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
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Tasmania
Research interests
-
Geometallurgy
-
Environmental Geochemistry
-
Mineralogy
-
Solid waste management
-
Tailings and slag characterisation
-
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
2022
Conference Publication
Exploring the potential for critical metal resources in mine waste: Geometallurgical characterisation of cobalt-bearing minerals in tailings at the Capricorn Copper Mine, Northwest Queensland
Nicholls, Loren, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Valenta, Rick, Gow, Paul, Degeling, Helen, Lisitsin, Vladimir and Gray, Rosemary (2022). Exploring the potential for critical metal resources in mine waste: Geometallurgical characterisation of cobalt-bearing minerals in tailings at the Capricorn Copper Mine, Northwest Queensland. 16th SGA Biennial Meeting 2022, Rotorua, New Zealand, 28-31 March 2022. SGA.
2022
Conference Publication
Determination of rare earth element content in mine waste, Phosphate Hill Mine, NW Queensland
Jackson, Laura, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Degeling, Helen (2022). Determination of rare earth element content in mine waste, Phosphate Hill Mine, NW Queensland. SGA 2022, Online, 28 -31 March 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Critical metals concentration from mine wastes in Mexico, Chile and Australia: A data integration approach
Saez Salgado, Enrique, Villa Gomez, Denys, Mejías, Olivia, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Pinedo-Torres, Laura A., Jackson, Laura and Pat-Espadas, Aurora M. (2022). Critical metals concentration from mine wastes in Mexico, Chile and Australia: A data integration approach. 16th SGA Biennial Meeting 2022, Rotorua, New Zealand, 28-31 March 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Trialling one-part geopolymer production including iron ore tailings as fillers
Mazzinghy, Douglas B., Figueiredo, Ricardo A.M., Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Yahyaei, Mohsen, Vaughan, James and Powell, Malcolm S. (2022). Trialling one-part geopolymer production including iron ore tailings as fillers. International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 36 (5), 1-12. doi: 10.1080/17480930.2022.2047271
2022
Conference Publication
Indium and cobalt assessment by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS): a polymetallic deposit case study
Mejías, Olivia, Valenzuela, Martín, Townley, Brian, Jackson, Laura and Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2022). Indium and cobalt assessment by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS): a polymetallic deposit case study. Next Generation Resources 2022, Capetown, South Africa (Online), 22-23 February 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Data Integration of Critical Elements from Mine Waste in Mexico, Chile and Australia
Villa Gomez, Denys, Sáez Salgado, Enrique, Mejías, Olivia, Pat-Espadas, Aurora Margarita, Pinedo Torres, Laura Alejandra , Jackson, Laura and Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2022). Data Integration of Critical Elements from Mine Waste in Mexico, Chile and Australia. Minerals, 12 (2) 122, 122. doi: 10.3390/min12020122
2022
Conference Publication
Geoenvironmental characterisation of the King River Delta: A combined geophysical, geochemical and mineralogical approach
Nascimento, Sibele, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Cracknell, Matthew (2022). Geoenvironmental characterisation of the King River Delta: A combined geophysical, geochemical and mineralogical approach. Goldschmidt2022, Honolulu, HI United States, 10-15 July 2022. Paris, France: European Association of Geochemistry. doi: 10.46427/gold2022.12134
2021
Conference Publication
Integrated chemical and mineralogical characterisation at Horn Island, Qld: opportunities for valorisation of gold mine waste
Jackson, L., Parbhakar-Fox, A., Hall, T., Johnson, K., Lisitsin, V. and Degeling, H. (2021). Integrated chemical and mineralogical characterisation at Horn Island, Qld: opportunities for valorisation of gold mine waste. Sustainable Minerals '21, Online, 21-24 June 2021.
2021
Conference Publication
Growth of indigenous bacteria from mine tailings: Implications for bioleaching for cobalt recovery
Mukhopadhyay, Deb, Jones, Tom, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Southam, Gordon (2021). Growth of indigenous bacteria from mine tailings: Implications for bioleaching for cobalt recovery. 10th Australian Workshop on Acid and Metalliferous Drainage, Online, 22 – 25 June 2021. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Sustainable Minerals Institute.
2021
Conference Publication
Geometallurgical characterisation of mine tailings: examples from Tasmania
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita , van Balen, Johanna , K'ng, Lexi , Meffre, Sebastien and Danuyshevsky, Leonid (2021). Geometallurgical characterisation of mine tailings: examples from Tasmania. 10th Australian Workshop on Acid and Metalliferous Drainage, Online, 22 – 25 June 2021. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Sustainable Minerals Institute.
