Beneficiation and Value Addition of Minerals and Materials

Lucky Sikhwivhilu (Head and Director of DSTI /Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre).He received his PhD in Chemistry from the University of the Witwatersrand. He has post-doctoral experience from Unipress - Institute of High-Pressure Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and University of Warsaw, Poland. Prof Sikhwivhilu is currently the chairperson and founding member of the South African Solar Energy Association (SASEA). He has also founded Nanotechnology Young Researcher Symposium (NYRS). He is the current leader of Technical Committee, JWG 1 group (Terminology and Nomenclature) – ISO TC 229 Nanotechnologies. He serves as as a member of the International Advisory Board of the HORIZON project PRIME “SSBD of PFAS-free coating alternatives for industrial and consumer products” (Europen Union). PRIME consortium is composed of 14 entities, from Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands and Turkey. He also serves as advisory panel member of NPEP and served in the executive committee of SANi. He headed India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Nanotechnology Trilateral Initiative on Health, Energy, Water, and Advanced Materials and Sensors. Appointed as Coordinator of the International Centre for Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI) for South Africa. Prof Sikhwivhilu serves as the editor of the South African Journal of Chemistry (SAJC) and he is also in the editorial board of Current Chinese Science: Nanotechnology as an editor. Other editorial roles include guest chief editor for various other journals. Has contributed over 65 research articles, several trade secrets and a patent. Has supervised numerous Hons, MSc, PhD and Post-docs. Has won several local and international awards, including a prestigious international award (ISSN International Research Awards, IIRA-2022) in association with World Research Council. He is a member of American Chemical Society and others.Teboho Clement Mokhena (Head of Nanomineral Unit and Principal Scientist, Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Advanced materials Division, Mintek). Teboho Clement Mokhena received his PhD in Polymer Science from the University of the Free State. He is Principal research scientist heading Nanominerals Unit within the Advanced Materials Division at MINTEK. His work focuses on the synthesis and modification of nanostructured materials for advanced applications. The focus is on the exploitation of waste polymeric materials to fabricate value-added nanostructured materials. The aim is to develop novel technologies that can address the current global issues such as water, energy, and health crisis.Bulelwa Ntsendwana (Research Director, Sensor Unit, Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Advanced Materials Division).Bulelwa Ntsendwana is a Principal Scientist at the Sensor Platform, Nanotechnology Innovation Centre at Mintek. She has worked on development and upscaling of nanomaterials for fabrication of technologies within the ENERGY-WATER-ENVIRONMENTAL-HEALTH NEXUS. Her passion is effective utilization of natural resources and minerals for social and economic growth through progressive innovation that assures localization. Hence, she aims to harness the power of chemistry to create “a world of social and economic prosperity sustained through collective action”.

• 1. Introduction 2. Outlook for The Nickel, Cobalt, and Platinum Group Metals Industry: Barriers of Entry for Historically Disadvantaged Small Enterprises In South Africa 3. A Screenshot of Environmental Impacts of Metal Mining and Ore Processing In Sub-Saharan Africa 4. A Brief Overview of Rare Earth Elements 5.Smart Metal Recovery Practices through Agro and Phytomining 6.Circular Economy of NanoMinerals and Nanomaterials 7.Minerals for renewable energy 8.The use of conventional and advanced fabrication technologies develop precious metal alloys for jewellery applications 9. Advanced Methods for Lithium Extraction from Brine for Energy Applications 10. Development of Heterogeneous Catalysts for Industrial Applications 11.The role of Noble metal and mineral-based nanomaterials in food preservation 12. Minerals Functional Nano-Fillers for Biomedical Applications 13. Evaluation of Bio-Engineered Nanomaterials for Tissue Engineering Applications 14. Advanced Nanocomposite Minerals for Fabrication of Wearable Glucose Biosensor 15. Gold Nanoparticles in Diagnostics: Advances in Point-of-Care Detection of COVID-19, TB, and HIV in the Mining Sector 16.Electrospun metal-based nanomaterials for the treatment of mine-impacted wastewater 17. Approaches for The Remediation of Mine-Influenced Water to Minimise Ecological Consequences 18. Advances In Nano-Based Minerals for Monitoring of Persistent Environmental Pollutants in Mine-Impacted Wastewater 19.Polymeric nanofiber-based sensors for applications in organic and inorganic waste monitoring 20. Assessing Occupational Exposure to Metals: Achievements, Challenges, and Mitigation 21. Clinical toxicity of Mining In South Africa 22. Conclusions and perspectives