
Overview
Background
Professor Southam is a Professor in Geomicrobiology. He is an interdisciplinary researcher who crosses the traditional boundaries between biological and geological sciences to examine bacterial transformations of materials composing the earth’s crust, and the impact these transformations have had over geologic time. Field sites have ranged from Yellostone National Park, to Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian high arctic, to the ultradeep gold mines in the Republic of Southam Africa (up to 4 km below land surface, to the Amazon Basin. Following his appointment as a Canada Research Chair in Geomicrobiology and Director of Environment and Sustainability at Western University, Canada, Dr. Southam has moved to the University of Queensland where he is leading projects on:
Mineral carbonation, using acid generating bacteria to enhance weathering of ultramafic mine waste, promoting mineral carbonation (CO2 sequestration);
Bioremediation of iron mine sites, by enhancing the biogeochemical cycling of iron to promote the formation of ferruginous duricrusts (canga), and
Bioleaching, focussing on low-grade copper in arid through tropical ecosystems (Australia and Brazil);
Gold exploration, examining the fundamental roles that bacteria play in catalysing the formation of placer gold.
Availability
- Professor Gordon Southam is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), University of Guelph
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Guelph
Research interests
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Life in Extreme Environments / Bacterial Fossilisation
The growth of bacteria in extreme environments combined with their metal-reactive cell envelopes often results in their fossilization in these environments. The preservation of cellular and molecular biomarkers in ancients Earth systems can teach us about the evolution of life on Earth and their influence on lithosphere-hydrosphere-atmosphere system processes. The diversity of life’s extremes is also intriguing with the respect to the possibility of life occurring elsewhere in the solar system, e.g., Mars. Current research is improving our understanding of the fundamental processes responsible for fossilisation in contemporary and ancient Earth environments, e.g., the biooxidation of iron and subsequent per-mineralization in arid, acid environments.
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Bioleaching
Present day mining operations have reached geological scales. Entire mountains are being mined, crushed, sorted, transported, smelted, and consumed by an ever-increasing human population. In parallel, new landscapes are being created with the waste products, often low-grade or lesser-quality ores. Extracting resources from these low-grade ores presents major challenges that we propose to address by determining the critical steps controlling the biooxidation of copper sulphides, in particular, chalcopyrite. The solubilisation, speciation, fractionation and precipitation of many metals and metal ions are directly and indirectly influenced by microbial activity (Southam & Saunders, 2005). The significance of microbial catalysis is highlighted in Enders et al. (2006) where we demonstrated the role of bacteria in the supergene weathering of Fe and Cu at Morenci, AZ, the largest copper mine in North America, producing 1,000 tonnes of Cu/day through bacterial leaching. The biogeochemical oxidation of iron and sulphur in pyrite enhances the dissolution of copper, which can lead to supergene enrichment over geologic time scales (Enders et al., 2006) and can be exploited for the recovery of Cu through bioleaching.
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Canga
Supergene enriched iron-ore deposits are typically protected by a goethite-cemented ferruginous duricrust layer referred to as canga. The formation of canga horizons has been linked to the biogeochemical cycling of iron. Incredibly, no work on the biogeochemistry of canga has been done. These supergene Fe-ore systems are actively forming in the tropics by weathering of banded iron formations. Canga forms extensive deposits blanketing ancient erosion surfaces, is tough, moderately hard, well consolidated, permeable and very resistant to erosion and chemical weathering, protecting the relatively soft enriched iron ore below. This protective canga horizon is therefore, essential to supergene iron ore enrichment and formation of high-grade iron ore. Canga hosts unique, endemic open herbaceous-shrubs, dominated by hemicryptophytes that are in dramatic contrast to the surrounding vegetation, especially in the Carajás and Quadrilátero Ferrífero regions of Brazil where tropical rainforests surrounds these ‘islands’ of canga. Effective restoration of mined iron sites to re-establish these unique ecosystems requires the re-precipitation of canga, a process never previously attempted. Studying the biology of these systems, i.e., the biogeochemical cycling of iron and the identification of novel biotechnologically important organisms is essential for the success of this project.
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Gold
Gold is a relatively inert metal, yet it is often found as concentrated placer deposits. These deposits are unusual because the gold nuggets recovered from them can be larger than the gold found in the source rock. Using gold-thiosulfate, the gold complex important in base metal sulphide systems, we demonstrated that thiosulfate-oxidising and thiosulfate-reducing bacteria can produce octahedral gold, similar to the interaction between bacteria and gold(III)-chloride complexes. Synchrotron results have begun to elucidate the mechanism of octahedral gold formation, demonstrating that organosulphur-Au(I) compounds are the intermediate complex produced during the reaction between bacteria and gold(III) chloride. Both complexes are important to the biogeochemical cycling of gold in natural systems. Recent evidence of biofilms on gold grains demonstrates that biogeochemical processing of gold is occurring in nature and is therefore, fundamentally important to mineral exploration programs.
