The Sustainable Minerals Institute’s (SMI) focused geometallurgy research program aims to provide industry with applied research, consulting and training to improve the technoeconomic, geoenvironmental and social performance of mining operations.
The collaborative research will integrate geoscientific and metallurgical expertise from SMI’s WH Bryan Mining Geology Research Centre (BRC) and Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC), and leverage existing collaborations with JKTech and SMI ICE-Chile.
Senior Research Fellow and program co-leader Dr Nathan Fox said the expertise within the Institute means it is uniquely positioned to deliver geometallurgical solutions to maximise operational performance across the mining value chain
“Technical challenges can occur at all life of mine stages and may significantly impact the viability of new projects and impact production or performance at existing operations,” Dr Fox said.
“The BRC brings extensive orebody knowledge expertise and technical capabilities in mineral characterisation technologies, resource development/modelling and geoenvironmental characterisation.
“The JKMRC has extensive fundamental knowledge and practical expertise across the mineral processing value chain thanks to decades of collaborative and applied research – including in comminution, classification and flotation – and an in-depth understanding of the role that ore properties play within those processes.
“The geometallurgy research program will integrate these skillsets with the support of JKTech’s world-renowned testing and modelling capabilities and the broader value chain expertise across The University of Queensland.”
Program co-leader from the JKMRC Associate Professor Liza Forbes said mining companies will be able to leverage the Program’s expertise in multiple ways.
“Our industry partners will have access to multi-disciplinary teams who can help them overcome specific operational challenges, whether that involves targeted characterisation and process optimisation or longer term, deposit-scale programs,” Dr Forbes said.
“A core focus will also be researching, developing and integrating novel technologies that could achieve operational step changes for the industry.
“We will also be developing open and bespoke training to empower teams, bridge disciplinary divides and apply geometallurgy to optimise operations.”
For more information and collaborating with the SMI’s geometallurgy researchprogram, contact Associate Professor Liza Forbes and Dr Nathan Fox.
