Beyond conventional geometallurgy: A broader view to be prepared for a circular economy

Speaker:  Dr Regina Baumgartner, Group Leader at Applied Mineralogy & Geoscience Group, Teck Metals Ltd

Abstract:  Orebody knowledge is foundational to geometallurgy in which the focus has changed from the well-known traditional geometallurgy to one integrating a broader view towards the global transition into low-carbon technologies and economy, with the potential to unlock future unknown resources. Optimisation of the known, for example, a copper resource from a porphyry copper deposit, is now extended to the optimisation of not only the copper product but other valuable elements present in ore and non-ore materials and/or potential products sourced from non-ore materials and tailings (construction materials, concentrates via reprocessing, etc.) These optimisation and de-risking processes are related to the mining value chain which now would be viewed as a value circle or wheel rather than a chain since we have the potential to produce new materials from residual products. Data collection through orebody knowledge initiatives need to be combined with other data and tests via data integration to make geometallurgy successful. Integration can be accomplished by advanced tools such as machine learning and to do this, a team validation is needed to ensure that geological, processing, mining, and/or environmental aspects, are appropriate and will be embedded in current and future geometallurgical models or reclamation activities.

Bio:  Regina Baumgartner holds a PhD from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. She has experience working in greenfields exploration projects, brownfields exploration, advanced projects and operations.  Prior to joining Teck, she worked for Goldfields as a principal geoscientist focusing on geometallurgy of advanced projects of base metal porphyry and precious metal epithermal deposits in Peru, the Philippines, Chile, Mali, among others. At Teck, she has worked in greenfield operations and advanced projects as a principal geologist overlooking the Quebrada Blanca 3 in Chile, focusing on geoscience and geometallurgical initiatives. In January 2021 Regina was appointed to the position of Group Leader at Applied Mineralogy and Geoscience Group in the Technical Services in Trail, Canada. In her free time, she is an adjunct professor at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru (PUCP) giving lectures and supervising honours students.