Overview
Background
Dr Qing Yi is an interdisciplinary environmental scientist with 15 years of experience across environmental geochemistry, biogeochemistry, soil science, mine waste management, sustainable rehabilitation, and mine waste valorisation. His work focuses on understanding the geochemical behaviour of mine wastes and contaminated materials, and developing sustainable solutions for environmental assessment, rehabilitation, and resource recovery.
Qing’s expertise includes geochemical characterisation of mine waste, prediction and management of acid and metalliferous drainage, water quality assessment, contamination fate and transport, and the assessment and remediation of soils, sediments, groundwater, surface water, and mine-affected environments. He also has strong capabilities in laboratory and field-based analysis, predictive geochemical modelling, hydrogeological mapping, and statistical data interpretation.
His career spans research, development, and specialist technical roles across Australia and China, with a strong focus on applying scientific knowledge to practical environmental and mining challenges. Qing is passionate about innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and translating research into improved environmental management practices.
Availability
- Dr Qing Yi is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy of Environmental Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland
Research impacts
Dr Qing Yi’s research contributes to more sustainable mine waste management, mine rehabilitation, and water and contamination risk assessment. His work helps improve understanding of how mine wastes and contaminated materials behave over time, supporting better environmental decision-making in the mining and resources sectors.
A key focus of his research is the transformation of mine tailings into functional soil-like materials for long-term rehabilitation. This supports practical mine closure strategies by using geochemical, mineralogical and microbial processes to stabilise tailings, promote soil formation, and reduce environmental risk.
His research also supports circular economy outcomes through the recovery of valuable and critical metals from mine wastes, including tailings and red mud. This work contributes to reducing the environmental footprint of mining while improving resource efficiency.
More broadly, his research has informed acid and metalliferous drainage prediction, water quality assessment, contamination fate and transport, and regional hydrogeological and environmental mapping. Through this work, he aims to translate environmental geochemistry research into practical solutions that protect ecosystems and support responsible resource development.
Works
Search Professor Qing Yi’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Research on groundwater ecological environment mapping based on ecological service function: a case study of five Central Asian countries and neighboring regions of China
Ge, Li-qiang, Cheng, Yan-pei, Yi, Qing, Wen, Xue-ru, Dong, Hua, Liu, Kun and Zhang, Jian-kang (2024). Research on groundwater ecological environment mapping based on ecological service function: a case study of five Central Asian countries and neighboring regions of China. Journal of Groundwater Science and Engineering, 12 (3), 339-346. doi: 10.26599/JGSE.2024.9280025
2024
Journal Article
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regulate plant mineral nutrient uptake and partitioning in iron ore tailings undergoing eco-engineered pedogenesis
Li, Zhen, Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Yi, Qing, Hall, Merinda, Saha, Narottam, Wang, Junjian, Huang, Yuanfang and Huang, Longbin (2024). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regulate plant mineral nutrient uptake and partitioning in iron ore tailings undergoing eco-engineered pedogenesis. Pedosphere, 34 (2), 385-398. doi: 10.1016/j.pedsph.2023.04.004
2023
Journal Article
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Drive Organo-Mineral Association in Iron Ore Tailings: Unravelling Microstructure at the Submicron Scale by Synchrotron-Based FTIR and STXM-NEXAFS
Li, Zhen, Wu, Songlin, Yi, Qing, Liu, Yunjia, Wang, Jian, Nguyen, Tuan A. H., Ma, Yuanying, You, Fang, Chan, Ting-Shan, Klein, Annaleise, Levett, Alan, Southam, Gordon, Alessi, Daniel S., Huang, Yuanfang and Huang, Longbin (2023). Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Drive Organo-Mineral Association in Iron Ore Tailings: Unravelling Microstructure at the Submicron Scale by Synchrotron-Based FTIR and STXM-NEXAFS. Environmental Science & Technology, 57 (51), 21779-21790. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07614
2023
Journal Article
Elemental sulfur and organic matter amendment drive alkaline pH neutralization and mineral weathering in iron ore tailings through inducing sulfur oxidizing bacteria
Yi, Qing, You, Fang, Li, Zhen, Wu, Songlin, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui, Thomsen, Lars, Wang, Jian, Ma, Yuanying, Liu, Yunjia, Robertson, Lachlan, Southam, Gordon and Huang, Longbin (2023). Elemental sulfur and organic matter amendment drive alkaline pH neutralization and mineral weathering in iron ore tailings through inducing sulfur oxidizing bacteria. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (51), 21744-21756. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05749
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
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
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
2022
Journal Article
Plant biomass amendment regulates arbuscular mycorrhizal role in organic carbon and nitrogen sequestration in eco-engineered iron ore tailings
Li, Zhen, Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Yi, Qing, Nguyen, Tuan A.H., Ma, Yuanying, You, Fang, Hall, Merinda, Chan, Ting-Shan, Huang, Yuanfang and Huang, Longbin (2022). Plant biomass amendment regulates arbuscular mycorrhizal role in organic carbon and nitrogen sequestration in eco-engineered iron ore tailings. Geoderma, 428 116178, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116178
2022
Other Outputs
Microbial sulfur oxidation driven mineral weathering in alkaline iron ore tailings
Yi, Qing (2022). Microbial sulfur oxidation driven mineral weathering in alkaline iron ore tailings. PhD Thesis, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/1228bd5
2022
Journal Article
Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis enhances water stable aggregate formation and organic matter stabilization in Fe ore tailings
Li, Zhen, Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Yi, Qing, You, Fang, Ma, Yuanying, Thomsen, Lars, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui, Hall, Merinda, Saha, Narottam, Huang, Yuanfang and Huang, Longbin (2022). Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis enhances water stable aggregate formation and organic matter stabilization in Fe ore tailings. Geoderma, 406 115528, 115528. doi: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115528
2021
Conference Publication
Pioneer plant driven primary mineral weathering and secondary mineral formation in Fe ore tailings
Wu, Songlin, Huang, Longbin and Yi, Qing (2021). Pioneer plant driven primary mineral weathering and secondary mineral formation in Fe ore tailings. Australian synchrotron user meeting 2021, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 24-26 November 2021.
