Overview
Background
Wenqiang is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining (CERM), Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland. His research focuses on the hydrogeochemistry and hydrogeology of mine waste, particularly acid and neutral metalliferous drainage (AMD/NMD). He has led projects for BHP/BMA on spoil and tailings management and contributed to projects with CRC TiME and RTCM Trailblazer on long-term monitoring of mine waste behaviour, mine closure and rehabilitation. He completed his PhD at The University of Queensland, focusing on desiccation of tailings and salt migration in cover systems. His expertise includes hydro-geochemical and geotechnical characterisation of mine waste, multi-scale kinetic test design, soil cover system monitoring and performance assessment, environmental risk assessment of mine waste, as well as numerical modelling of water, solute, and heat transport in unsaturated soil.
Availability
- Dr Wenqiang Zhang is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing
- Masters (Research) of Geotechnical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing
- Doctor of Philosophy of Geotechnical Engineering, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Research interests
• Mine waste geochemistry and hydrogeology • Hydro-geochemical monitoring of tailings, waste rock, and cover systems • Unsaturated soil mechanics and flow processes • Water, oxygen, and solute transport in mine waste and cover systems • Acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) generation, prediction, and control • Experimental and numerical modelling of coupled hydro-geochemical processes in mine waste • Mine closure, rehabilitation, and long-term environmental performance assessment
Works
Search Professor Wenqiang Zhang’s works on UQ eSpace
2026
Journal Article
Beyond acid-base accounting: Integrated characterisation of coal tailings for AMD reactivity ranking and closure planning
Anumah, Abdulraheem O., Gunathunga, Samadhi, Zhang, Wenqiang, Shaygan, Mandana, Southam, Gordon and Edraki, Mansour (2026). Beyond acid-base accounting: Integrated characterisation of coal tailings for AMD reactivity ranking and closure planning. Journal of Environmental Management, 415 130700, 130700. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.130700
2025
Conference Publication
Key parameters for assessing the chemical stability of coal tailings storage facilities using laboratory kinetic tests
Anumah, Abdulraheem O., Zhang, Wenqiang, Shaygan, Mandana, Southam, Gordon and Edraki, Mansour (2025). Key parameters for assessing the chemical stability of coal tailings storage facilities using laboratory kinetic tests. 11th AMD Workshop, Brisbane Sustainable Minerals Institute and CRC Time Acid and Metalliferous workshop, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 19-21 October 2025.
2025
Journal Article
Numerical investigation of evaporation‐driven salt uptake in store‐release soil covers over hypersaline tailings
Zhang, Wenqiang, Zhang, Chenming, Williams, David J. and Edraki, Mansour (2025). Numerical investigation of evaporation‐driven salt uptake in store‐release soil covers over hypersaline tailings. Water Resources Research, 61 (9) e2025WR039959, 1-21. doi: 10.1029/2025wr039959
2025
Journal Article
Performance assessment of a monolithic soil cover over hypersaline bauxite residue under natural weather conditions
Zhang, Wenqiang, Zhang, Chenming, Lei, Ximing, Olaya, Sebastian Quintero, Zhu, Yuyang and Williams, David J. (2025). Performance assessment of a monolithic soil cover over hypersaline bauxite residue under natural weather conditions. Engineering Geology, 353 108120, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108120
2023
Other Outputs
Weather-induced tailings desiccation and salt uptake
Zhang, Wenqiang (2023). Weather-induced tailings desiccation and salt uptake. PhD Thesis, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland.
2023
Journal Article
Instrumented column testing on long-term consolidation and desiccation behaviour of coal tailings under natural weather conditions
Zhang, Wenqiang, Zhang, Chenming, Lei, Ximing, Quintero Olaya, Sebastian, Zhu, Yuyang, Zhao, Zicheng, Jensen, Steve and Williams, David John (2023). Instrumented column testing on long-term consolidation and desiccation behaviour of coal tailings under natural weather conditions. Acta Geotechnica, 19 (4), 1891-1909. doi: 10.1007/s11440-023-01984-4
2023
Journal Article
Engineering properties of fine-grained red mud
Tian, Hua, Williams, David J., Mandisodza, Keith, Zhang, Chenming, Olaya, Sebastian Quintero, Zhang, Wenqiang and Tang, Chongyi (2023). Engineering properties of fine-grained red mud. International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 37 (6), 399-418. doi: 10.1080/17480930.2023.2212575
2019
Conference Publication
Assessing salt migration from compacted bauxite residual into overlying cover using an instrumented column
Zhang, Wenqiang, Zhang, Chenming, Lei, Ximing, Zhu, Yuyang, Quintero, Sebastian, Williams, David J. and O'Neill, Mike (2019). Assessing salt migration from compacted bauxite residual into overlying cover using an instrumented column. Tailings and Mine Waste 2019, Vancouver, Canada, 17-20 November 2019. Vancouver, Canada: University of British Columbia.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Wenqiang Zhang is:
- Available for supervision
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Media
Enquiries
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