UQ Tailings Innovation Summit
Workshops
17 & 20 November 2026
The UQ Tailings Innovation Workshops are interactive and designed to deepen understanding, build collaboration and advance responsible tailings management
Take advantage of our special discounted rate and attend a second workshop for only $199.
Please note that, due to workshop timings, delegates may register for a maximum of one pre-Summit workshop and one post-Summit workshop.
All workshops will be held in UQ Brisbane City.
The workshops on Tuesday 17 November will end by 4.45pm so that delegates can attend the Welcome Reception in the venue's Atrium. Entrance to the Welcome Reception is included in the ticket cost.
Workshops Tuesday 17 November 2026
Workshop
OreSand Masterclass & Innovation Ecosystem Workshop: Building a circular economy through tailings reduction
OreSand is a circular economy solution that reduces tailings generation while producing sustainable, low-carbon manufactured sand directly from metal ore bodies during mineral processing. By creating a valuable sand by-product, it can significantly reduce reliance on sand extracted from rivers, coastlines, and other sensitive ecosystems.
This interactive session combines research, industry experience, and policy insights to provide practical strategies for advancing mining circularity. Participants will learn why previous tailings repurposing initiatives have struggled, how OreSand can be produced at scale, and where the greatest commercial and social value exists. Real-world case studies demonstrate pathways to transform mining by-products into long-term economic and environmental benefits.
Workshop
Lab to Landscape: Scalable Monitoring of Mine Waste Using Spectroscopy, Drones and Satellites
This workshop equips mining and government leaders with a state-of-the-art understanding of mine waste monitoring, using drones, satellite and laboratory hyperspectral, multispectral, and LiDAR systems.
Participants will explore how these emergent technologies are quantifying erosion, spatially mapping mineral signatures linked to acid rock drainage, and acting as early-warning systems. The program will cover lab-scale spectroscopy, drone surveying, and satellite observation to enable monitoring over multiple or large sites. Case studies will demonstrate the operational value, and we will discuss what is required to achieve environmental assurance.
Interactive elements include hands-on sample scanning and a guided drone activity.
Workshops Friday 20 November 2026
Workshop
Metal Characterisation and Recovery from Tailings Roundtable
Tailings represent both a long-standing environmental liability and an alternative source of critical minerals, strategic materials, and precious metals. Reprocessing legacy and fresh tailings offers a pathway towards a more circular, sustainable minerals supply chain, yet the real challenge lies in translating characterisation and quantification into recoverable pathways.
Hosted by the Mine Waste Transformation through Characterisation (MIWATCH) research group, this workshop opens with a global overview on tailings reprocessing before turning to characterisation, quantification, and lab-scale reprocessing outcomes through a series of case studies. Participants will explore key challenges and opportunities, and work together to shape priorities for the future of tailings reprocessing.
Workshop outline
Workshop