MIWATCH Welcomes Dr Elin Jennings
The MIWATCH team are back after the seasonal break with a big focus now on delivering research papers summarising their flagship projects, many of which drew to a close in 2024. But as we summarise the past, we are looking to the future and new project opportunities- with many of us reminded that we started out in Environmental Geochemistry to tackle the challenge of acid and metalliferous drainage (or AMD). Motivated by that, we are excited to welcome new postdoc, Dr Elin Jennings.
Elin has come from the University of Exeter, Camborne School of Mines, UK, where she recently completed her PhD in Mining and Mineral Engineering. Her PhD project focussed on legacy mine waste characterisation in the coastal zone under the supervision of Prof Karen Hudson-Edwards and Dr Rich Crane. This PhD was in collaboration with a NERC-funded project, Legacy Waste in the Coastal Zone, which included researchers from Newcastle University, University of Hull, University of Exeter, University of Leeds, University of Plymouth, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Glasgow and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
Her thesis, titled Sources, Pathways and Sinks of Metal(loid) Contaminants in an Acid Mine Drainage Affected (AMD) River System, aimed to understand the behaviour of AMD-related metal(loid) contaminants like arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in both the aqueous and sediment phases. The study also explored how these contaminants interact with seawater upon entering coastal zones. This project, which involved elements of geology, geochemistry, and environmental science, enabled Elin to conduct extensive fieldwork in the Carnon River, UK, where she collected river sediments and water samples and measured water flow. She can confidently say she’s now proficient at getting in and out of rivers, especially in waders!
During her PhD, Elin was awarded a Diamond Light Source grant, which funded synchrotron research at Diamond (beamline I18). There, she collected XAS data on the Carnon River sediments, unveiling the transformation processes of arsenic. She also gained expertise in several analytical techniques, including XRF, ICP-OES, SEM-EDX, QEMSCAN, IC, ferrozine assay, particle size distribution, and the salt dilution gauging method.
Outside her research, Elin is passionate about public engagement and teaching. She supervised numerous research projects for undergraduate and master’s students and contributed to teaching hydrogeology and mine waste geochemistry at the University of Exeter. Her involvement in the Engaging the Public with Environmental Science 2022 outreach project allowed her to connect with secondary school pupils across South-West England, where she shared her enthusiasm for mining and emphasised the importance of environmentally responsible practices.
This isn’t the first time Elin has been involved with UQ. In 2022, she helped organise the ‘Next Generation Resources’ conference, alongside early career researchers from the University of Cape Town, University of Queensland, Federal University of Minas Gerais, and University of Exeter. This student-led initiative fostered discussions among PhD students about sustainable mining practices and the complexities of mining’s life cycle.
Outside of academics, Elin enjoys organising social events and boosting team morale. One of her favourite events was a Ceilidh (Scottish folk dancing), which brought together early-career researchers from various departments at Exeter.
Before starting her PhD, Elin completed a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Earth Science at Aberystwyth University, where she stayed close to her Welsh roots. During her undergraduate years, she was awarded the Walter Idris Bursary for an independent research project on the adsorption and desorption of harmful elements on coal and ochre. Her dissertation focused on mapping potentially harmful elements around the Clydach nickel refinery in South Wales, which contributed to the British Geological Survey’s urban geochemistry map of Swansea.
Elin was also honoured with two awards during her time at Aberystwyth: The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland Award, which recognises the top second-year students in mineralogy and petrology across the UK, and the Rudler Exhibition Prize for the highest mark in Environmental Earth Science at Aberystwyth University.
We look forward to introducing Elin to Australia’s mine sites to help find innovative solutions to tackle our growing AMD challenges.