MIWATCH’s gold prize!
Associate Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox
21 October 2024
Steve recently completed his PhD in Earth Science with a focus on Geometallurgy at Stellenbosch University, under the supervision of Dr Bjorn Von der Heyden and Dr Margret Tadie. His research centred on the geometallurgical characterization and deportment of gold in one of the largest historical tailings reservoirs of the Witwatersrand.
Steve's pioneering work in characterizing historical mine waste has significantly influenced both academic and industrial sectors. Notably, he discovered over 420 tons of recoverable gold in historical mine tailings, highlighting the environmental benefits of resource recovery. This groundbreaking research has garnered attention from local and international mining communities and has been featured in media outlets such as Al Jazeera, Business Live and the BBC.
Steve's interview with Newzroom Afrika
He has authored peer-reviewed publications in esteemed journals, including Minerals Engineering and Scientific Reports from Nature Portfolio, and has presented his work at numerous global conferences. His expertise encompasses geology, environmental science, and geometallurgy, with a particular emphasis on sustainable mining practices and tailings management. His research is driven by a commitment to minimizing mining's environmental impact while maximizing resource recovery.
Among his accolades, Steve was ranked 51st among the Top 100 Chemistry Authors of 2023 by Nature Portfolio. Throughout his academic journey, he has received various scholarships and grants, including the International Geological Congress grant for 2024, a National Research Foundation scholarship, the Stellenbosch Postgraduate Scholarship and the Society of Economic Geologists student research grant.
Steve's interview with Biz News
With over four years of experience as a teaching assistant and mentor, Steve has actively engaged with communities by addressing issues such as illegal mining in Johannesburg's townships and providing motivational talks to young professionals and disadvantaged youth. He has also worked as a commodity analyst at Project Blue, where he managed value chain analysis for vanadium and vanadium redox flow battery markets.
As a former postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences at Stellenbosch University, Steve focused on empirical measurements of acid mine drainage fluxes from historical gold tailings dumps. He is excited to join the MIWATCH at the Sustainable Minerals Institute, where he plans to advance research on novel methodologies for the characterization of mine waste to inform sustainable and optimised extraction practices.
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Last updated:
21 October 2024