement or concrete mix suitable for underground mine support.
Tailings reprocessing study |
Critical metals recovery engineering study |
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