Overview
Background
Dr Olivia Mejías González is the group leader of the Mine Waste Transformation through Characterisation (MIWATCH) group at the W. H. Bryan Mining and Geology Research Centre (BRC) within the Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI), and Research Fellow in the ARC Training Centre for Critical Resources for the Future (CCRF).
Olivia is a geologist/geometallurgist (MSc, PhD) with 14 years of combined industry and research experience, including her PhD research, applying geochemical and mineralogical characterisation throughout the mining value chain, from exploration and production geology to geometallurgy, across both ore and mine waste materials.
Throughout these years, she has gained valuable experience leading, developing, and applying geometallurgical approaches to Cu-Mo porphyry ores; advancing geochemical studies in Co-rich IOCG systems; and understanding the biogeochemical cycling of In in anthropogenic environments and its implications from a resource-recovery and environmental perspective, particularly in mine wastes derived from Cu-Sn granite-related and Cu-Au VMS deposits, and surrounding creek systems.
She has been growing her expertise across a range of analytical techniques, including LIBS, automated mineralogy (QEMSCAN, MLA and MAPS Mineralogy), LA-ICP-MS, synchrotron-based XFM and XAS, atom probe tomography, and geochemical modelling.
Olivia is a dedicated and collaborative researcher who is passionate about characterising mine waste materials, with a focus on identifying potential metals, critical minerals, and other recoverable products to support sustainable mine waste reprocessing, using an industry-driven research approach to make outcomes transferable and applicable. If you are interested in these topics and keen to collaborate or explore research and industry problem-solving opportunities together, please get in touch!
Availability
- Dr Olivia Mejías González is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy of Geochemistry, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Olivia Mejías González’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Conference Publication
Handheld LIBS analysis and workflows for assessing critical metals in mine waste – a focus on In and Co
Mejías, Olivia, Valenzuela, Martin, Parbhakar-Fox, Anita, Townley, Brian, Jackson, Laura and Fox, Nathan (2022). Handheld LIBS analysis and workflows for assessing critical metals in mine waste – a focus on In and Co. 7th International Symposium on Sustainable Minerals (Sustainable Minerals '22), Virtual, 11-13 July 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
Conference Publication
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis applied to indium-bearing minerals and textures at the Baal Gammon polymetallic deposit, Australia.
Mejías, Olivia, Valenzuela, Martín, Townley, Brian, Fox, Nathan, Jackson, Laura and Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2022). Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis applied to indium-bearing minerals and textures at the Baal Gammon polymetallic deposit, Australia.. 16th SGA Biennial Meeting 2022, Virtual, 28-31 March 2022. Rotorua, New Zealand: Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits.
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
2021
Conference Publication
Circular economy: IOCG ore treatment to supply raw materials electromobility, construction materials, and fertilizers
Quevedo, Javier, Ojeda, Jose, Mejías, Olivia, Vera, Solange, Saavedra-Mella, Felipe and Gonzalez, Jose (2021). Circular economy: IOCG ore treatment to supply raw materials electromobility, construction materials, and fertilizers. International Conference on Mineral Processing and Geometallurgy, Online, 20-22 October 2021. Santiago, Chile: Gecamin.
2020
Conference Publication
Geometallurgical characterization to boost short-term planning of the conventional process line at El Teniente Division, Codelco
Toledo, Valentina, Mejías, Olivia and Jerez, Oscar (2020). Geometallurgical characterization to boost short-term planning of the conventional process line at El Teniente Division, Codelco. 16th International Mineral Processing Conference and 7th International Seminar on Geometallurgy (Procemin-GEOMET), Chile, 23-27 November 2020.
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.
2019
Conference Publication
Improvement of short-term planning in molybdenum recovery at El Teniente.
Mendez, Erika, Mejías, Olivia, Contreras, Ursula, Toledo, Valentina and Pavez, Viviana (2019). Improvement of short-term planning in molybdenum recovery at El Teniente.. 16th International Mineral Processing Conference and 7th International Seminar on Geometallurgy (Procemin-GEOMET), Chile, 20-22 November 2019.
2019
Other Outputs
Geometalurgia del material quebrado de mina El Teniente: características mineralógicas, texturales y microbiológicas que inciden negativamente en la recuperación de cobre
Mejías, Olivia (2019). Geometalurgia del material quebrado de mina El Teniente: características mineralógicas, texturales y microbiológicas que inciden negativamente en la recuperación de cobre. Master's Thesis, Instituto de Geología Económica Aplicada (GEA), Universidad de Concepción.
2018
Conference Publication
Short-term geometallurgy at Teniente Mine Division, a Great Challenge, CODELCO El Teniente Division
Contreras, Ursula, Mejías, Olivia and Jimenez, Miguel (2018). Short-term geometallurgy at Teniente Mine Division, a Great Challenge, CODELCO El Teniente Division. 14th International Mineral Processing Conference and 5th International Seminar on Geometallurgy, Chile, 28-30 November 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Zonificación geometalúrgica de los sectores productivos que alimentan a Línea Convencional de División El Teniente, para identificar potenciales de recuperación Cu-Mo, ley de concentrado Cu y su aplicación en planificación corto plazo.
Toledo, Valentina, Mejías, Olivia and Jerez, Oscar (2018). Zonificación geometalúrgica de los sectores productivos que alimentan a Línea Convencional de División El Teniente, para identificar potenciales de recuperación Cu-Mo, ley de concentrado Cu y su aplicación en planificación corto plazo.. XV Chilean Geological Conference, Chile, 18-23 November 2018.
2015
Conference Publication
Características y efectos geo-minero-metalúrgicos del material de sobrecarga del sector productivo Reservas Norte. División El Teniente, Codelco-Chile.
Diez, Eduardo, Mejías, Olivia and Salazar, Manuel (2015). Características y efectos geo-minero-metalúrgicos del material de sobrecarga del sector productivo Reservas Norte. División El Teniente, Codelco-Chile.. XIV Chilean Geological Conference, Chile, 5-7 October 2015.
2014
Conference Publication
Geological characterization of drawpoints in the El Teniente mine: an improvement tool for short-term mine-plant planning, CODELCO El Teniente Division.
Mejías, Olivia, Salazar, Manuel and Diez, Eduardo (2014). Geological characterization of drawpoints in the El Teniente mine: an improvement tool for short-term mine-plant planning, CODELCO El Teniente Division.. 2nd International Seminar on Geometallurgy (GEOMET), Chile, 1-3 December 2014.
2013
Other Outputs
Caracterización de los eventos de mineralización de molibdenita y su relación con los controles litológicos, alteración y asociaciones de sulfuros en el depósito Rosario, Collahuasi, Chile
Mejías, Olivia (2013). Caracterización de los eventos de mineralización de molibdenita y su relación con los controles litológicos, alteración y asociaciones de sulfuros en el depósito Rosario, Collahuasi, Chile. B.Sc Thesis, Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Concepción.
2013
Conference Publication
Ore mineralization controls in rosario porphyric Cu-Mo System: collahuasi District
Hermosilla, Juan, Castagno, Rodrigo and Mejías, Olivia (2013). Ore mineralization controls in rosario porphyric Cu-Mo System: collahuasi District. 3rd International Seminar on Geology for the Mining Industry (GEOMIN), Chile, 24-26 July 2013.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Olivia Mejías González is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Unravelling novel sulphide transformation pathways for critical metal recovery
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Xiaodong Ma, Honorary Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox
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Doctor Philosophy
Building Geospatial Models to Inform Critical Mineral Extraction from Mine Waste: Towards a New Industry Standard
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox
Media
Enquiries
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