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
2020
Other Outputs
Cobalt and other critical metals in tailings of major mineral deposits in north Queensland: Progress update - Interim Report 2 for the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2020). Cobalt and other critical metals in tailings of major mineral deposits in north Queensland: Progress update - Interim Report 2 for the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy. Brisbane, Australia: University of Queensland.
2020
Other Outputs
Proposed sampling campaign: Cobalt and other critical metals in tailings of major mineral deposits in north Queensland: Interim report for the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2020). Proposed sampling campaign: Cobalt and other critical metals in tailings of major mineral deposits in north Queensland: Interim report for the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2020
Conference Publication
Potential Use of Industrial Wastes in the Treatment of Mine Wastes: A Case Study of Legacy Mine Sites in Tasmania
Moyo, Annah, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Meffre, Sebastien and Cooke, David (2020). Potential Use of Industrial Wastes in the Treatment of Mine Wastes: A Case Study of Legacy Mine Sites in Tasmania. Goldschmidt 2020, Online, 21-26 June 2020. Washington, DC United States: Geochemical Society. doi: 10.46427/gold2020.1860
2019
Journal Article
Geophysical investigation of mine waste in the King River Delta, Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania
Cracknell, Matthew J., Nascimento, Sibele C., Heng, Wei Xuen, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Schaap, Thomas A. (2019). Geophysical investigation of mine waste in the King River Delta, Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania. ASEG Extended Abstracts, 2019 (1), 1-4. doi: 10.1080/22020586.2019.12072938
2019
Journal Article
Geometallurgical characterization of non-ferrous historical slag in western Tasmania: identifying reprocessing options
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Gilmour, Sarah, Fox, Nathan and Olin, Paul (2019). Geometallurgical characterization of non-ferrous historical slag in western Tasmania: identifying reprocessing options. Minerals, 9 (7) 415, 415. doi: 10.3390/min9070415
2019
Conference Publication
Geochemical and mineralogical characterisation of tailings: Evaluating the potential for reprocessing the Bobadil tailings, Rosebery
K ng, Le Xi, Meffre, Sebastién, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Scott, Steve (2019). Geochemical and mineralogical characterisation of tailings: Evaluating the potential for reprocessing the Bobadil tailings, Rosebery. HKU International Conference of Undergraduate Research in Science 2019, Hong Kong, 3-5 July 2019.
2019
Conference Publication
Geometallurgy of tailings: unveiling the next generation of mineral resources
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2019). Geometallurgy of tailings: unveiling the next generation of mineral resources. PACRIM 2019, Auckand, New Zealand, 3-5th April 2019. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: AusIMM.
2019
Conference Publication
Reinventing the Wheel: the Environmental Geometallurgy Matrix and its Supporting Tools
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2019). Reinventing the Wheel: the Environmental Geometallurgy Matrix and its Supporting Tools. Procemin Geomet 2019, Santiago, Chile, 20 - 22 November 2019. Santiago, Chile: Gecamin.
2019
Conference Publication
Geoenvironmental characterisation of the King River Delta: a combined geophysical, geochemical and mineralogical approach
Nascimento, Sibele C., Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Cracknell, Matthew J. and Heng, Wei Xuen (2019). Geoenvironmental characterisation of the King River Delta: a combined geophysical, geochemical and mineralogical approach. 15th SGA Biennial Meeting on Life with Ore Deposits on Earth, Glasgow, Scotland, 27-30 August 2019 . Geneva, Switzerland: Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits. doi: 10.46427/gold2020.1893
2019
Conference Publication
X-ray based technologies for geometallurgical characterisation
Fox, Nathan, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Gloy, G (2019). X-ray based technologies for geometallurgical characterisation. PACRIM 2019, Auckand, New Zealand, 3-5 April 2019. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: AusIMM.
2019
Conference Publication
Automated identification of sulphides from drill core imagery
Cracknell, M., Parbhakar-Fox, A., Jackson, L., Fox, N. and Savinova, E. (2019). Automated identification of sulphides from drill core imagery. PACRIM 2019, Auckand, New Zealand, 3-5 April 2019. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: AusIMM.
2019
Conference Publication
Utilising automated mineralogy and accelerated static tests to enhance kinetic testing evaluations
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Fox, Nathan (2019). Utilising automated mineralogy and accelerated static tests to enhance kinetic testing evaluations. 15th SGA Biennial Meeting on Life with Ore Deposits on Earth, Glasgow, Scotland, 27-30 August 2019. Geneva, Switzerland: Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits.
2018
Journal Article
Automated acid rock drainage indexing from drill core imagery
Cracknell, Matthew J., Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Jackson, Laura and Savinova, Ekaterina (2018). Automated acid rock drainage indexing from drill core imagery. Minerals, 8 (12) 571, 571. doi: 10.3390/min8120571
2018
Journal Article
Forecasting Geoenvironmental Risks: Integrated Applications of Mineralogical and Chemical Data
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Fox, Nathan, Jackson, Laura and Cornelius, Rebekah (2018). Forecasting Geoenvironmental Risks: Integrated Applications of Mineralogical and Chemical Data. Minerals, 8 (12) 541, 541. doi: 10.3390/min8120541
2018
Journal Article
Geometallurgy-a route to more resilient mine operations
Dominy, Simon C., O'Connor, Louisa, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Glass, Hylke J. and Purevgerel, Saranchimeg (2018). Geometallurgy-a route to more resilient mine operations. Minerals, 8 (12) 560, 560. doi: 10.3390/min8120560
2018
Journal Article
A geometallurgical approach to tailings management: an example from the Savage River Fe-ore mine, Western Tasmania
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Glen, John and Raimondo, Bonita (2018). A geometallurgical approach to tailings management: an example from the Savage River Fe-ore mine, Western Tasmania. Minerals, 8 (10) 454, 454. doi: 10.3390/min8100454
2018
Journal Article
Improved mine waste characterisation through static blended test work
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Fox, Nathan, Hill, Roger, Ferguson, Tony and Maynard, Ben (2018). Improved mine waste characterisation through static blended test work. Minerals Engineering, 116, 132-142. doi: 10.1016/j.mineng.2017.09.011
2018
Conference Publication
Geometallurgical characterisation of non-ferrous historical slag in Tasmania: determining reprocessing options
Gilmour, S., Parbhakar-Fox, A., Olin, P. and Fox, N. (2018). Geometallurgical characterisation of non-ferrous historical slag in Tasmania: determining reprocessing options. Process Mineralogy '18, Cape Town, South Africa, 19-21 November 2018. IMWA.
2018
Conference Publication
Integrating hyperspectral analysis and mineral chemistry for geoenvironmental prediction
Jackson, Laura Marie;, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita;, Fox, Nathan, Cooke, David R;, Harris, Anthony; and Savinova, Ekaterina (2018). Integrating hyperspectral analysis and mineral chemistry for geoenvironmental prediction. 11th International Conference on Acid Rock Drainage, Pretoria, South Africa, 10-14 September 2018. Pretoria, South Africa: International Mine Water Association.
2018
Conference Publication
Automated environmental analysis: multiple size fraction analysis of kinetic tests and implications for adjusted NNP and NPR values
Brough, C., Parbhakar-Fox, A., Garner, C., Fletcher, J., Barnes, A., Griffiths, R., Strongman, J., Bowell, R. and Becker, M. (2018). Automated environmental analysis: multiple size fraction analysis of kinetic tests and implications for adjusted NNP and NPR values. Process Mineralogy '18, Cape Town, South Africa, 19-21 November 2018. IMWA.
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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