Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI)
The University of Queensland
The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) is a world-leading multidisciplinary research institute committed to developing the people, technologies and approaches needed to address global sustainability challenges through the responsible supply of mineral resources.
SMI researchers integrate expertise in geoscience, mining, mineral processing, workplace health, safety and risk, environmental management, social responsibility, and organisational improvement to create unique capabilities and collaborations.
The Institute undertakes with industry, governments, civil society, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and inter-governmental organisations. It creates impact through commercialisation, contract research and consulting.
SMI is committed to training the next generation of industry and community leaders through higher degrees by research, teaching programs and public and bespoke professional development courses, to support an appropriately skilled workforce.
- Website
- https://smi.uq.edu.au
- Organisation type
- University Research Institute
- Number of research staff
- 100-200 research staff
- Address
- Level 4, Sir James Foots Building (47A), The Univeristy of Queensland, St. Lucia QLD 4072
Strengths and capabilities
- integrated water and environmental management
- mineral, rock and deposit characterisation
- deposit mapping
- deep mining geoscience
- mine waste transformation
- risk and critical control management
- health and safety
- mineral processing
- energy transition and decarbonisation
- High reliability organisations
- community and stakeholder engagement
- social impact
- international development and mineral security
Facilities and major equipment
- Soil and water laboratory
- Ecology laboratory
- Sample preparation laboratory
- Geohydrology laboratory
- Herbarium
- Mine site-compliant vehicle fleet
- Field research equipment
- Pilot Plant
- Mineral Characterisation Research Facility
- Workshop
- Instrument Laboratory
Lead researchers
- Professor Rick Valenta – leading expert on identification, discovery and development of critical minerals.
- Professor Daniel Franks – Australian Research Council Future Fellow. International expert on the interconnections between minerals, materials and sustainable development.
- Professor Deanna Kemp – a leading international expert focused on the social and political challenges of the global mining industry.
- Professor Maureen Hassall – leading expert in the fields of industrial risk management, safety engineering and human factors.
- Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox – leading expert on improving mine waste characterisation and secondary prospectivity.
Achievements of the centre
- Partner with the Queensland Government on the Critical Minerals and Circular Economy Research Alliance
- Partner on the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer
- Hosts a node of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence For Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals
- Operates International Centre of Excellence in Chile (SMI ICE-Chile)
- Co-led the consortium to form a Cooperative Research Centre on Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC-TiME) with hubs in both Queensland and Western Australia
- $30m to help regional communities find sustainable post-mining future
Key science sectors
More information about the sectors this centre is involved in:
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