Mining and minerals processing
Mining and minerals processing equipment and infrastructure are used to target sustainable outcomes through environmental research. From in-house services such as mineral sample analysis and preparation to field equipment such as UAVs and vehicles, the University of Queensland can fulfil your mining and minerals processing needs.
Comminution
Service
Comminution
Equipment
- Bond ball mill work index)
- BBMWi - Lite (CSS > 106 µm)
- Bond Rod Mill Work index
- Drop Weight Test
- DWT Ta abrasion only
- High Pressure Grind Rolls
- ISAMill signature plot
- Rock Breakage Tests
- SG by He pycnometer
- SG by water immersion
Contact
JKMRC Laboratory Facilities Manager
David Garcia Tabares
Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
(07) 3346 5883
d.garciatabares@uq.edu.au
Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
40 Isles Road, Indooroopilly QLD, Australia 4068
Ecosystems research program UAVs
Services
Research using remote sensing technologies. Areas of UAV specialisation include using thermal and multispectral sensors at temporal and spatial sampling intensities that adequately identify changes in ecosystems, and in hydrological and landform processes over time.
Equipment
- Swamp Fox: 2m wingspan, 4.5kg fiberglass and carbon fibre UAV. Max flight time 50min and 12km2 ground coverage.
- eBee: 1m wingspan, 0.7kg, foam UAV. Max flight time 50min and 12km2 ground coverage
- Sensors: >20MP Sony Nex5 RGB, Sony Nex5 NIR; