Background
The construction industry is facing the dual challenges of enhancing sustainability while addressing environmental safety concerns. One promising approach to achieving both goals is the utilization of mine tailings as a raw material in construction. Mine tailings, the residual byproducts of mining operations, are abundant and pose significant waste-management issues. However, their application in construction materials, particularly in bricks, concrete, and geopolymers, offers a pathway to resource conservation and waste valorization. Despite the potential of mine tailings, the leaching of heavy metals from mine tailings remains a critical barrier.
Geopolymers can be applied in buildings and infrastructures such as wastewater facilities, retention tanks, soil stabilization, highways, marine installations, and sea walls, each of which is exposed to different environmental stressors. These metal leachates can contaminate soil and water, posing environmental and health risks. Therefore, immobilizing these metals is crucial for the safe use of mine tailings in construction.
Invention Description
Researchers at Arizona State have developed ExAl-Metal, which is a low-cost and environmentally-friendly adsorbent designed to selectively remove copper, iron, and zinc from waste products. This biodegradable solvent not only mitigates environmental pollution but also transforms waste into valuable resources, creating added value from what would otherwise be pollutants. This not only prevents environmental contamination but also allows for the sustainable use of treated waste in construction and other industrial applications. By employing algal biochar, these waste streams can be effectively treated to extract valuable metals, while the cleaned residuals can be safely utilized in various applications, thus contributing to a circular economy and promoting environmental sustainability.
Potential Applications:
- Construction & Building Materials
- Water & Wastewater treatment
- Circular economy & Sustainability
- Biotechnology
Benefits and Advantages:
- Sustainable – supports resource efficiency and reduces reliance on virgin materials
- Low cost – cost-efficient alternative
- Regenerative – enables the recovery of valuable metals, transforming waste into resources