Environment

Assoc Prof Glen Corder discusses the circular economy and mining on ABC Radio

Published on: 10 June 2019

As part of media coverage of World Environment Day (6 June), Assoc Professor Glen Corder joined Katherine Feeney in the ABC studios to discuss mining and a circular econmony

UQ Water Atlas: unravelling groundwater mysteries

Water presents a multifaceted set of issues that can rapidly become the touchstone for community acceptance or otherwise of resource developments. Not only are issues of water availability and quality important but water also presents an intrinsic set of values that are often interwoven into people’s perceptions of the issues. This elevates the importance of “getting water right” as an imperative in obtaining social licence to operate.

Matrix could ensure vital copper supplies

Published on: 6 March 2019

Researchers from the Sustainable Minerals Institute have identified a matrix of risks that the mining industry must overcome to unlock vitally important copper reserves.

Industrial Ecology & Circular Economy

Ecological Engineering of Mine Wastes

Ecosystem Assessment, Restoration & Resilience

This group assesses 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.

Testing the Resilience of Mine Site Rehabilitation

How do engineered landscapes respond to fire? This project aims to test established rehabilitation by applying fire and measuring the vegetation and land form response in the 2 years following the burn.

Rehabilitation of mines in the Alligator Rivers Region

Environmental Geochemistry of Abandoned Mines in the Puno Region of Peru

The aim of this research was to provide technical support to Geological Mining and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET) as they undertook a targeted geochemical investigation at abandoned mines in the Puno region of Peru, a region which lies within the catchment of Lake Titicaca.

Designer Tailings: A Lifecycle Approach to Tailings Management

Designer Tailings is a science and evidence-based methodology for generating alternate operating options for the desired environmental outcomes. Through a detailed knowledge of the ore properties and processing conditions, and a mathematical simulation of the processing operations, Designer Tailings can predict the likely nature of the tailings generated, potential environmental liabilities and/or opportunities for reuse, recycling and reprocessing tailings.