2021
Conference Publication
Acidophilic iron- and sulfur-oxidising bacteria driven primary mineral weathering and secondary mineral formation in Fe ore tailings
Yi, Qing, Wu, Songlin, Southam, Gordon and Huang, Longbin (2021). Acidophilic iron- and sulfur-oxidising bacteria driven primary mineral weathering and secondary mineral formation in Fe ore tailings. ANSTO User Meeting 2021, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 24-26 November 2021.
2021
Journal Article
Chemodiversity of Dissolved Organic Matter and Its Molecular Changes Driven by Rhizosphere Activities in Fe Ore Tailings Undergoing Eco-Engineered Pedogenesis
Wu, Songlin, You, Fang, Boughton, Berin, Liu, Yunjia, Nguyen, Tuan A. H., Wykes, Jeremy, Southam, Gordon, Robertson, Lachlan M., Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui, Lutz, Adrian, Yu, Dingyi, Yi, Qing, Saha, Narottam and Huang, Longbin (2021). Chemodiversity of Dissolved Organic Matter and Its Molecular Changes Driven by Rhizosphere Activities in Fe Ore Tailings Undergoing Eco-Engineered Pedogenesis. Environmental Science & Technology, 55 (19) acs.est.1c04527, 13045-13060. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04527
2021
Conference Publication
Alkaline pH neutralisation and mineral weathering in Fe ore tailings driven by an acidophilic iron and sulfur oxidising bacterium, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans
Yi, Qing, Wu, Songlin, Huang, Longbin and Southam, Gordon (2021). Alkaline pH neutralisation and mineral weathering in Fe ore tailings driven by an acidophilic iron and sulfur oxidising bacterium, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Goldschmidt2021, Online, 4-9 July 2021. doi: 10.7185/gold2021.4394
2021
Journal Article
Rhizosphere drives biotite-like mineral weathering and secondary Fe–Si mineral formation in Fe Ore tailings
Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Southam, Gordon, Robertson, Lachlan M., Wykes, Jeremy, Yi, Qing, Hall, Merinda, Li, Zhen, Sun, Qiang, Saha, Narottam, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui and Huang, Longbin (2021). Rhizosphere drives biotite-like mineral weathering and secondary Fe–Si mineral formation in Fe Ore tailings. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, 5 (3) acsearthspacechem.0c00331, 618-631. doi: 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.0c00331
2021
Journal Article
Acidophilic iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, drives alkaline pH neutralization and mineral weathering in Fe ore tailings
Yi, Qing, Wu, Songlin, Southam, Gordon, Robertson, Lachlan, You, Fang, Liu, Yunjia, Wang, Sicheng, Saha, Narottam, Webb, Richard, Wykes, Jeremy, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui and Huang, Longbin (2021). Acidophilic iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, drives alkaline pH neutralization and mineral weathering in Fe ore tailings. Environmental Science and Technology, 55 (12), 8020-8034. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00848
2019
Conference Publication
The effects of a sulphur oxidising bacterial inoculum and elemental sulphur amendment on alkaline iron ore tailings pH stabilisation
Yi, Qing, Wu, Songlin, Huang, Longbin and Southam, Gordon (2019). The effects of a sulphur oxidising bacterial inoculum and elemental sulphur amendment on alkaline iron ore tailings pH stabilisation. Goldschmidt2019, Barcelona, Spain, 18-23 August 2019.
2017
Journal Article
Evolution of quaternary sedimentary environment in shallow aquifers, at Shahu area, Jianghan Plain
Wang, Yanyan, Huang, Shuangbing, Zhao, Long and Yi, Qing (2017). Evolution of quaternary sedimentary environment in shallow aquifers, at Shahu area, Jianghan Plain. Diqiu Kexue - Zhongguo Dizhi Daxue Xuebao/Earth Science - Journal of China University of Geosciences, 42 (5), 751-760. doi: 10.3799/dqkx.2017.063
2016
Journal Article
Groundwater System Division and Description of Asia
Zhang, Fawang, Yi, Qing, Cheng, Yanpei, Yue, Chen and Dong, Hua (2016). Groundwater System Division and Description of Asia. Acta Geologica Sinica-English Edition, 90 (4), 1434-1443. doi: 10.1111/1755-6724.12777
2015
Journal Article
Compilation of groundwater quality map and study of hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in Asia
Qing, Yi , Li-qiang, Ge , Yan-pei, Cheng , Hua, Dong , Kun, Liu , Jian-kang, Zhang and Chen, Yue (2015). Compilation of groundwater quality map and study of hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in Asia. Journal of Groundwater Science and Engineering, 3 (2), 176-185.
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Qing Yi is:
- Available for supervision
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Media
Enquiries
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