JKMRC HDR
Postgraduate students have the privilege of working with internationally respected researchers and leading industry partners in the fields of mining and mineral processing, and have access to state of the art pilot plant and laboratory facilities at SMI’s Indooroopilly mine site. A strong industry focus and applied research projects provide candidates with both academic challenges and opportunities to engage with minerals industry professionals.
PhD Projects
- Development of an Empirical Model of the Hydrofloat Cell (Konuray Demir)
- Development of a model informed process control system for coal (Joyce Siong)
- Development of a financial modelling for multi component mineral process simulators (Jeremy Hanhiniemi)
- Predicting physical breakage properties of ore from microstructure and texture for use in Geometallurgical modelling (Shujaat Ali)
- Hydrocyclone optimisation (Mussa Lisso)
- Development and evaluation of an integrated small scale continuous HVP system (Flavio Andre)
- Investigating best comminution and classification circuit design for coarse particle
flotation (Hayla Miceli) - Application of Machine Learning to identify Process operating regime for real time models calibration (Niranjan Adhikari)
- Alternative mineral processing strategies for copper-gold tailings management (Roneel Narayan)
- Novel Reagent Technologies for Arsenic Minerals (Lam Ian Ku)
- Dynamic modelling of Comminution circuits for assessing different control strategies (Raoni Antunes Lage)
- Investigation of direct reagent addition to bubble surfaces via the gas phase on hydrophobic particle recovery (Candice Brill)
- Correlation of surface chemical heterogeneity at the micron scale with hydrophobicity and particle-bubble interaction forces (Anran Niu)
- Flotation properties of base metal sulphides in composite particles, as a function of their mineral chemistry (Mayra Jefferson Montoya)
- Key chemistry drivers for HydroFloat flotation performance (Anna Skliar)
- Experimental investigation of breakage mechanisms on fracture along grain boundaries (Carolina Carvajal)
Masters/Honours Projects
- Integrating flotation with comminution (Pascal Chamboko)
- Investigation of the Performance Drivers of the Jameson Cell in a Base Metal Scavenger Application (Lizette Verster)
Topics for future students
Potential topics currently available for postgraduate research projects in the area of Digital Mining are listed below:
For further information, please contact Professor Mohsen Yahyaei
- Digital Mining
- Process prediction and control
- Dynamic modelling
- Surface breakage and liner wear
Potential topics currently available for postgraduate research projects in the area of Mineral Liberation Modelling and Comminution are listed below:
For further information, please contact Dr Marko Hilden
- Mineral texture and liberation
- Unit models AG/SAG mills, HPGR, Vibrating screens
- Multicomponent and dynamic circuit simulation
Potential topics currently available for postgraduate research projects in the area of Breakage Characterisation are listed below:
For further information, please contact Professor Mohsen Yahyaei
- Ore characterisation: mechanical properties of rock particles, influence of texture on mechanical properties
- Mechanistic comminution models
- Dynamic mill modelling
- Circuit simulation: JKMdk, model development
Potential topics currently available for postgraduate research projects in the area of Process Improvement Technologies are listed below:
For further information, please contact Professor Mohsen Yahyaei
- Process Improvement Tools
- Fundamental understanding of novel comminution devices
Potential topics currently available for postgraduate research projects in the area of Computational Modelling are listed below:
For further information, please contact Dr Angus Morrison
- Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modelling
- Granular and multiphase flow modelling
- Experimental validation of computational models
- Computer-aided engineering for equipment design and optimisation
JKMRC Summer & Winter Research Programs
Teaching
The Sustainable Minerals Institute is committed to training the next generation of industry and community leaders. Alongside research and supervising HDR students, many of the academic staff at SMI teach into a number of undergraduate programs including the Process Mineralogy and Comminution course.
*Since 2013
The Process Mineralogy and Comminution course (MINE3219) - Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering).
Staff from the SMI have been providing specialist teaching into the Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering program for more than a decade. Since 2013 Dr Elaine Wightman has been the course coordinator and SMI has provided the entire teaching team.
The team consists of : Dr Cathy Evans (BRC), HDR candidate Rocio Vargas (BRC) and professional staff Kellie Teale (JKMRC) and Tyson Cronin (SMI).
Cathy and Elaine contributed to the International Mineral Processing Conference Education Symposium (2016) from which the Mineral Processing Education Roadmap was published.
Elaine was admitted as a Fellow to the Higher Education Academy in 2019.