Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC)

SRC’s experts are focused on rare earth elements  (REE) processing and hydrometallurgy and working with mining companies to develop rare earth properties through laboratory, bench scale, pilot testing and field implementation. All stages of rare earth metallurgical tests are being offered, from preliminary, detailed, pilot plant testing, to effluent and tailings treatment.

Currently, China produces over 95 per cent of the world’s REE production and supplies about 97 per cent of the world’s demand. Over 250 companies outside of China are trying to develop rare earth element properties. The reality is rare earths are a small volume commodity – not like potash or iron ores – so no major mining companies are in rare earths because revenues are relatively small. The processes to produce rare earth elements are complicated, involving many stages of physical and chemical treatment. The energy and reagent consumption are high. The treatment of waste gas, water and tailings is difficult. The cost to produce rare earths is very high, which makes it difficult for other companies to compete with Chinese producers.

Saskatchewan is known for its world’s richest and largest uranium jurisdiction, and frequently Rare Earth Elements are found within uranium deposits. The extraction of REEs from uranium deposits in Saskatchewan has not been considered a viable option before, due to the fact that there is no cost-effective recovery technology developed for it.

SRC has been well known expert in developing and commercializing complete REE recovery and separation technologies in Canada. One of SRC’s newest developments is the design and commissioning of a heavy REE separation pilot plant that has been developed for this exact purpose.

As mines in Saskatchewan process their own uranium, a solution is left that contains REEs and a number of impurities. This mixture is what is typically sent to tailings ponds. SRC is working to develop technologies that would extract the REEs right at the mine site and then separate them into their individual elements (they are of higher value in this separated form).

SRC is currently developing a unique recovery technology that will extract the REEs directly from the uranium bi-product solution. The research and testing required for this is expected to be complete in 2018.

SRC has served of varieties of industries in Saskatchewan since 1947. Decades of hands of experience have been combined into SRC new initiative, Industrial Engineering Business Unit, which purpose was to address operational challenges of our clients. Industrial Engineering Business Unit have the combined engineering and technical capability to custom design a wide range of equipment, systems and structures that saves SRC’s clients time and money required on upgrades, expansions, retrofits and new installations. Group focus is on:

• Operational and maintenance support
• Custom design and build
• Expansion and upgrade services
• Engineering equipment performance and reliability

Some of the expertise include:

• Water/solids separation systems
• Reagent preparation and dosing systems
• High-frequency screeners and vibration optimization
• Vibration isolation
• Mechanical drives
• Custom steel bases, stands and platforms
• Torsional analysis,
• Upgrades of pump boxes, mix boxes and agitators
• Remediation of ducting to fans and blowers
• Failure analysis and root cause investigations
• Machine design analysis
• Engineered remediation with cost-effective equipment upgrades
• Life extension measures – management of vibration, fatigue, wear and corrosion
• Education seminars for operators, maintenance stuff and reliability engineers

Mining companies are being challenged to enhance the environmental sustainability of their operations. Public concerns about acid drainage, heavy metals contamination, tailings and wastewater have all led to the need to reduce mining’s environmental footprint.

The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) is researching and demonstrating technologies and processes that contribute to sustainable practices throughout the mining cycle:

• Early stage
  • Tailings Handling Method: SRC researchers work with companies to design processes and test tailings handling methods. Developing more efficient designs for processing and tailings management helps reduce tailings volumes and toxicity to minimize a mine site footprint.
  • Environmental Planning: SRC is home to leading experts that assist companies with predicting and planning for environmental challenges. SRC staff includes: Aquatic toxicologists, Climatologists, Air quality experts, Microbiologists, Environmental assessment experts
• Mid-stage
  • Advanced Microanalysis Centre™: This Centre can characterize ores to assist in optimizing processing and tailings design. The Centre can also identify toxic elements, such as selenium and arsenic, in tailings and wastewater.
  • Environmental Analytical Laboratories (EAL): SRC EAL provides environmental expertise and test services, including the use of a SLOWPOKE II nuclear research reactor. As one of Canada's most complete analytical chemistry laboratories, EAL supplies everything from water chemistry and microbiology expertise to hazardous waste classification, industrial hygiene, trace organics and radiochemical analysis.
  • Emissions Testing and Solutions: SRC can assist mines and mining operations with improving air quality. SRC can assist with internal decision-making by providing technology assessments and engine emission testing. Advanced engine technologies, alternative fuels, control systems and exhaust treatment systems are all technology options that could be evaluated. SRC can also provide recommendations and engineering solutions to meet specific environmental objectives.
  • Processing Efficiency: SRC can provide technical solutions to mineral processing industry to improve existing processes and develop new ones. This will improve productivity and minimize environmental impacts. We have the capabilities and facilities to develop optimal processing methods for: potash, uranium, oil sand/shale, coal and rare earth elements.  The result will be reduced tailings and wastewater; recovery of valuable byproducts; and a reduction in pollutants and the environmental footprint.
• Final stage
  • Remediation: SRC is leading Project CLEANS, a multi-year, multimillion-dollar project to assess and reclaim mining sites in northern Saskatchewan. With this experience, SRC can assist companies to decommission existing mines and remediate sites in an environmentally sustainable way while minimizing costs. The expertise gained from the project can be applied to many mine sites.