Associate Professor Mansour Edraki
Inorganic geochemistry
Mansour's research interest is in understanding and predicting the source, transformations and fate of contaminants, particularly acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD), in the mining environment. Through field monitoring, laboratory experiments and modelling he follows the geochemical pathways of heavy metals, metalloids (e.g. arsenic) and salts and investigates the natural processes that may degrade the quality of surface and groundwater and natural soils. Mansour uses that knowledge to quantify the extent of the current and future effects of those processes for optimum remediation and rehabilitation outcomes.
Specific areas of research include:
- A life cycle approach to managing mine tailings – Designer Tailings;
- Geochemical effects of clay minerals on deposition, dewatering and rehabilitation of tailings;
- Formation and stability of secondary minerals and amorphous phases and their role in natural attenuation of metals (and metalloids) and remediation of mine tailings and associated seepage;
- Unlocking the value of mining wastes and eliminating residual risks through reprocessing, recycling, reuse and remediation;
- Novel techniques for characterisation and prediction of AMD including development of kinetic leaching procedures; and
- Applications of stable isotope techniques in AMD investigations.
Associate Professor Edraki joined UQ in 2000 following completion of his PhD at University of New England. Prior to that, and before immigrating to Australia in mid 1990s, he was a lecturer in earth sciences. Since joining UQ, Dr Edraki has focused on developing innovative techniques for understanding and predicting geochemical processes which underpin sustainable management of mine waste and mine water, particularly acid and metalliferous drainage.
Industry
Mansour’s research has direct applications for the resources and energy industries and the impact of his work is evident in a continuous flow of industry-funded projects in the last decade. Over years, Mansour has been pivotal to CMLR’s research partnership with Newmont Asia Pacific and Xstrata Copper (now Glencore). He has been successful with government grants and he has contributed extensively to CMLR’s coal program with several competitively funded ACARP projects.
Collaborations
Mansour has initiated research collaborations in many international locations including Indonesia (South Kalimantan and Freeport), Iran (Mehdiabad Zinc) Papua New Guinea (Ok Tedi), Philippines (USEP and Mindanao Development Authority), Korea (MIRECO and KIGAM), Peru (INGEMET), and Chile (Fundación Chile, Universidad de Concepción). He is currently coordinating the ‘Environment, Tailings and Water’ line of SMI’s International Centre of Excellence in Chile (SMI-ICE Chile). Dr Edraki represents SMI-UQ at International Network for Acid Prevention (INAP), which is a global alliance for managing the issue of acid and metalliferous drainage.
Funding
Mansour has developed/and or participated in more than 30 projects over the past 5-6 years and been involved with projects valued >$7M in the past decade. The funding sources for these projects have been primarily industry.
PhD and MPhil Supervision
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