Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining

About the Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining (CERM)

The Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining (CERM) is a leading research hub dedicated to addressing the complex environmental and water challenges that arise throughout the mining lifecycle —from mineral discovery through to closure.

Established through the strategic merger of the Sustainable Minerals Institute’s Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation (CMLR) and the Centre for Water in the Minerals Industry (CWiMI), CERM integrates decades of experience and impact. The Centre's aim is to drive future innovation, enhance environmental resilience, and promote sustainable mining practices.

With a strong emphasis on applied research, collaborative partnerships, and a proven track record in education — through Higher Degrees by Research, professional development, and bespoke training — CERM is uniquely positioned to play a critical role in advancing environmental protection and resource efficiency in the mining sector.

Research capabilities

Ecological engineering of mine wastes (tailings, waste rocks and spoils) for sustainable rehabilitation and closure
Chemical engineering of mine wastes for environmental remediation
Phytotechnology for mineral extraction and environmental remediation
Eco-engineering of landforms, landscapes and ecosystem structure
Environmental Geochemistry for sustainable water and tailings management
Environmental Monitoring and ecosystem management using spatial technology
Planning Mine closure at mine-site and regional scales.
Accounting and managing water resources for sustainable mining and regional development
Hydrology and hydrogeology in mined landscapes and surrounding regions
Aquatic system biology and ecology in mined environments

CERM’s research is shaped by the environmental and water challenges facing the mining and gas sectors. Our capabilities continually evolve to meet the changing needs of industry, government, and communities—ensuring our work remains relevant, impactful, and future-focused.

We recognise that environmental and water related issues rarely exist in isolation, but intersect with other areas of operations and community engagement. CERM's research addresses these complexities through an integrated and multidisciplinary approach that combines technical depth with applied problem-solving. Our research informs policy, guides best practice, and supports sustainable outcomes across diverse mining contexts.

See more on CERM's research themes and groups

Centre Director

Professor Longbin Huang (Acting Director)
View Longbin Huang's research profile

Leadership

Professor Mansour Edraki
View Mansour Edraki’s research profile

Professor Claire Cote

View Claire Cote’s research profile

Professor Peter Erskine

View Peter Erskine's research profile

Professor Neil McIntyre
View Neil McIntyre’s research profile

See the Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining's full list of staff and students

CERM’s suite of courses and short courses offer professional development for environmental personnel working on mine sites, environmental consultants, government regulators, policy makers, and other scientists and water resources engineers working with the mining industry. Courses are targeted at professionals with less than 10 years' experience.

Mine Water Management Program

Courses

Mine Water Fundamentals
Mine Water Systems
Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, Tailings and Residue

Short courses

Water Accounting for Mine Sites
Water Quality Assessment for Mine Sites

Acid and Metalliferous Drainage

Introduction to Acid and Metalliferous Drainage

View our available professional development courses

We can also work directly with organisations to create bespoke training tailored to the specific organisational goals. For more information, please contact Dr Louisa Rochford, email: louisa.rochford@uq.edu.au

The Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining (CERM) provides opportunities for students wanting to enrol in an Honours, Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program.

Our Centre has an environmental focus and the research topics available relate to the sustainable management of water resources in the mining and energy sectors. Our research topics address current industry questions across multiple fields.

Under the guidance of our academic researchers, students can make significant contributions to sustainability in mining specialising in water resources.

See more on SMI’s Higher Degree by Research webpage

The Centre has a range of in-house facilities to support research and postgraduate teaching. This includes:

Soil and water laboratory
Ecology laboratory
Sample preparation laboratory
Geohydrology laboratory
Herbarium
Mine site-compliant vehicle fleet
Field research equipment

Staff and students also have access to a range of analytical and microscopy services and glasshouse facilities within The University of Queensland, St Lucia campus.

Remotely Piloted Aircraft

Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies, the Centre can determine the extent of erosion and vegetative cover across an entire site, or selected problematic areas.

Outcomes include:

Collection of RPA imagery with >80% overlap provides enough information for the generation of digital surface models (DSM). These DSM’s can be utilised by rehabilitation managers to measure landform metrics such as slope, elevation and problem areas such as erosion gullies.
A thematic vegetation coverage map may also be produced to provide spatial distribution of tree, shrub and grass cover and identify areas which are failing or developing well.

Monitoring in this manner is designed to inform management decisions in order to achieve rehabilitation outcomes that are safe, stable, self-sustaining and suited to target closure criteria in the most efficient manner possible.

Online Herbarium

The Online Herbarium was developed in collaboration with Silver Biology and the former Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation (CMLR), now part of the Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining (CERM). It supports research into land rehabilitation and the ecological impacts of mining by providing a robust plant identification resource—especially valuable in regions with limited access to traditional identification tools.

Many of our projects rely on accurate plant identification, ranging from basic to advanced, as a foundational step in understanding and restoring disturbed landscapes. The Herbarium offers query-based filtering and dynamic, high-resolution imagery to assist staff, students, and the public, serving as both an alternative and complement to conventional plant identification methods.

Aims

Build comprehensive site collections for long-term research projects
Develop representative collections for selected mine sites in NSW and QLD
Curate research-appropriate specimens from other regions
Demonstrate a low-cost, virtual herbarium model with advanced features aligned with Australian and global online herbarium initiatives

Since its inception in 1993, CMLR researchers have collected plant specimens across numerous mine sites in Queensland and New South Wales, often validated in collaboration with botanists from the Queensland Herbarium and the National Herbarium of New South Wales.

Previously stored in traditional naphthalene-infused boxes and folders, these specimens had limited accessibility. Advances in high-resolution imaging and database technology have now enabled the digitisation of this valuable collection, making it easier to access and use for research and education.

Visit the online herbarium