James Vaughan

Biography:

Professor James Vaughan is the Chemical Engineering Metallurgy Major Lead and Leader of the Hydrometallurgy Research Group. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering at McGill University followed by Master of Applied Science and PhD degrees in Materials Engineering at The University of British Columbia in Canada. James served as Director of the University of Queensland Rio Tinto Bauxite & Alumina Technology Centre. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and Program Technical Lead for the new CRC "Critical Metals for Critical Industries".

Research:

James' research focuses on the fundamental aspects of leaching, ion exchange and precipitation reactions as well as membrane separations. Current research interests are in production of copper and gold, separating rare earth elements and improvements in production of vanadium which is the key ingredient in vanadium redox flow batteries.

Current Projects:

1. Rare earth co-processing (UniQuest)
2. Rere earth ion exchange resin separations (Bayan Mining and Minerals)
3. Inorganic membrane percrystallisation in hydrometallurgy (ARC Discovery / Critical Minerals Trailblazer / AEA Ignite)
4. Effects of solution impurities on gold leaching (Newmont and BHP - ARC Linkage)
5. Recovering pure magnesium chloride from magnesia tails (QMAG)
6. Recycling batteries (V Resource)
7. Alternative processes for recovering gold from leach residue (Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer)

Teaching and Learning:

• Hydrometallurgy and Electrometallurgy (METL6204)
• Risk in the Process Industries (CHEE4002)
• Metal Production and Recycling (METL2201)
• Research Project (CHEE7340)
• Research Thesis (CHEE7382)
• Engineering Placement (ENGG 7292)
• AusIMM Critical Minerals Processing Workshop (Sept 2026)