OreSand is a circular economy solution that reduces mineral waste and improves global sand sustainability.
Mining and construction sit at the heart of the global materials economy, and at the centre of two converging problems.
Tailings and mine waste
Sand as an essential resource
Sand, gravel, and crushed stone are among the most heavily used solid materials in the world. Demand is driven by urbanisation, infrastructure, population growth, and climate adaptation. As extraction from rivers, deltas, and coasts has intensified, so too have impacts on biodiversity, landforms, and local communities.
Some sand demand is already met by crushing rock, often geologically similar to the ores mined for metals. This raises a simple question:
Could we use the rock crushed in mining and mineral processing as a sustainable source of sand – and in doing so reduce tailings production for mining companies and tailings risk for local communities?
Our response
OreSand is the sand we need from the ore we’re already processing.
We design and test mineral processing flowsheets that separate a clean sand fraction as a co-product of metalmineral ore processing. The result is a high-quality manufactured sand that can, depending on the ore body and processing route, be used as:
- construction sand (for concrete, mortars, bricks, and road base); and/or
- industrial sand (for specific technical applications).
This approach shifts the focus from “what can we do with waste?” to “how do we use the whole ore body wisely?”. We often describe it as a “nose-to-tail” approach to mining: instead of extracting only the “fillet” – the high-value metals – and leaving the rest to go to waste, we think it is time that the industry also made ‘sausages’ and unlocked value in material that would otherwise be discarded.
Our OreSand work is expanding quickly and currently focuses on two main types of engagement, supported by ongoing research and systems-change efforts.
OreSand research partnerships
Our OreSand research partnerships test OreSand potential in real operations. Working with mining companies, engineering firms, and public partners, we:
- assess the feasibility and business-case of producing OreSand at specific sites;
- design and trial mineral processing flowsheets to co-produce OreSand alongside metals;
- test product performance in uses such as concrete, bricks, road sub-base, and backfill;
- analyse market, regulatory, social, and environmental conditions for uptake; and
- foster innovation ecosystems to implement OreSand at scale.
These collaborations generate the evidence needed for companies, regulators, standards bodies, and financiers to treat OreSand as a serious option. They also drive new research questions and feed directly into the tools and guidance in the OreSand Knowledge Hub.
Learn more about our OreSand research partnerships
OreSand Knowledge Hub
The OreSand Knowledge Hub is our platform for open, practical knowledge on OreSand and related by-products of mining. Developed with support from the Queensland Government, it aims to:
provide guidance, tools, and case material to help companies and governments assess OreSand potential at specific sites;
share lessons from demonstration projects, including environmental, technical, market, and governance dimensions;
build capability across the ecosystem – from operators and engineering firms to regulators, investors, and communities.
The OreSand Knowledge Hub also hosts selected decision-support tools and business resources, and is a space where we are developing our plans for a dedicated OreSand commercialisation entity. These resources help partners move from concept to investable project pipelines.
Explore the OreSand Knowledge Hub
Our goal is to demonstrate that OreSand can:
- avoid and reduce mine waste at scale by co-producing fit-for-purposing sand instead of wastefully generating tailings;
- reduce the demand for natural sand from rivers, coasts, and other dynamic ecosystems, cutting ecological and social impacts;
- improve resource efficiency, using more of what is already mined rather than expanding the footprint of extraction; and
- create new, sustainable economic opportunities in mining regions by building OreSand supply chains, skills, and services.
By bringing together technical innovation, market development, and policy change, the OreSand programme aims to shift sand supply and tailings management onto a more sustainable footing.
Global recognition
The terms ore-sand and OreSand™ were introduced by researchers at The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute as part of a collaboration with the University of Geneva and Vale.
Since then, the concept has attracted attention from media and expert outlets around the world, helping to move the idea from research into public, policy, and industry debate. smi.uq.edu.au+1
Recent coverage includes:
Why is the world running out of sand? – ABC Radio National, Late Night Live (2025).
An 18-minute national radio segment with Professor Daniel Franks on the global sand crisis and how making sand from ore could help address it.
Vale sand to aid sustainability and mining tailings reduction – Global Mining Review (2022).
Industry feature on the UQ–UNIGE Ore-sand report and Vale’s Brucutu case, profiling ore-sand as a route to cut tailings and supply construction markets.
A new approach to dealing with the dangers of tailings – Mining Technology / Mine Australia (2025).
Article on OreSand as a way to avoid mine waste through co-producing valuable sand products while improving tailings safety. mining-technology.
These stories sit alongside other coverage in specialist mining and sustainability outlets, reinforcing OreSand’s role in global conversations on sand, tailings, and circular economy solutions.
When you see the trademark OreSand in our partnerships and commercial ventures you know that the work is associated with us. In contrast, we use the term ore-sand to refer to the generic scientific concept, the term we use in our academic publications to foster the concept broadly.
Core team
Dr Juliana Segura-Salazar
View Juliana Segura-Salazar's research profile
Dr Louise Gallagher
View Louise Gallagher's research profile
Dr Lulit Habte Ekubastion
View Lulit Habte Ekubatsion's research profile
Research collaborators
Commercialisation advisors
Leigh Staines, UQ Commercialisation support; business innovation
Kai Eberspaecher, Commercialisation and business strategy support
Contact us
To learn more about OreSand, discuss potential projects, or explore collaboration:
Dr Louise Gallagher
Dr Juliana Segura-Salazar
Global Centre for Mineral Security and
OreSand Knowledge Hub
The OreSand program sits within the Global Centre for Minerals Security (GCMS) at UQ's Sustainable Minerals Institute.