CERM Research

The Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining (CERM) brings together leading expertise in environmental and water sciences to address the complex sustainability challenges facing the global mining sector and deliver holistic, science-based solutions that support responsible mining.

Our researchers work collaboratively to generate high-impact research that informs mine planning, operations, closure, and post-mining transitions. With capabilities spanning ecological engineering, hydrology, remote sensing, aquatic ecology, and stakeholder engagement, CERM's research is globally relevant and locally grounded. Our researchers partner extensively with partners including industry, national and international research organisations, governments, and communities.

CERM is one of the only research groups that applies High Reliability Organisational (HRO) thinking to enhance sustainability outcomes. We regularly review current and emerging global challenges in the resources industry to remain at the forefront of the mining sector’s response to closure, post mining transitions and climate change.

Listed alphabetically

Carbon sequestration and storage in mine wastes and rehabilitated landscapes

Identifying and quantifying the potential capacity of organic and inorganic carbon sequestration and storage in mine wastes and post-mining landscapes undergoing rehabilitation, to offset carbon emissions.

Characterisation and Control of the Geo-Environmental Risks of Mining

Advancing prediction, prevention and control of acid and metalliferous drainage; the development of conceptual and numerical models of waste, water and gas interactions at bench-top, mesoscale and field scales; advancing monitoring systems for mine waste storage facilities including the use of drone and ground-based geophysics; designing live covers for mine waste; adapting water treatment to mine flows and characteristics; and targeted recovery of metals and rare earths elements from acid and metalliferous drainage.

Climate Adaptation and Resilience in Mining

Assessing how future climate scenarios translate to physical hazards and risks for the mining industry - such as erosion, acid and metalliferous drainage, flooding and heat - and developing climate-resilient strategic and operational plans.

Ecological Engineering of Mine Wastes

Developing nature-based methodology and technology, for assisting industry to meet the global tailings challenge. Combining skills in soil/geo-microbial ecology, environmental mineralogy, bioweathering of minerals, native plant rhizosphere (micro)biology, soil-plant relations, and environmental materials (such as biochar and environmental geopolymers), to pioneer transformative practices for the rehabilitation of mine wastes.

Environmental Molecular Microbiology in Mine Wastes

Identifying and understanding genomes and molecular mechanisms of extremophiles capable of colonizing mine wastes for developing innovative bioremediation technologies.

Environmental earth Science and biogeochemistry

Understanding metal(loid)s fate and fluxes in the continuum of soil-water-plant systems for assessing their risks across terrestrial and aquatic systems.

Landform design and functional resilience

Understanding natural landform behaviour and their geomorphic basis to inform the design of nature-based landforms and functionalities in ecosystem rehabilitation.

Mine Rehabilitation and Closure Strategies

Developing and implementing scientifically backed rehabilitation techniques for post-mining landscapes, focusing on erosion control, re-vegetation, landform design, and ecosystem restoration. These efforts aim to meet regulatory requirements, enhance biodiversity, improve soil stability, and ensure sustainable post-mining land use that supports long-term environmental resilience and minimal ecological disruption.
Exploring innovations in post-mining land uses, such as renewable energy or the production of biofuel and animal food from selected tree species.

Phytomining and Bioremediation

Utilising hyperaccumulator plants, algae, and microbial biotechnology to extract valuable metals, detoxify contaminated soils, and restore degraded mining lands. This research advances techniques for nickel and cobalt phytomining, soil stabilisation, and water purification, promoting cost-effective, nature-based solutions for rehabilitating mine-impacted environments while supporting metal recovery.

Remote Sensing and Monitoring for Environmental and ecosystem Assessment

Integrating satellite imagery, drone surveys, geophysical tools, and ground validation techniques to monitor environmental changes in mining areas. This research enhances predictive models for landscape evolution, erosion risks, and vegetation recovery while supporting real-time monitoring of mine waste, water resources, and rehabilitation progress for improved environmental decision-making.

Water Management in Mining and for post-mining land uses

Researching catchment hydrology and water quality, and their interactions with mining projects; optimising efficiency and sustainability of new water supplies; and making use of excess mine water for regional benefits. Developing tools that predict and communicate to stakeholders how surface and groundwater resources are impacted by mining, and how this may be mitigated by good mining practice. Exploring new solutions for regional water management through application of new technologies and integrated water management.

Ecological Engineering in Mining group

Developing technologies to rehabilitate metal mine tailings and other waste domains to improve economic and ecological sustainability; produce cost-effective remediation of contaminated land; create new knowledge on the biogeochemistry of engineered tailings-soil formation, ecophysiology of native plants and ecological linkages in soil-plant systems.

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Ecosystem Assessment, Restoration and Resilience group

Assessing the impacts of mining activities on flora and fauna; develop innovative approaches to restore ecosystem services and practices that encourage recolonisation by native species; examine the resilience of ecosystems under specific disturbance regimes; discover and understand the utility of metallophyte plants; create approaches for the recovery and sustainability of disturbed land.

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Environmental Geochemistry group

This group develops innovative tools for understanding and predicting geochemical processes, which underpin sustainable management of waste rock dumps, mineral processing tailings and final voids.

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For current projects, please visit the research group webpages

Water management

Environmental projects (Ecosystem Assessment, Restoration and Resilience research group)