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Mineral Carbonation
Ultramafic and mafic mine tailings are a potentially valuable feedstock for carbon mineralization that should be used to offset carbon emissions generated by mining. Passive carbon mineralization is occurring at the abandoned Clinton Creek asbestos mine, and the active Diavik diamond and Mount Keith nickel mines. Microbially mediated processes have the potential to accelerate carbon mineralization to create economically viable, large-scale carbon dioxide fixation technologies that can operate at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. Bioleaching of magnesium silicates (serpentine, olivine); increasing the supply of CO2 via heterotrophic oxidation of waste organics; and biologically induced carbonate precipitation, as well as enhancing passive carbonation through tailings management practices and use of CO2 point sources. With the aim of developing carbon-neutral mines, tailings storage facilities could be geoengineered as habitats for microbial communities that accelerate carbon mineralization.
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Methanogenesis
The methanogenesis project aims to determine how microorganisms degrade coal and to demonstrate the feasibility of producing biogenic methane from waste coal in an abandoned mine. Through this project, we will conduct a microbial survey of at least two Bowen Basin coal mines to identify the organisms that thrive where coal is the sole source of organic carbon. The future methane production of these mines will be determined in a laboratory trial using two different chemical regimes, one possessing a gradient from aerobic to anaerobic conditions and in the other solely anaerobic. Finally, coal will be separated into physical and chemical fractions to determine why coal degradation by anaerobic organisms is limited by the hydrolysis step during methane production.
Works
Search Professor Gordon Southam’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Journal Article
Changes in microbial community structure during the biooxidation of iron and inorganic/organic sulfur provide prediction of acid mine drainage from coal spoil
Li, Wenbo, Feng, Qiyan, Southam, Gordon, Jin, Tao and Li, Ze (2023). Changes in microbial community structure during the biooxidation of iron and inorganic/organic sulfur provide prediction of acid mine drainage from coal spoil. Science of The Total Environment, 894 164945, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164945
2023
Journal Article
Accelerated carbonate biomineralisation of Venetia diamond mine coarse residue deposit (CRD) material – a field trial study
Jones, Thomas Ray, Poitras, Jordan, Levett, Alan, Langendam, Andrew, Vietti, Andrew and Southam, Gordon (2023). Accelerated carbonate biomineralisation of Venetia diamond mine coarse residue deposit (CRD) material – a field trial study. Science of the Total Environment, 893 164853, 164853. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164853
2023
Journal Article
Anthropedogenesis in coal mine overburden; the need for a comprehensive, fundamental biogeochemical approach
Gunathunga, Samadhi U., Gagen, Emma J., Evans, Paul N., Erskine, Peter D. and Southam, Gordon (2023). Anthropedogenesis in coal mine overburden; the need for a comprehensive, fundamental biogeochemical approach. Science of The Total Environment, 892 164515, 1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164515
2023
Journal Article
Nitrogen-rich organic matter formation and stabilization in iron ore tailings: a submicrometer investigation
Wu, Songlin, Bougoure, Jeremy, Wang, Jian, Thomsen, Lars, Chan, Ting-Shan, Yi, Qing, Li, Zhen, Southam, Gordon and Huang, Longbin (2023). Nitrogen-rich organic matter formation and stabilization in iron ore tailings: a submicrometer investigation. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (33), 12325-12338. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03011
2023
Journal Article
Arsenic (III) and arsenic (V) removal from acidic mine waters using an acidophilic sulfate-reducing bioreactor
Hernández, Pedro, Recio, Gonzalo, Schwarz, Alex, Villa-Gomez, Denys, Southam, Gordon, Saavedra-Mella, Felipe, Canales, Christian and Nancucheo, Ivan (2023). Arsenic (III) and arsenic (V) removal from acidic mine waters using an acidophilic sulfate-reducing bioreactor. Hydrometallurgy, 221 106137, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.hydromet.2023.106137
Featured
2023
Journal Article
Impure CO2 storage reactions of sandstone, mudstone and carbonate cemented cores: experimental CO2 SO2 NOX O2 reaction metal mobilisation and fate
Pearce, J. K., Dawson, G. W., Brink, F., Southam, G., Paterson, D., Hall, N., Heath, R., Greer, D., Kirste, D. and Golding, S. D. (2023). Impure CO2 storage reactions of sandstone, mudstone and carbonate cemented cores: experimental CO2 SO2 NOX O2 reaction metal mobilisation and fate. International Journal of Coal Geology, 277 104352, 104352. doi: 10.1016/j.coal.2023.104352
2023
Journal Article
Accelerating bioleaching of tungsten mining wastes using indigenous acidophilic bacteria
Han, Zhengdong, Levett, Alan, Edraki, Mansour, Jones, Michael W.M., Howard, Daryl and Southam, Gordon (2023). Accelerating bioleaching of tungsten mining wastes using indigenous acidophilic bacteria. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 454 131490, 131490. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131490
2023
Journal Article
Ecological engineering of iron ore tailings into useable soils for sustainable rehabilitation
Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Southam, Gordon, Nguyen, Tuan A.H., Konhauser, Kurt O., You, Fang, Bougoure, Jeremy J., Paterson, David, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui, Haw, Shu-Chih, Yi, Qing, Li, Zhen, Robertson, Lachlan M., Hall, Merinda, Saha, Narottam, Ok, Yong Sik and Huang, Longbin (2023). Ecological engineering of iron ore tailings into useable soils for sustainable rehabilitation. iScience, 26 (7) 107102, 1-26. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107102
2023
Journal Article
Accelerated mineral bio-carbonation of coarse residue kimberlite material by inoculation with photosynthetic microbial mats
Jones, Thomas Ray, Poitras, Jordan, Gagen, Emma, Paterson, David John and Southam, Gordon (2023). Accelerated mineral bio-carbonation of coarse residue kimberlite material by inoculation with photosynthetic microbial mats. Geochemical Transactions, 24 (1) 1, 1. doi: 10.1186/s12932-023-00082-4
2023
Journal Article
Cooper Basin REM gas shales after CO2 storage or acid reactions: metal mobilisation and methane accessible pore changes
Pearce, J. K., Blach, T., Dawson, G. K. W., Southam, G., Paterson, D. J., Golding, S. D., Bahadur, J., Melnichenko, Y. B. and Rudolph, V. (2023). Cooper Basin REM gas shales after CO2 storage or acid reactions: metal mobilisation and methane accessible pore changes. International Journal of Coal Geology, 273 104271, 104271. doi: 10.1016/j.coal.2023.104271
2023
Conference Publication
Assessing geochemical reactivity during CO2 geological storage: an example from the Surat Basin
Pearce, J. K., Dawson, G. K. W., Golding, S. D., Kirste, D., Southam, G., Paterson, D., Brink, F. and Rudolph, V. (2023). Assessing geochemical reactivity during CO2 geological storage: an example from the Surat Basin. Australasian Exploration Geosciences Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 13-18 March 2023. West End, QLD Australia: Arinex.
2023
Journal Article
Microbially influenced tungsten mobilisation and formation of secondary minerals in wolframite tailings
Han, Zhengdong, Levett, Alan, Edraki, Mansour, Jones, Michael W. M., Howard, Daryl and Southam, Gordon (2023). Microbially influenced tungsten mobilisation and formation of secondary minerals in wolframite tailings. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 445 130508, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130508
2023
Journal Article
Historical diamond mine waste reveals carbon sequestration resource in kimberlite residue
Jones, T. R., Poitras, J., Paterson, D. and Southam, G. (2023). Historical diamond mine waste reveals carbon sequestration resource in kimberlite residue. Chemical Geology, 617 121270, 121270. doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2022.121270
2023
Journal Article
Mineral weathering of iron ore tailings primed by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and elemental sulfur under contrasting pH conditions
Yi, Qing, Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui, Saha, Narottam, Southam, Gordon and Huang, Longbin (2023). Mineral weathering of iron ore tailings primed by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and elemental sulfur under contrasting pH conditions. Science of the Total Environment, 856 (Pt 1) 159078, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159078
2023
Book Chapter
Sulfide Oxidation
Southam, Gordon (2023). Sulfide Oxidation. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. (pp. 2930-2932) Heidelberg, Germany: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-662-65093-6_5421
2022
Conference Publication
CO2 geological storage in the southern Surat Basin: assessing CO2-water-rock reactivity
Pearce, J.K., Dawson, G.K.W., Golding, S.D., Kirste, D., Southam, G., Paterson, D., Brink, F. and Rudolph, V. (2022). CO2 geological storage in the southern Surat Basin: assessing CO2-water-rock reactivity. Australian Groundwater Conference, Perth, WA Australia, 21-24 November 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Accelerating soil aggregate formation: a review on microbial processes as the critical step in a post-mining rehabilitation context
da Silva, Guilherme Oliveira Andrade, Southam, Gordon and Gagen, Emma Jayne (2022). Accelerating soil aggregate formation: a review on microbial processes as the critical step in a post-mining rehabilitation context. Soil Research, 61 (3), 209-223. doi: 10.1071/sr22092
2022
Conference Publication
Acid mine drainage processes, wolframite stability and chemical forms of tungsten in W-Mo tailings: a case study from Queensland
Han, Zhengdong, Edraki, Mansour, Golev, Artem and Southam, Gordon (2022). Acid mine drainage processes, wolframite stability and chemical forms of tungsten in W-Mo tailings: a case study from Queensland. 12th International Conference on Acid Rock Drainage (ICARD) 2022 , Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 18-24 September 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Role of the substrate on Ni inhibition in biological sulfate reduction
Liu, Yun, Vaughan, James, Southam, Gordon, Serrano, Antonio, Gao, Han, Palfreyman, Robin, Marcellin, Esteban and Villa-Gomez, Denys K. (2022). Role of the substrate on Ni inhibition in biological sulfate reduction. Journal of Environmental Management, 316 115216, 115216. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115216
2022
Journal Article
