Reference number : GC-2017-Q3-00452, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Bobicki, Erin (University of Toronto), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Ontario, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : Chemiqa is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of specialty chemicals and flotation technology to the_x000D_
mining and mineral processing industries. The objective of this project is to develop bioreagents for mineral_x000D_
processing with a focus on flocculants. The bioflocculants will be targeted for use on fluid fine tailings (FFT)_x000D_
derived from oil-sands, coal, copper, nickel and phosphate processing operations. FFT is a mixture of waste_x000D_
products containing mostly fine mineral solids and water which are difficult to separate. At present, there is a_x000D_
large volume of FFT stored in tailings ponds in Canada, which represents a huge liability for mining_x000D_
companies. One strategy to enhance FFT dewatering is by flocculation. Flocculation uses molecules to form_x000D_
bridges between particles, leading to the formation of particle aggregates, or flocs, which settle more quickly_x000D_
than individual fine particles. The most commonly used flocculants are synthetic organic polymers. While_x000D_
these reagents may not be inherently toxic, there are concerns about the toxicity and non-renewable origins of_x000D_
the petroleum-based precursors used to make these types of flocculants. Further, known synthetic organic_x000D_
polymers are not always effective in FFT applications and the reagent cost can be very high. It is known that_x000D_
microorganisms produce natural polymers, including polysaccharides and proteins, that aid in the aggregation_x000D_
of organic material and cells. Bioflocculants are environmentally-friendly, biodegradable and renewable. The_x000D_
development of an effective, inexpensive and environmentally-benign bioreagent to dewater FFT will be_x000D_
profitable for Chemiqa, and help solve one of the greatest challenges facing the mining industry today., program purpose french : Chemiqa is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of specialty chemicals and flotation technology to the_x000D_
mining and mineral processing industries. The objective of this project is to develop bioreagents for mineral_x000D_
processing with a focus on flocculants. The bioflocculants will be targeted for use on fluid fine tailings (FFT)_x000D_
derived from oil-sands, coal, copper, nickel and phosphate processing operations. FFT is a mixture of waste_x000D_
products containing mostly fine mineral solids and water which are difficult to separate. At present, there is a_x000D_
large volume of FFT stored in tailings ponds in Canada, which represents a huge liability for mining_x000D_
companies. One strategy to enhance FFT dewatering is by flocculation. Flocculation uses molecules to form_x000D_
bridges between particles, leading to the formation of particle aggregates, or flocs, which settle more quickly_x000D_
than individual fine particles. The most commonly used flocculants are synthetic organic polymers. While_x000D_
these reagents may not be inherently toxic, there are concerns about the toxicity and non-renewable origins of_x000D_
the petroleum-based precursors used to make these types of flocculants. Further, known synthetic organic_x000D_
polymers are not always effective in FFT applications and the reagent cost can be very high. It is known that_x000D_
microorganisms produce natural polymers, including polysaccharides and proteins, that aid in the aggregation_x000D_
of organic material and cells. Bioflocculants are environmentally-friendly, biodegradable and renewable. The_x000D_
development of an effective, inexpensive and environmentally-benign bioreagent to dewater FFT will be_x000D_
profitable for Chemiqa, and help solve one of the greatest challenges facing the mining industry today., agreement title english : Bioflocculants for Mineral Processing, agreement title french : Bioflocculants for Mineral Processing, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2017-10-18, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada