A Parker/MRIWA PhD Scholarship in WA - Murdoch University

First listed on: 05 March 2019

Scholarship name	A Parker PhD Scholarship
Study level (select all that apply)	â˜ Honours â˜ Masters â˜’ PhD â˜ Academics
Brief description	The Project: Access creation and its measurement in impermeable rock mass for the in-situ recovery of metals from ore bodies The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) study will be conducted at Murdoch University as part of The Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA) project M529. It will be co-supervised by A/Prof. Aleks Nikoloski (Murdoch University), Dr Laura Kuhar (CSIRO) and Prof. Andrej Bona (Curtin University), and will involve partners from the mineral and chemical industries. Objectives and Tasks: This study aims to understand the impact of cryogenic liquids, microwaves and high-voltage pulses on access creation in impermeable hard-rock mass, from the perspective of rock properties, permeability and their effect on leachability. Access will be created in samples using the techniques mentioned above and the extent or success of the access creation will be tested using a variety of tool(s). Leaching tests on treated and untreated material will be used to assess the effect of the access creation, i.e., are there conditions under which preferential liberation of value minerals can be achieved, or is the access creation non-selective. Improvements in leaching may also be supplemented by using ultrasonics, solution pulsing and electrostatic mass-transfer promotion, and reagents that can stimulate fluid flow. Outcomes from this work will be used to evaluate the potential for the use of these alternative (micro-) access-creation methods in an in-situ environment and their effect on the metal recovery by leaching.
Funding body	MRIWA / Parker CRC / CSIRO / Mining3
Value (including stipends, expenses and top-ups)	$27,596 pa (tax free)
Duration and start date	3 years
Application criteria	Qualifications required: The opportunity is open to domestic and international candidates. Candidates should have research experience in the form of a written thesis at Master’s degree (or equivalent) in chemistry, physics, hydrometallurgy, metallurgy or other related field. Experience in hydrometallurgy or access-creation experiments and in analytical methods for solid and/or fluid characterisation will be an advantage. Willingness to work in a team at the intersection of academia and industry. Fluency in English. The requirements for entry into the PhD program at Murdoch University are available here: https://www.murdoch.edu.au/study/courses/course-details/Doctor-of-Philosophy-(PhD)#
Application date	Until Awarded
How to apply	To apply, please send a single pdf file to Professor Aleks Nikoloski, School of Engineering & Information Technology, Murdoch University (A.Nikoloski@murdoch.edu.au) Containing A full CV and a letter explaining your background, skills and research interests. The names and addresses of 2 referees.
Contact for more information	For any questions relating to this scholarship please contact Professor Aleks Nikoloski, A.Nikoloski@murdoch.edu.au