Challenges in translational research to develop innovative environmental technologies

Speaker:  Professor Longbin Huang, Group Leader Ecological Engineering of Mine Wastes, Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute

Abstract:  It is of a great challenge for researchers to develop game changing technologies for cost-effective and sustainable operations in mining and mineral processing sectors, such as technologies for rehabilitating large volumes of tailings under field operable conditions. It involves translation of innovative and multidisciplinary concepts and knowledge into technological systems, which are robust enough to achieve expected outcomes, in response to inputs. Many research projects failed to achieve the technological outcomes due to the inadequate understanding of the “real world” problems and socio-economic operational context. In this seminar, I would like to share my experience in developing eco-engineering technologies for rehabilitating tailings, for highlighting the critical considerations required in the R&D process to develop game-changing technologies.

Bio:  Longbin Huang is a full professor and the group leader of Ecological Engineering of Mine Wastes, at the Sustainable Minerals Institute . Longbin has been leading many large industry projects (worth > $15 million over the last decade) directly/jointly funded by governments and large mining and minerals companies, to develop game-changing technologies to repurpose tailings and mine wastes for cost-effective and sustainable tailings rehabilitation. He has been leading the frontier of developing new technologies of ecological engineering of mine wastes, for rehabilitating ferrous and base metal mine tailings (e.g., magnetite tailings, bauxite residues (or red mud), Cu/Pb-Zn tailings). In 2019, Longbin's translational research achievements were recognised in UQ’s Partners in Research Excellence Award in the “Resilient Environments” (together with Rio Tinto and Queensland Alumina Ltd).