People

Our Team

Led by Laureate Professor Kevin Galvin our Centre is a national collaboration of nine Australian universities, CSIRO, industry partner organisations and leading international researchers.

We take a collaborative approach to driving minerals-sector transformation
COEMinerals taps into the skills and expertise of some of Australia – and the world’s — most eminent scientists, engineers and researchers representing diverse scientific disciplines and representing nine Australian universities.

The Centre’s PhD and early and mid-career researchers (ECRs/MCRs) represent the next generation of research and sector leaders.
Collectively COEMinerals members are developing technologies, inventing world-first scientific techniques and enabling new capabilities for minerals recovery during minerals processing (beneficiation).
Members collaborate closely with industry, community and sustainability experts.

Collectively, COEMinerals members work on a wide spectrum of projects from ‘green-shoot’, to proof of concept across a pathway of development from invention to patent and commercialisation (on The COEMinerals TRL Framework — learn more here: Feature — Mapping Centre technology on The COEMinerals TRL Framework (2023))

Executive Committee

Kevin Galvin

Bio

Annemarie Fawkner

William Skinner

Bio

Chun-Xia Zhao

Bio

San H. Thang

Bio

George Franks

Bio

David Beattie

Bio

Elham Doroodchi

Bio

Chris Aldrich

Bio

Susana Brito e Abreu

Bio

Ellen Moon

Bio

Seher Ata

Bio

Chris Ritchie

Bio

Eirini Goudeli

Bio

Kim Stockham

Chief Investigators

Laureate Professor Kevin Galvin

University of Newcastle

Bio

Professor William Skinner

University of South Australia

Bio

Professor / Centre Co-Deputy Director Chun-Xia Zhao

University of Adelaide

Bio

Professor San H. Thang

Monash University

Bio

Associate Professor Liza Forbes

University of Queensland

Bio

Professor / Centre Co-Deputy Director George Franks

University of Melbourne

Bio

Professor David Beattie

University of South Australia

Bio

Associate Professor Elham Doroodchi

University of Newcastle

Bio

Professor Vishnu Pareek

Curtin University

Bio

Professor Chris Aldrich

Curtin University

Bio

Dr Susana Brito e Abreu

University of Queensland

Bio

Associate Professor Ellen Moon

Deakin University

Bio

Professor Seher Ata

University of NSW

Bio

Professor Geoffrey Evans

University of Newcastle

Bio

Laureate Professor Graeme Jameson

University of Newcastle

Bio

Professor Erica Wanless

University of Newcastle

Bio

Professor Grant Webber

University of Newcastle

Bio

Professor Kenneth Williams

University of Newcastle

Bio

Dr Peter Ireland

University of Newcastle

Bio

Associate Professor Mahshid Firouzi

University of Newcastle

Bio

Associate Professor Kym Runge

University of Queensland

Bio

Professor Anh Nguyen

University of Queensland

Bio

Professor Yongjun Peng

University of Queensland

Bio

Professor Mohsen Yahyaei

University of Queensland

Bio

Associate Professor Anthony Stickland

University of Melbourne

Bio

Professor Marta Krasowska

University of South Australia

Bio

Dr Chris Ritchie

Monash University

Bio

Professor Alister Page

University of Newcastle

Bio

Dr Eirini Goudeli

University of Melbourne

Bio

Dr Christian Antonio

University of Queensland

Bio

Partner Investigators

Professor Steven Armes

The University of Sheffield

Bio

Professor Aaron Noble

Virginia Tech

Bio

Dr Colin MacRae

Bio

Dr Nathan Webster

Bio

Professor Robert H. Davis

University of Colorado Boulder

Bio

Professor Zhenghe Xu

Southern University of Science and Technology

Bio

Associate Investigators

Professor Peter Scales

University of Melbourne

Bio

Professor Karen Hapgood

Swinburne University of Technology

Bio

Dr Liguang Wang

University of Queensland

Bio

Associate Research Professor Max Zanin

University of South Australia

Bio

Dr Graeme Moad

Bio

Dr Ben Muir

Bio

Professor Roe-Hoan Yoon

Virginia Tech

Bio

Professor Jan Miller

The University of Utah

Bio

Professor Jan Cilliers

Imperial College London

Bio

Dr Kathyrn Hadler

Imperial College London

Bio

Professor Stephen Neethling

Imperial College London

Bio

Dr Pablo Brito Parada

Imperial College London

Bio

Professor David Weitz

Harvard University

Bio

Dr Ghislain Bournival

University of NSW

Bio

Dr Negin Amini

Deakin University

Bio

Miss Amalie Moller

University of South Australia

Bio

Dr Richmond Asamoah

University of South Australia

Bio

Dr Boris Albijanic

Curtin University

Bio

Professor Nigel Cook

University of Adelaide

Bio

Associate Professor Anton Blencowe

University of South Australia

Bio

Research Associates

Dr Subhasish Mitra

University of Newcastle

Bio

Dr Dusan Ilic

University of Newcastle

Bio

Dr Guangze (Daniel) Yang

University of Adelaide

Bio

Dr Marko Hilden

University of Queensland

Bio

Dr Shane Usher

University of Melbourne

Bio

Dr Tina Hsia

Monash University

Bio

Associate Professor Tejas Bhatelia

Curtin University

Bio

Dr Bellson Awatey

University of Queensland

Bio

Dr Unzile Yenial Arslan

University of Queensland

Bio

Dr Simon Iveson

University of Newcastle

Bio

Dr Farhana Diba

University of Queensland

Bio

Research Assistant Lizette Verster

University of Queensland

Bio

Dr Ngoc Nguyen

University of Queensland

Bio

Dr Tuan Nguyen

University of Queensland

Bio

Dr George Abaka-Wood

University of South Australia

Bio

Dr Xiu Liu

Curtin University

Bio

Dr James Zhou

University of Newcastle

Bio

Dr Aleksej (Alex) Lavrinec

University of Newcastle

Bio

Dr Joseph (Yeo Cheon) Kim

University of NSW

Dr Shankar (Raj) Devkota

University of Adelaide

Dr Dion Weatherley

University of Queensland

Bio

Dr Emmanell Baawuah

Curtin University

Bio

Dr Lucia Dzinza

University of Queensland

Bio

Ms Hayla Miceli

University of Queensland

Bio

Dr Wei (Will) Ng

University of Melbourne

Bio

Dr Piotr Pawliszak

University of South Australia

Mrs Sirjana Adhikari

Deakin University

Bio

Dr Juan Jose Gonzalez

University of Queensland

Bio

Dr Malgorzata (Gosia) Hermanowska-Young

University of South Australia

Bio

Dr Pouria Amani

University of Newcastle

Bio

Dr Meri Ayurini

Monash University

PhD Students

Mr Bernard Agbenuvor

Curtin University

Program 1, Development of a geometallurgical coarse gangue rejection indicator for gold ores

Mr Danesh Perera

Monash University

Program 3, Hydrophobic Modification of Mineral Particles Based on Cardanol Derivatives and Its RAFT copolymers

Miss Yang (Jessica) Li

University of Adelaide

Bio

Program 3, Thesis Title: Development of stimuli responsive bio-polymers for controlling froth stability

Mr Jiarui Chen

University of Queensland

Program 1, Flotation of Minerals in Reflux Flotation Cell

Miss Meolla Yvon

University of Newcastle

Program 1, Ultrafine recovery of base and precious metals using nano-scale permeable films of oil

Miss Jackquline Eardley

University of Melbourne

Bio

Program 1, Selective flocculation of hematite and silica for fine particle flotation

Mr Yuxuan Luo

University of Melbourne

Program 2, Thesis Title: Dewatering of Small Hydrophobic Flocs

Mr Sajid Hassan

University of Melbourne

Program 1, Thesis Title: Investigation of water expression from thickened suspensions using high pressure dewatering rolls

