Overview
Background
Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox is a Principal Research Fellow in Mine Waste Geoscience at the W.H Bryan Mining and Geology Research Centre within the Sustainable Minerals Institute. She is the founding leader of Australia's premier secondary prospectivity research group- Mine Waste Transformation through Characterisation (MIWATCH). Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox is also a deputy director in the Critical Resources for the Future ARC ITTC (collaborating with UWA, ANU and UoA).
Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox's research is focussed on mine waste characterisation to improve mine planning and waste management practices. , Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox has worked with mining industry, METS sector and government stakeholders. Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox has developed new tests and protocols for improving waste characterisation and has led projects looking for innovative solutions to remediate abandoned/ historical mine sites. Most recently, Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox has led major government and industry funded projects characterising a range of mine waste materials to evaluate their economic potential in the context of critical metals.
Before completing her PhD in 2012 at the Centre for Ore Deposit and Earth Sciences (CODES), Anita obtained a 1st class MSc (Hons) degree from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College (University of London) in Environmental Geology (2005). Professionally, she has worked as an environmental consultant (2005-06) and as a research assistant for the AMIRA P843 geometallurgy project (2006-07). She worked part-time as a Junior Research Fellow for the Cooperative Research Centre for Optimising Resource Extraction (CRC ORE; 2011-2012) and then went on to become a postdoctoral research fellow in the Environmental Indicators program (2012-2015). Next, Anita was appointed as a postdoctoral research fellow for the ARC TMVC Research Hub (2015-2019) where she serves as the deputy leader of Theme 3 (minimising geoenvironmental risks) and the leader (2016-2018) of Program 2 (Geometallurgy, Geoenvironment and Mining) at CODES.
Availability
- Associate Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Tasmania
Research interests
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Geometallurgy
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Environmental Geochemistry
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Mineralogy
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Solid waste management
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Tailings and slag characterisation
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Drill core characterisation
Research impacts
Industry, Government and Service
Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox has regular contact with mineral companies, state government and geoenvironmental consultancies to develop and undertake research projects focussed on improving mine waste characterisation. She has also served as a member of the Victorian Government Technical Review Board for Mine Rehabilitation and the Tasmanian Acid Mine Drainage Guidelines Steering Committee. Between 2017-2019, Anita was also an Assistant Editor of Minerals Engineering. Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox is currently editing a new Springer Book on Mine Waste (due for publication in early 2025) and has co-chaired many international conference sessions in sustainable mining/geometallurgy and next will be involved in Goldschmidt 2025. Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox also regularly delivers keynote and plenary lectures (2024- includes IAGS- Adelaide, Process Mineralogy- South Africa, Planning for Closure- Chile).
Collaborations
Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox is an Adjunct Senior Researcher at the University of Tasmania (2019-2022) and in this role continues to co-supervise honours and PhD students. Anita is also the co-chief investigator on a QUEX funded project (making tailings safe) with researchers based at the University of Exeter.
Teaching and Outreach
Associate Professor Parbhakar-Fox has extensive honours and PhD research supervision and lecturing experience having been unit co-ordinator of Geometallurgy and Environmental Geology units at the University of Tasmania. She welcomes interested PhD and MSc students in the area of mine waste to contact her to discuss project opportunities. Dr Parbhakar-Fox has also participated in a number of media outreach activities on TV, local radio and at public events (e.g., 'Mining: Dinosaur or Deliverer?' 2017; 'Pint of Science' 2018).
Key Publications
Parbhakar-Fox A, Edraki M, Walters S, Bradshaw D, 'Development of a textural index for the prediction of acid rock drainage', Minerals Engineering, 24, (12) pp. 1277-1287. ISSN 0892-6875 (2011) DOI: 10.1016/j.mineng.2011.04.019
Parbhakar-Fox A, Lottermoser BG, 'A critical review of acid rock drainage prediction methods and practices', Minerals Engineering, 82 pp. 107-124. ISSN 0892-6875 (2015) DOI: 10.1016/j.mineng.2015.03.015
Parbhakar-Fox A, Glen J, Raimondo R, 'A geometallurgical approach to tailings management: an example from the Savage River Fe-ore mine, Western Tasmania', Minerals, 8 Article 454. ISSN 2075-163X (2018) DOI: 10.3390/min8100454
Cracknell MJ, Parbhakar-Fox A, Jackson L, Savinova E, 'Automated acid rock drainage indexing from drill core imagery', Minerals, 8, (12) Article 571. ISSN 2075-163X (2018) DOI: 10.3390/min8120571
Dominy SC, O'Connor L, Parbhakar-Fox A, Glass HJ, Purevgerel S, 'Geometallurgy - A Route to More Resilient Mine Operations', Minerals, 8, (12) Article 560. ISSN 2075-163X (2018) DOI: 10.3390/min8120560
Funding
Anita is leading research projects funded by several state governments and Geoscience Australia. Additionly she works with,mining companies ( Regeneration Enterprises. Glencore, Grange Resources). Previously, she has been involved in CRC ORE's Environmental Indicators program (2011-2015) and the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Transforming the Mining Value Chain (TMVC; 2015-2019).