Metal mobilization from CO2 storage cap-rocks: experimental reactions with pure CO2 or CO2 SO2 NO
Pearce, J. K., Dawson, G. W., Southam, G., Paterson, D., Kirste, D. and Golding, S. D. (2022). Metal mobilization from CO2 storage cap-rocks: experimental reactions with pure CO2 or CO2 SO2 NO. Frontiers in Energy Research, 10 873813, 1-21. doi: 10.3389/fenrg.2022.873813
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Gordon Southam is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of the interface between electrochemically-active microorganisms and metals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Bernardino Virdis
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of the interface between electrochemically-active microorganisms and metals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Bernardino Virdis
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of the interface between electrochemically-active microorganisms and metals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Bernardino Virdis
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of the interface between electrochemically-active microorganisms and metals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Bernardino Virdis
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of the interface between electrochemically-active microorganisms and metals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Bernardino Virdis
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Doctor Philosophy
Acid Mine Drainage Passive Treatment Method Using Hyperaccumulator Plants for Post Mining Rehabilitation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Denys Villa Gomez, Professor Peter Erskine
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Doctor Philosophy
Alternative uses of mine influenced water
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mandana Shaygan, Professor Mansour Edraki
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the microbiology behind transformation of coal mine spoils to soils, in the Bowen Basin
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Paul Evans
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Biochemical processes occuring in kimberlite: True lithotrophy
Principal Advisor
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Harnessing microbial processes to accelerate the transformation of coal spoils to functional soils
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Erskine, Dr Paul Evans
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Biologically enhanced mineral carbonation of kimberlite as a strategy to create a carbon neutral mine
Principal Advisor
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Development of ferruginous duricrusts (canga) in tropical iron ore systems
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paulo Vasconcelos
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
The role of primary producers in surface evolution of iron-rich duricrust (canga)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Kopittke
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Selective colonisation of metal sulphides and the effect of bioleaching
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paulo Vasconcelos
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Microbial carbonation in natural and engineered environments
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gregory Webb
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Coal mine microbial communities and biogenic methane cycling
Principal Advisor
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Microbial sulfur oxidation driven mineral weathering in alkaline iron ore tailings
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fang You, Professor Longbin Huang
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Improving biogeochemical properties and pioneer plant growth in alkaline iron ore tailings undergoing soil formation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fang You, Professor Longbin Huang
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Geochemical investigation of abandoned tungsten mining wastes for metal recovery and rehabilitation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mansour Edraki
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Strategies for nickel and cobalt recovery from mine-impacted water using sulfate-reducing bacteria
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor James Vaughan, Dr Denys Villa Gomez
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Characteristics of hardpans capping sulfidic Cu-Pb-Zn tailings and potential roles of mineral bio-weathering
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Longbin Huang
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Characterization of South Australian microbialites with emphasis on the identification of geochemical signatures
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Robert Burne, Professor Gregory Webb
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Phosphate-induced hydrogeochemical stabilisation of sulphidic lead-zinc tailings for rapid phytostabilisation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Longbin Huang
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Paleoenvironmental Evolution of Continental Landscapes Through Combined High-Resolution Geochronology and d18O Ion Microprobe Analysis of Goethite
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paulo Vasconcelos
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