Miss Candice Brill

University of Queensland

Bio

Program 2, Thesis Title: Investigation of direct reagent addition to bubble surfaces via the gas phase on hydrophobic particle recovery

Mr James Dankwah

University of South Australia

Program 1, Thesis Title: Improved Understanding of the Fundamentals of Coarse Particle Flotation

Miss Anran (Annabelle) Niu

University of Queensland

Masters Student Program 1, Thesis Title: Correlation of surface chemical heterogeneity at the micron scale with hydrophobicity and particle-bubble interaction forces

Mr Syamsundar Menon Murali Mohan

University of Newcastle

Program 1, Influence of Turbulence on Coarse Particle Detachment from Particle-laden Bubbles in Froth Flotation

Miss Sonia Khandaker

University of Newcastle

Program 1, The adsorption of RAFT polymeric collector for selective flotation of specific minerals

Mr Lequan Zeng

University of Melbourne

Program 1 & 2, Aggregation and Breakage Dynamics of Fine Particle Aggregates under Shear by CFD-DEM Simulation

Mr Virat Gurung

University of Newcastle

Program 1, Development of a theoretical model for moisture migration in partially saturated bulk materials under dynamic motion

Ms Thao Thi Phuong Nguyen

University of Queensland

Program 1, Macroscopic and microscopic studies of froth drainage, stability, and water recovery in froth flotation

Mr Sayed Janishar Anzoom

University of NSW

Program 1, Interaction of bubble‐particle clusters with a froth zone in coarse particle flotation

Ms Weththige (Samadhi) Fernando

Monash University

Program 3, The design and synthesis of bio-inspired multifunctional collectors

Mr Joshua Starrett

University of Newcastle

Program 1, Size Classification in Early Gangue Rejection

Mr Brady Wright

University of Newcastle

Program 1, The Adhesion kinetics of Fine/Ultrafine Particles within the Downcomer of a Reflux Flotation Cell

Mr Noyan Palabiyik

University of Newcastle

Program 1, Determination of Umf in Fluidised Bed Flotation

Mr Quang Dao

University of Queensland

Program 1, X‑ray Computed Tomography in Density and Surface Exposure Analysis of Coal and Mineral

Ms Regina Medeiros

University of Melbourne

Bio

Program 2, Thesis Title: Improving the recovery of valuable fine copper minerals using commercial and novel polymers

Mr Yunzhou Qian

University of Melbourne

Program 2, Computational simulation of particle agglomeration

Mr Yuxi Liu

Monash University

Program 3, Responsive molecular materials as dynamic adsorbents for reverse flotation technology

Ms Linda Ayedzi

University of South Australia

Program 1, Fast Flotation of Fine Particles

Ms Rupinder (Roop) Kaur

University of South Australia

Program 3, Development of bio-polymer collectors and depressants for selective mineral flotation

Mr Abdullaziz (Zak) Zakari

University of Newcastle

Program 1, Hydrodynamics of flow régime transition in a reflux flotation cell

Miss Margaret Ekua Amosah

University of Newcastle

Bio

Program1, Ultrafine Gravity Separation using Inclined Channels Subjected to Different G Forces including Standard Gravity

Mr Matthias Orchard

University of Adelaide

Program 3, Development of novel bioflocculants for clay particle flocculation

Mr Azeez Aregbe

University of Melbourne

Program 2, Improving flotation recovery by application of oils to enhance collection of coarse particles with low surface liberation

Mrs Carolina Carvajal

University of Queensland

Program 1, Investigation on fracture along grain boundaries

Mr Daniel Dodoo

University of Melbourne

Program 1, Characterising and Predicting Talc Floatability in Copper Ore Flotation

Mr Mitchell (Mitch) Craig

Curtin University

Masters, Multiphase modelling, dry separation process

Mr Minuk Jung

University of NSW

Program 1, Ultrasonic-assisted flotation to enhance bubble-particle adhesion kinetics of ultrafine particles