Works
Search Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Impact of Pyrite Textures Prevalence on Flotation Performance in Mount Isa Copper Orebodies
Jefferson Montoya, M., Jones, T.R, Curtis-Morar, C., Parbhakar-Fox, A., Forbes, G. and Forbes, E. (2024). Impact of Pyrite Textures Prevalence on Flotation Performance in Mount Isa Copper Orebodies. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print), 1-15. doi: 10.1080/08827508.2024.2349204
2024
Journal Article
Electromagnetic methods for assessing moisture content and density of an iron oxide copper gold deposits (IOCG) tailings sample
Mishra, Partha Narayan, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Olaya, Sebastian Quintero, Scheuermann, Alexander and Bore, Thierry (2024). Electromagnetic methods for assessing moisture content and density of an iron oxide copper gold deposits (IOCG) tailings sample. Acta Geotechnica, 19 (7), 4839-4854. doi: 10.1007/s11440-023-02120-y
2023
Journal Article
Action versus reaction: how geometallurgy can improve mine waste management across the life-of-mine
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Baumgartner, Regina (2023). Action versus reaction: how geometallurgy can improve mine waste management across the life-of-mine. Elements, 19 (6), 371-376. doi: 10.2138/gselements.19.6.371
2023
Journal Article
Geochemical, mineralogical, and geophysical methods to establish the geoenvironmental characteristics of the King River delta, Queenstown, Western Tasmania
Nascimento, Sibele C., Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Cracknell, Matthew J., Cooke, David R., Miller, Clare B. and Heng, Wei Xuen (2023). Geochemical, mineralogical, and geophysical methods to establish the geoenvironmental characteristics of the King River delta, Queenstown, Western Tasmania. Applied Geochemistry, 159 105820, 1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2023.105820
2023
Conference Publication
An object-based image recognition approach methodology for pyrite texture quantification in flotation performance studies
Jefferson, Mayra, Forbes, Gordon, Brown, Elliot, Curtis-Morar, Catherine, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Elizaveta Forbes (2023). An object-based image recognition approach methodology for pyrite texture quantification in flotation performance studies. Procemin-GEOMET, Santiago, Chile, 4-6 October 2023.
2023
Journal Article
Effect of pyrite textures and composition on flotation performance: a review
Jefferson, Mayra, Yenial-Arslan, Unzile, Evans, Catherine, Curtis-Morar, Catherine, O'Donnell, Roxanne, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Forbes, Elizaveta (2023). Effect of pyrite textures and composition on flotation performance: a review. Minerals Engineering, 201 108234, 108234. doi: 10.1016/j.mineng.2023.108234
2023
Conference Publication
Effect of Pyrite Textures and Composition on Flotation Performance
Jefferson Montoya, Mayra, Yenial Arslan, Unzile, Evans, Cathy, Prabhakar-Fox, Anita, O’Donnell, Roxanne, Curtis-Morar, Catherine and Forbes, Liza (2023). Effect of Pyrite Textures and Composition on Flotation Performance. Flotation 2023 • V International Conference on Minerals Flotation, Lima, Peru, 6 - 8 Sep 2023.
2023
Journal Article
Indium in ore deposits and mine waste environments: Geochemistry, mineralogy, and opportunities for recovery
Mejías, Olivia, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Jackson, Laura, Valenta, Rick and Townley, Brian (2023). Indium in ore deposits and mine waste environments: Geochemistry, mineralogy, and opportunities for recovery. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 255 107312, 1-26. doi: 10.1016/j.gexplo.2023.107312
2023
Conference Publication
Geostatistical and geometallurgical investigation of Co in the Rocklands tailings deposit, Queensland, Australia
Blannin, Rosie, Jackson, Laura and Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2023). Geostatistical and geometallurgical investigation of Co in the Rocklands tailings deposit, Queensland, Australia. 17th SGA Biennial Meeting 2022 "Mineral Resources in a Changing World", Zurich, Switzerland, 28 August - 1 September 2023. GENEVA 4: SOC GEOLOGY APPLIED MINERAL DEPOSITS-SGA.
