Zeotech (ASX:ZEO) has concluded a methane control program in collaboration with Cleanaway Waste Management at Griffith University, which it found can eliminate methane emissions through chemical and biological oxidation.
The emerging mineral processing technology company says the program has been underway at Griffith since February 2023 and achieved its objective of developing an effective zeolite-based biofilter that adsorbs and eliminates methane emissions through chemical and biological oxidation.
Zeotech Head of Projects Dr John Vogrin says this process can potentially mitigate a greenhouse gas with 28 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.
“This is the result of two years of research and development, and an entire year of optimisation and monitoring,” Vogrin says.
“The high oxidation rates, minimal maintenance, and robustness of the biofilters indicate that we have developed a promising, cost-effective solution to mitigate landfill methane emissions, a notoriously difficult greenhouse gas to eliminate, and one of Australia’s most significant methane emission sources.”
Griffith University, School of Environment and Science, Australian Rivers Institute, Dr Chris Pratt says the institute is pleased with the achievements of the methane control program over the past 24 months, culminating in recording over 90% median methane elimination from the leading zeolite biofilter.
“This is extremely promising considering the in-field simulations were subjected to extreme weather events during the trial period,” Pratt says.
“The infield pilot-scale configurations were constructed with similar engineered layers, cover soil, and methane emission rates as those seen in intermediate-sized landfills, so we are confident that we can replicate these results in operational landfills.
“We look forward to working closely with Zeotech to share these exciting results with landfill operators to potentially secure an opportunity to progress to on-site trials later this year.”
Zeotech is leveraging its wholly owned “high-grade” kaolin resources to produce high-reactivity metakaolin (HRM) for the low-carbon concrete market and advanced materials for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, such as zeolites for fugitive methane control.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Zeotech
