Sustainability, Circularity and the Just Transition

ISER researchers in sustainability and circularity are conducting critical research to answer some of the most challenging problems, from mitigating climate change, creating sustainable supply chains and ESG, to developing new methods of recycling and re-use, including making novel products from waste, and much more.

ISER’s circularity projects include mineral carbonation from tailings in the iron-ore, bauxite/alumina and copper industries, the development of processes to co-produce carbon materials from methane pyrolysis, of new high-value materials for the medical industry from residues from the copper/uranium industry, and the production of sustainable aviation fuel from industrial CO₂. Its sustainability projects include the analysis of policies in industrial carbonisation to recommend potential changes, identification of policy and regulatory barriers to alternative fuels, and analysis of social licence barriers in the minerals sector.

ISER promotes circular economy approaches across minerals and metals value chains, including materials recovery, waste stream valorisation, and the development of new industries from materials that have traditionally been by-products. It is also partnering to accelerate the development of new finance, trade and markets, whilst also engaging with society to co-develop new approaches to increase the benefits flowing to society and to address its concerns, thereby generating social licence.