Overview

The technical and economic viability of secondary critical mineral production through tailings reprocessing and urban mining is examined, with particular focus on Australia’s mining landscape and emerging opportunities. Drawing on life cycle assessment methodologies and techno-economic analysis frameworks, the evaluation highlights circular economy principles that can address both legacy environmental liabilities and future supply security for battery minerals, rare earths, and base metals.

The discussion includes sensor-based sorting, advanced flotation chemistry, and hydrometallurgical innovations enabling economic recovery from low-grade secondary sources. Australian case studies, such as rare earth recovery from monazite tailings, nickel and cobalt extraction from laterite residues, and lithium-ion battery recycling, demonstrate commercial pathways while identifying infrastructure gaps and policy barriers. Comparative life cycle assessments quantify environmental benefits relative to primary production, while techno-economic modelling outlines threshold commodity prices and processing costs for project viability.

The conclusion emphasises policy recommendations for accelerating Australia’s transition to a circular economy in critical minerals, including extended producer responsibility frameworks, research priorities, and opportunities to leverage established process engineering capabilities and renewable energy resources to secure a competitive advantage in secondary production.

Speaker

Adetoyese Oyedun, Founder, Crescite Consulting & Strategic Group

Adetoyese is a professional chemical engineer and the founder and principal partner of Crescite Consulting and Strategic Group. He leads teams of sustainability and ESG specialists in delivering innovative circular economy solutions across North America, Africa, Asia, and beyond.

With over 18 years of experience in sustainability, circular economy principles, and project management, Toye has spearheaded multidisciplinary initiatives in greenhouse gas reduction, waste valorisation, smart agriculture, resource recovery, secondary mineral production, and bioeconomy development. He holds a Master’s degree in advanced chemical engineering from Imperial College London and a PhD in chemical engineering (specialising in energy systems) from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

His previous roles include senior project manager (research) at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), research/program analyst for the Government of Alberta, and Project Manager at the University of Alberta, where he advanced key sustainability and bioeconomy projects through techno-economic assessments and life cycle analyses of waste-to-value transformations and resource recovery.

The material presented has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenter’s own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Mining and Minerals Special Interest Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

Time

19:00–20:00 UTC.

Software

The presentation will be delivered via Microsoft Teams. We recommend downloading the app from the Microsoft website, rather than using the web portal.