In order to “support the mining industry’s efforts towards sustainability,” Clariant has announced a new technical facility in Brazil exclusively dedicated to developing solutions for tailings management. The Competence Center for Tailings Treatment (CCTT) opened on September 27 in Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Mining is a key enabler for the sustainability megatrends, delivering the minerals required for future-oriented technologies behind low-carbon energy & transport (eg wind turbines, electric vehicles), “green” buildings, smartphones and other electronics, and to support recycling. “While empowering such important developments, mining operations address their most significant challenges as they advance in their own drive towards sustainability. As part of this, increased emphasis has been placed on tailings management as the industry searches for alternatives to existing dams and aims to explore this as-yet untapped source of valuable minerals.”

Clariant says its new Competence Center for Tailings Treatment will develop mining chemicals and technologies to support the industry’s efforts from the heart of Brazil’s mining hub. The new lab is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment and is home to a dedicated team of R&D experts.

“Clariant is at the forefront of offering sustainable solutions for mining, and the CCTT will provide robust technical capabilities to demonstrate how our innovations can improve tailings management and waste reduction,” comments Wagner Silva, Global Head of Technology, Clariant Mining Solutions.

The new CCTT is a core pillar of Clariant’s Tailings Management Program, which comprises four complementary technology platforms: Flotation, Magnetic Separation, Dewatering and Rheology Modification. Flotation chemicals for slimes, for instance, help mines recover valuable minerals that are currently going to waste, and flotation chemicals for secondary mining enable operators to reprocess old tailings. In addition, filter aids help operators dewater tailings better, leading to drier stacks and faster throughput.

George Nunes, Global Head of Clariant Mining Solutions, states: “Our new Competence Center is an important milestone in our strategy to support the global mining industry’s focus on sustainability. With this additional resource, we will continue working closely with our customers to develop relevant, practical solutions which address their most significant sustainability challenges.”