Mr Nhat Nguyen

University of Queensland

Program 1, Enhancement of bubble-particle attachment and recovery at coarse particle size and low surface liberation

Ms Alisha Debas

Monash University

RAFT-Derived Hydrophobic Polyampholyte Self Assemblies as Collectors in Froth Flotation

Miss Yang (Sabrina) Yang

University of Adelaide

Program 3, Development of specific metal binding biomolecules for efficient mineral separations

Mr Imtiaz Shah

University of NSW

Program 1, Enhanced bubble-particle adhesion kinetics of ultrafine particles through bubble particle interaction in a shockwave at elevated pressure

Mr Rocky Mensah

University of Newcastle

Program 1, Mining Wastewater Remediation for the Selective Recovery of Valuable Metals

Mr Yuri Fernandes

Deakin University

Development of novel RAFT polymer-based reagents for the selective separations of mineral fines

Mr Alireza (Ali) Allahyari

University of South Australia

Application of synthetic and biopolymers in selective recovery of minerals

Miss Farzane Barzegarsattari

University of South Australia

Wetting, spreading, and adhesion of oils on composite mineral surfaces

Mr Ruilin (Ricky) Zhao

University of Adelaide

Objective 3: A Sustainable Approach for Mineral Processing and Recycling

Ms Naghmeh (Nami) Abavi Torghabeh

University of Newcastle

Electrostatic separation for dry mineral processing

Ms Kathleen Ranay

University of Queensland

Numerical modelling of the influence of stressing mechanisms on preferential and grain boundary breakage

Mr Tareq Moahmmed Al-Shami

University of Melbourne

Objective 2: Modelling aggregate attachment to bubbles

Miss Joy Maniaul

University of Queensland

The effect of High Voltage Pulse treatment of sulphide minerals and other breakage mechanisms on the mineral interfacial properties: surface chemistry, hydrophobicity, and bubble interactions

Mr Mark Drechsler

University of South Australia

Energy and Processing Benefits of a New Dry Comminution Technology

Ms Desire Awuye

University of Newcastle

Mr Hamidreza Saffarian

University of Newcastle

Mr Angel Abraham Gomez Valezquez

University of Queensland

Mr Philip Adu

University of South Australia

Ms Shiva Chahardahmasoumi

University of Newcastle

Mr Karlo Leandro Baladad

University of Queensland

Professional and Technical

Centre Chief Operations Officer Annemarie Fawkner

University of Newcastle

Annemarie has extensive experience in the areas of senior management, administration, strategic, implementation, compliance, quality systems and training. Prior to the COO role she was the Hub Manager for the ITRH, ARC Research Hub for Advanced Technologies for Australian Iron Ore. She has over 11 years’ experience working with National Government and State regulatory bodies and has worked within the Education, Mining, Transport & Logistics and Hospitality Industries. Over her career she has written, implemented, monitored and maintained compliance and quality systems; as well as created within these industries effective learning programs from operational to work, health and safety.

Research Assistant Dr Joshua (Josh) Brown

University of Newcastle

Bio

Melbourne Node Manager Michelle de Silva

University of Melbourne

Bio

Technician Raul Cavalida

University of Melbourne

Research Assistant Dr Joshua Sutherland

University of Newcastle

UQ Node Admin Officer Ms Andrea Gray

University of Queensland

Bio

UQ Node Business Manager Sherrie Palmer

University of Queensland

Bio

Media & Communications Officer Kim Stockham

University of Newcastle

Kim is an internationally awarded Communications leader who has led organisational, agency and government communications in Australia and Asia Pacific (APAC) spanning technology, education and travel/tourism sectors. Kim works in close coordination with Centre team members to create Communication strategy, plans, messaging and content supporting Centre priorities, prioritising social media channels and news/sector media outlets. Further, her role spans development of communications content associated with the Centre’s conferences, annual report, government relations and industry outreach. Kim is a member of the Centre’s Executive Committee as well as the ‘Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’ (GEDI) team.