2021
Journal Article
Mathematical modeling for optimized mine waste rock disposal: establishing an effective acid rock drainage management
Vaziri, Vahid, Sayadi, Ahmad, Reza, Mousavi, Amin, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Monjezi, Masoud (2021). Mathematical modeling for optimized mine waste rock disposal: establishing an effective acid rock drainage management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 288 125124. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125124
2020
Other Outputs
Identifying reuse options for goethite waste, Cajamarquilla Smelter, Peru
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Whitworth, Anne (2020). Identifying reuse options for goethite waste, Cajamarquilla Smelter, Peru. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland.
2020
Other Outputs
Identifying reuse options for goethite waste, Cajamarquilla Smelter, Peru
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Whitworth, Anne (2020). Identifying reuse options for goethite waste, Cajamarquilla Smelter, Peru. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: UQ.
2020
Conference Publication
Geochemical Assessment of Critical Metals: A Geometallurgical Guideline for the Evaluation of By-Products of an IOCG Type Deposit, Chile
Mejías, Olivia, Quevedo, Javier, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Townley, Brian and Danyushevsky, Leonid (2020). Geochemical Assessment of Critical Metals: A Geometallurgical Guideline for the Evaluation of By-Products of an IOCG Type Deposit, Chile. 7th International Conference on Geometallurgy, Chile, 23-27 November 2020.
2020
Journal Article
Toward Closing a Loophole: Recovering Rare Earth Elements from Uranium Metallurgical Process Tailings
Vaughan, James , Tungpalan, Kate , Parbhakar-Fox, Anita , Fu, Weng, Gagen, Emma , Nti Nkrumah, Philip , Southam, Gordon, van der Ent, Antony, Erskine, Peter, Gow, Paul and Valenta, Rick (2020). Toward Closing a Loophole: Recovering Rare Earth Elements from Uranium Metallurgical Process Tailings. JOM, 73 (1), 39-53. doi: 10.1007/s11837-020-04451-7
2020
Journal Article
Treasure from trash: Mining critical metals from waste and unconventional sources
van der Ent, Antony, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Erskine, Peter D. (2020). Treasure from trash: Mining critical metals from waste and unconventional sources. Science of The Total Environment, 758 143673, 143673. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143673
2020
Other Outputs
Geometallurgical characterisation of future mine tailings, Alpala porphyry Cu-Au Project: Final Report
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita and Fox, Nathan (2020). Geometallurgical characterisation of future mine tailings, Alpala porphyry Cu-Au Project: Final Report. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: UQ.
2020
Conference Publication
Evaluating the potential use of industrial waste in the treatment of acid and metalliferous drainage produced by legacy mine sites in Tasmania
Moyo, Annah, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Meffre, Sebastian and Cooke, David (2020). Evaluating the potential use of industrial waste in the treatment of acid and metalliferous drainage produced by legacy mine sites in Tasmania. 10th Australian Workshop on Acid and Metalliferous Drainage, Dubbo, NSW Australia, 23 March 2020. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Sustainable Minerals Institute.
2020
Other Outputs
Assessing Recommercialisation Potential at the Mary Kathleen mine, Queensland: Interim Report for the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2020). Assessing Recommercialisation Potential at the Mary Kathleen mine, Queensland: Interim Report for the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2020
Other Outputs
Cobalt and other critical metals in tailings of major mineral deposits in north Queensland: Osborne mine
Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2020). Cobalt and other critical metals in tailings of major mineral deposits in north Queensland: Osborne mine. St Lucia, QLD Australia: University of Queensland.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
-
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.
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
Geometallurgical studies aimed at managing mining waste
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rick Valenta, Dr Laura Jackson
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
Geometallurgical studies aimed at managing mining waste
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rick Valenta, Dr Laura Jackson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Multi-scale geometallurgical characterisation of legacy tailings for sustainable critical metal valorisation: A case study exploring the secondary prospectivity of cobalt
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rick Valenta
-
Doctor Philosophy
Multi-scale geometallurgical characterisation of legacy tailings for sustainable critical metal valorisation: A case study exploring the secondary prospectivity of cobalt
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rick Valenta
-
Doctor Philosophy
Building Geospatial Models to Inform Critical Mineral Extraction from Mine Waste: Towards a New Industry Standard
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rick Valenta
-
Doctor Philosophy
Relationship of pyrite textures and composition on flotation performance in the Mount Isa copper deposit
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Gordon Forbes, Associate Professor Liza Forbes
-
Doctor Philosophy
Developing Orebody Knowledge of VHMS Systems in the Rosebery Mineral Field, Tasmania
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rick Valenta, Dr Nathan Fox
-
Doctor Philosophy
Relationship of pyrite textures and composition on flotation performance at Mount Isa copper deposit
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Gordon Forbes, Associate Professor Liza Forbes
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox directly for media enquiries about their areas of expertise.
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: