Dr Glen Corder, LCMM team leader, talks about his new program
The Life Cycles of Mines and Metals (LCMM) program at the Sustainable Minerals Institute is researching integrated environmental, social and technical solutions over the life of mining projects and along the value chain. The LCMM researchers come from different disciplinary backgrounds and have a broad range of research and industry experience. Our research program has several current projects, and we are developing new initiatives and proposals aligned with our integrative and holistic approach.
We have submitted proposals to the initial CRC-Project round in March and to the current ACARP round. These focus on unlocking value and reducing liability from mining waste, and examining the nature of risk related to lease relinquishment. We are now in the early stages of developing a large proposal focusing on the multidimensional and disciplinary aspects of mining waste with the plan to prepare an ARC Transformation Industrial Research Hub application on this topic.
We believe that our research places us in an excellent position to contribute to the circular economy, which is growing in significance particularly in the Northern Hemisphere through such organisations as the World Economic Forum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. As an initial response to this opportunity, we are hoping to participate in a new collaborative research PhD program being co-ordinated by European universities which have MOUs with UQ. Finally, through this program will continue to develop and provide support services to the SUSOP sustainability risk management framework.