Research Assistant Raju Chowdhury

University of Newcastle

Bio

Research Assistant Miss Kitty Tang

University of Newcastle

Bio

Research Assistant Ms Erin Wallace

University of Newcastle

Bio

Workshop Craftsperson / Assistant Mr Andy Grover

University of Newcastle

Bio

Dr Peter McDonald

Monash University

Advisory Board

Professor Simon Biggs FTSE FREng (Advisory Board - Chair)

Bio

Professor Simon Biggs is Vice Chancellor and President of James Cook University Australia. His research interests are broadly within the field of particle and colloid engineering. He is the author of more than 200 refereed papers in international journals, as well as more than 20 patents. His work has received more than 7000 citations. Prior to taking on senior leadership roles, he led a number of large, multi-year research consortia in the UK.

Professor Richard A Williams OBE FREng FTSE (Advisory Board Member)

Bio

Professor Richard A Williams is Principal and Vice Chancellor, Heriot-Watt University, and an academic and entrepreneur in on-line measurement and simulation of mineral processes, energy storage and environmental technologies. He is a graduate of Imperial College London and has held posts at the Universities of Manchester (UMIST), Exeter (Camborne School of Mines), and as Pro Vice- Chancellor at the Universities of Leeds and Birmingham. He is a Fellow Academician of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He is an Advisory Board member of the Lloyds Register Foundation, a Non-Executive Board Director of the British Geological Survey, and a Trustee of Entrepreneurial Scotland. He has developed new technology start-ups in radical innovation in on-line rheology, flow imaging, particle modelling and thermal nanomaterials

Professor Jacques Eksteen (Advisory Board Member)

Bio

Professor Jacques Eksteen is a chemical and metallurgical engineer with 30+ years’ experience in industry and academia. He is Chair for Extractive Metallurgy at the WA School of Mines; Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering. He is also the Program Lead for Technology Readiness Level Progression for the Commonwealth Funding Trailblazer program on Critical Minerals and Resources Technologies. He was seconded from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2022 to the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre Ltd (FBICRC) as Research Director and Chief Operating Officer. Subsequently he continued in the role of Chief Scientist.. Jacques holds a PhD in extractive metallurgical engineering and has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers. Jacques also holds the position Chair: Extractive Metallurgy at the Western Australian School of Mines in Curtin University.

Ms Silvia Cristina Alves França (Advisory Board Member)

Silvia Franca is Director of the Mineral Technology Center (CETEM), Brazil. A chemical engineer, she has served as head of the New Mineral Products Development Service, Coordinator of Mineral Processes and internal member of the Center’s Technical-Scientific Council. She has experience in RD&I projects in the mineral processing area, with an emphasis on solid-liquid separation operations, rheology of pulps and mineral tailings, dewatering, reuse of industrial water and application of new methods of disposal of tailings from the mining and metallurgical industry, among others. She has been a member of the United Nations working group on Water in Mining.

Dr Martin Rudolph (Advisory Board Member)

Bio

Dr Martin Rudolph heads the Processing Department at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf (HZDR) in Germany. A process and chemical engineer, he was elected Chair of the Mineral Processing Division, and as EU representative of The International Mineral Processing Council (IMPC) — the world’s leading organisation for representatives from science and industry involved in the processing of raw materials — in 2024.

Mr Adrian Beer (Advisory Board Member)

Adrian Beer is Managing Director of the Australian Innovation Exchange (AIX) and the former CEO of METS Ignited, the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Centre for the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector. He has more than 30 years of industrial technology experience, across a wide range of capital-intensive industries. His career has encompassed product strategy, digital transformation, and commercialising innovation; from small-scale start-ups to global corporate roles with two of the world’s largest industry technology organisations. With a background in electrical engineering, Adrian has worked in mining and resources, energy utilities, transportation and defence. He holds an MBA from the University of New England, is a Fellow of AusIMM and serves on numerous advisory boards including the Newcastle Institute of Energy and Resources (NIER) and the AROSE Resources Advisory Board.