2023
Journal Article
Long-term impact of historical mining on water quality at Mount Lyell, western Tasmania, Australia
Nascimento, Sibele C., Cooke, David R., Townsend, Ashley T., Davidson, Garry, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Cracknell, Matthew J. and Miller, Clare B. (2023). Long-term impact of historical mining on water quality at Mount Lyell, western Tasmania, Australia. Mine Water and the Environment, 42 (3), 399-417. doi: 10.1007/s10230-023-00943-5
2023
Journal Article
Geoenvironmental characterisation of legacy mine wastes from Tasmania – Environmental risks and opportunities for remediation and value recovery
Moyo, Annah, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Meffre, Sebastien and Cooke, David R. (2023). Geoenvironmental characterisation of legacy mine wastes from Tasmania – Environmental risks and opportunities for remediation and value recovery. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 454 131521, 131521. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131521
2023
Conference Publication
Exploration for critical metals in Australia’s mine waste to support the energy transition
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Jackson, Laura, Bhowany, Kamini, Guerin, Kristy, Han, Zhengdong, Blannin, Rosie, Moyo, Annah, Nicholls, Loren and Mejias, Olivia (2023). Exploration for critical metals in Australia’s mine waste to support the energy transition. Goldschmidt2023, Lyon, France, 9-14 July 2023. Paris, France: European Association of Geochemistry. doi: 10.7185/gold2023.18999
2023
Conference Publication
Historic mine waste at Zeehan, Tasmania, as an unconventional source of metals
Bhowany, Kamini, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Jackson, Laura, Sharma, Dipanshu, Thorne, Jane P., Fraser, Geoff and Britt, Allison (2023). Historic mine waste at Zeehan, Tasmania, as an unconventional source of metals. Australian Earth Sciences Convention 2023, Perth, WA, Australia, 27-30 June 2023.
2023
Conference Publication
Nickel and cobalt in the Eloise tailings: an example of the importance of mineralogical characterisation of mine waste for reprocessing and repurposing options
Bhowany, Kamini, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Jackson, Laura, Thorne, Jane P., Fraser, Geoff, Britt, Allison, Beattie, Emma and Degeling, Helen (2023). Nickel and cobalt in the Eloise tailings: an example of the importance of mineralogical characterisation of mine waste for reprocessing and repurposing options. CritCon, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 22-26 May 2023.
2023
Conference Publication
Secondary prospectivity of mine waste in the Pine Creek region: The search for critical metals
Bhowany, Kamini, Han, Zhengdong, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Jones, Thomas R., Farias, Pablo G., Whelan, Jo A., Close, Dorothy, Thorne, Jane P. and Fraser, Geoff (2023). Secondary prospectivity of mine waste in the Pine Creek region: The search for critical metals. AGES 2023, Alice Springs, NT Australia, 17-19th April 2023. Alice Springs, NT Australia: Resourcing the Territory.
2023
Journal Article
Alkaline industrial wastes – Characteristics, environmental risks, and potential for mine waste management
Moyo, Annah, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Meffre, Sebastien and Cooke, David R. (2023). Alkaline industrial wastes – Characteristics, environmental risks, and potential for mine waste management. Environmental Pollution, 323 121292, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121292
2023
Journal Article
Decarbonisation to drive dramatic increase in mining waste–options for reduction
Valenta, Rick K., Lèbre, Éléonore, Antonio, Christian, Franks, Daniel M., Jokovic, Vladimir, Micklethwaite, Steven, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Runge, Kym, Savinova, Ekaterina, Segura-Salazar, Juliana, Stringer, Martin, Verster, Isabella and Yahyaei, Mohsen (2023). Decarbonisation to drive dramatic increase in mining waste–options for reduction. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 190 106859, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106859
2023
Other Outputs
Provision of secondary prospectivity of mine waste project
Zhengdong Han, Anita Parbhakar-Fox and Kamini Bhowany (2023). Provision of secondary prospectivity of mine waste project. Brisbane: The University of Queensland.
2023
Conference Publication
Tracking cobalt deportment from primary ore to copper tailings and determining reprocessing potential
Nicholls, Loren, Wightman, Elaine, Evans, Catherine, Casey, Lachlan and Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2023). Tracking cobalt deportment from primary ore to copper tailings and determining reprocessing potential. 17th Biennial Meeting of the Society-for-Geology-Applied-to-Mineral Deposits (SGA) on Mineral Resources in a Changing World, Zurich, Switzerland, 28 August - 1 September 2023. Geneva, Switzerland: The Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits (SGA).
2023
Conference Publication
Exploration of indium in sulfidic mine waste and acid mine drainage environments
Mejias, Olivia, Jackson, Laura and Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2023). Exploration of indium in sulfidic mine waste and acid mine drainage environments. 17th Biennial Meeting of the Society-for-Geology-Applied-to-Mineral Deposits (SGA) on Mineral Resources in a Changing World, Zurich, Switzerland, 28 August - 1 September 2023. Geneva, Switzerland: The Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits (SGA).
