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Joy Maniaul is a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI)

Lightning strikes: the PhD journey of Joy Maniaul

Published on: 25 June 2026

Joy Maniaul is a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI). Here she talks about her pathway into mining research, her work on “lightning that breaks rocks” at SMI’s Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC), and tips for those considering a PhD at UQ.

JKMRC Digest: Liner-wear Aware Deep Reinforcement Learning for Grinding Control

Samantha Krause, a Bachelor/Master of Engineering student is undertaking her industry placement at the Sustainable Minerals Institute. Her project integrates empirical liner wear prediction models with Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) in SAG mill, Ball mill, and Crusher circuits, commonly known as the SABC circuit in the industry.

SMI Memorial Awards 2024

15 November 2024 9:00am–4:15pm

in SMI Memorial Awards 2024

SMI Memorial Awards is an annual event to recognise and celebrate the innovative work being undertaken by the University's Higher Degree by Research students

Register

Available HDR research projects

The Sustainable Minerals Institute's Higher Degree by Research (HDR) projects are divided by out Research Centres. Many of our projects are cross-disciplinary, with advisors from different centres, giving you the benefit of a wider range of expertise.

Alban and Barbara Lynch Award

Strengthening ASEAN Cooperation in Minerals

This project is taking a two-part approach to facilitating trade and investment in minerals and deepening their contribution to ASEAN economic integration: a review of current minerals sector cooperation within ASEAN, and the scoping of an enhanced ASEAN minerals database information system to support minerals cooperation.

Stone for Development Work Integrated Learning

New UQ startup harnesses satellite imaging to monitor mine rehabilitation

Published on: 19 January 2021

A startup founded by two Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) research students could make monitoring the progress of mine site rehabilitation easier and cheaper.

Researchers call for cautious progress in deep sea mining

Published on: 4 January 2021

University of Queensland (UQ) researchers have urged for regulatory caution in a new paper which emphasises just how little is known about the potential impacts of deep sea mining (DSM).

UQ and Curtin collaborate with industry on new online mining course

Published on: 26 November 2020

The University of Queensland (UQ) and Curtin University have developed a new Professional Certificate Program that will increase understanding of the modern mining industry in Australia and open pathways to postgraduate study for people currently working within the industry.