Research Themes
Research Themes of Our Laboratory
Aiming to Present New Ideas about Resource Recycling and Environmental Remediation Technologies from the Standpoint of Comprehensive Engineering, in order to Realize a Sustainable Society.
Our laboratory’s mission is to conduct fundamental, applied and implementation studies in collaboration with industry and government on the following topics: (i) Utilization and recycling of limited minerals, energy and water resources; (ii) Utilization of wastes and remediation of environmental pollutions caused by the activity of (i); (iii) Creation of added values such as highly functional industrial/environmental mineral materials (e.g., Separation and purification of valuable metals from low-grade ores and urban mine wastes; Upgrading of coal fly ash and blast furnace slag to environmental purification materials; Treatment of water pollution by harmful elements). For this aim, multidisciplinary approaches are taken by combining Powder Engineering, Nanogeoscience, Photochemistry and Biotechnology.
1. Nanogeoscience : Development of next-generation environmental purification materials / Prof.Keiko Sasaki
We aim to develop adsorbents and recovery technologies for rare elements (harmful ions, radionuclides, rare earths, rare metals) existing in the global environment, to develop decomposition catalysts for harmful low-molecular-weight organic substances, and to elucidate its mechanism. ( Main academic base : Chemical equilibrium theory / Mineralogy / Surface Chemistry )
2. Bio-mining : Biomining of natural minerals/urban mine wastes and bioremediation of metal-contaminated waters/ Assoc. prof. Naoko OKIBE
We aim to develop new biohydrometallurgical technologies for; (i) recovery of valuable metals from natural ores/concentrates as well as from urban mine wastes, and (ii) remediation of metal contaminated mining-related wastewaters ( Main academic bases : Biotechnology/ Microbiology/ Hydrometallurgy )
| ◆ Bioleaching and biooxidation of refractory ores/concentrates |
| ◆ Bioleaching/bio-chemical hybrid leaching of urban mine wastes (waste PCBs and spent catalysts) |
| ◆ Arsenic-containing wastewater treatment via bioscorodite crystallization |
| ◆ Production of precious/rare metal bio-nanoparticles |
| ◆ Bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated wastewaters |
| ◆ Utilization of industrial solid wastes for treatment of metal-contaminated waters |
3. Mineral Processing & Recycling : Development of advanced resource processing technologies/ Assoc. prof. Hajime MIKI
We aim to develop advanced resource processing technologies to separate and purify valuable components from refractory ores and wastes. (Main academic base; Powder Technology / Surface Chemistry)
| ◆ New cost effective, environmentally friendly physical separation technologies for refractory sulfide ores (e.g., Magnetic separation and Flotation ) |
| ◆ New mineral processing method for high arsenic-containing copper ore |
| ◆ Recovery of rare earths from waste fluorescent tubes |
| ◆ Recovery of phosphorus from sewage sludge |
