SMI Research
Working to have a positive impact on global mining and sustainability challenges
A wide range of factors are currently re-shaping industry practices including increasing attention on critical minerals and complex geopolitics. Growing minerals demand, rapid technological change and expectations around efficiency, social and environmental performance are also playing a role in shaping the sector.
- What role can sustainable development principles play in the future of mining?
- What operating conditions support responsible resource development?
- How can the sector adapt to emerging supply, technology and capability challenges?
- Delivering better sustainability outcomes for people, environments, and mining regions
- Enabling lower-footprint mining projects with improved models for the equitable distribution of risk and benefit
- Developing capable, responsible leaders and organisations across the sector
- Strengthening sector-wide capability to meet future mineral supply challenges
Tackling global mining challenges
Mining's biggest challenges cannot be solved by a single discipline, organisation or technology
SMI brings a multidisciplinary perspective to addressing complex challenges in resource development and global sustainability. Through long-term partnerships, we help organisations navigate complexity, manage risk, strengthen capability and identify opportunities across the resources sector.
SMI supports organisations at every level, from artisanal miners to major mining companies, and from community organisations to international bodies. Our track record is built on strong partnerships with industry, governments, civil society and academia.
Showcase: A long-term partnership
SMI and MMG have worked together for more than a decade on over 40 projects spanning multiple areas of expertise and many of MMG's operations. This collaboration highlights how long-term partnerships can create value through shared knowledge, research and innovation.
Capabilities and expertise
- Tailings & mine waste management - Developing sustainable and resilient ecosystems on waste streams, constructed landforms and post mining landscapes.
- Critical and strategic minerals - Strengthening critical mineral supply and managing social, environmental and governance risks as the sector grows.
- Mineral processing - Developing practical solutions that improve recovery, efficiency and sustainability across mineral processing operations.
- Complex orebodies - Addressing future mineral supply challenges through research and innovation.
- Resourcing decarbonisation - Supporting impact-driven research into questions underpinning the transition to a net-zero carbon economy.
- Training and capacity building - Building the people, institutions and systems needed for a changing resources sector.
- Social risk & resource governance - Applying social sciences to unpack complex resource sector challenges and deliver independent analysis.
- Analysis and testing - Offering world-class analysis and testing facilities to underpin informed mining decision‑making.
- Environment and water management - Addressing the complex environmental and water challenges that arise throughout the mining lifecycle.
- Health, safety and risk - Delivering innovative research to create safer, healthier and more rewarding workplaces.
- Mineral security - Realising universal access to the minerals and materials necessary for human development.
Research impact
High Voltage Pulse (HVP) Comminution Pretreatment
Reducing energy use and separation efficiencies by preweakening the ore; enabling preconcentation and improving liberation.
OreSand: A circular economy solution
By integrating mineral processing circuits, we co-produce clean, low-carbon, fit-for-purpose sand before it becomes tailings.
The social aspects of mine closure
Supporting successful mine closure by advancing understanding of social impacts and informing stronger post-mining futures for communities.
Expertise underpinning research impact
SMI's research centres, together with SMI Chile and JKTech, provide the specialist expertise, facilities and industry connections that enable our research to address complex challenges across the resources sector.
Our Centres
JKTech
SMI works closely with JKTech, an independent, UQ-owned company that provides consulting, technical services, professional development, software and products to the global mining industry. Strong connections between JKTech and SMI support links between research, education and industry practice.