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Geometallurgy of mine waste
The process of mining is not only concerned with commodity extraction but also moving and managing waste. Globally, up to 30 Gt of waste material per annum is removed, handled and placed into final repositories or landforms, based on engineering design criteria informed by geochemical parameters, where it remains indefinitely unless another use for it is identified. If inadequately managed, waste materials can pose a range of physical (i.e., dam failures) and chemical (i.e., acid and metalliferous drainage; AMD) geoenvironmental risks. The challenge remains for the mining industry to identify the mechanisms by which to cost effectively forecast and manage these potential risks at the earliest possible stage in a mine’s life. If adequately performed, then appropriate funding and environmental management strategies can be developed and embedded into the mine plan to enable better closure outcomes. Whilst the industry is cognisant of this, another major challenge is finding the right toolbox to facilitate early stage waste characterisation. For example, chemical (i.e., static and kinetic) tests have dominated how AMD properties have been measured since the late 1970s, but with AMD remaining an ongoing global issue (even at young mines), there is a necessity for innovation. With an explosion of new tools and technologies for ore characterisation, there has never been a more opportunistic time to follow a geoenvironmental matrix approach whereby the ‘environmental geometallurgy’ toolkit is used for waste characterisation. The toolkit includes application of hyperspectral technologies to derive geoenvironmental domaining index values, improved used of handheld tools and chemical tests, data mining, and developing applications for µCT and 3D XRF drill core scanners. As we approach the next decade, the industry has the unique opportunity to embed the environmental geometallurgy toolkit into their operations and improve the management of geoenvironmental risk.
I am seeking students to work with me in projects in this area.
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Geometallurgy of existing/abandoned mine wastes
Never before have the challenges of mine waste management been so important to ensure ongoing progress and development of mining operations with licence to operate now ranked as the number 1 business risk facing the mining and metals industry (Ernest Young, 2019). Societal expectations increasingly demand the sector to commit and contribute to community, government, employees and environment needs beyond the life-of-mine. This includes realistic planning for the ongoing management of mine waste storage facilities and their eventual closure. Too few global examples of successful mine closure exist for a myriad of reasons, the most important of which is the poor approach to the chemical and physical characterisation of mine waste (e.g., waste rock, tailings, slag and spent heap leach materials). Ultimately, these data inform the engineering design for the long-term storage of these waste materials. If they are not well designed then there is strong potential to induce acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) whereby sulphides contained in mine waste oxidise (Dold, 2017) or catastrophic structural failures can occur as demonstrated at the Brumadinho Dam, Brazil in January 2019. AMD is characterised by low pH, high sulphate and metals which negatively impact on the water quality of the receiving environment (Dold, 2017; Naidu et al, 2019). Once AMD generation has started, stopping and managing it is technically challenging, costing mining operations and government bodies many millions of dollars to actively manage (Naidu et al., 2019). For example, the mining industry in Tasmania was established in the late 1800s with activities focussed in the west and north east of the state with a range of commodities sought including gold, copper, lead, zinc, silver and tin (Walshe and Heithersay, 1995). Today, hundreds of historic mine waste features remaining on the land surface many of which require ongoing management. But, maps of historic mine locations should not be viewed as only conveying the distribution of acid forming materials, they also provide the location of concentrated outcrops of, often fine grained, sulphides. When considering the advances made in metallurgical processing technologies since the deposition of historical (ie late 1800s) waste and the changing thirst for commodities (ie increased demands for cobalt, lithium and REEs; Grandell et al, 2016) there is strength in the business case for processing mining waste. By adopting a geometallurgical characterisation approach to assessing mine waste its commodity potential can be defined.
I am seeking experienced students to work with me in projects in this area.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Geometallurgical studies aimed at managing mining waste
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rick Valenta, Dr Laura Jackson
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Doctor Philosophy
Evaluation of the environmental reactivity of porphyry copper ore and gangue before and after mining and processing
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Gordon Forbes, Dr Nathan Fox
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Doctor Philosophy
Integrated characterisation, reprocessing and recycling of mine waste materials for improved socio-economic and geoenvironmental outcomes in Australian mine sites
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rick Valenta
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Master Philosophy
Rosebery mine- Au geometallurgy study
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rick Valenta
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Doctor Philosophy
Flotation properties of base metal sulphides in composite particles, as a function of their mineral chemistry.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Gordon Forbes, Associate Professor Liza Forbes
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Doctor Philosophy
Developing Orebody Knowledge of VHMS Systems in the Rosebery Mineral Field, Tasmania
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rick Valenta, Dr Nathan Fox
Media
Enquiries
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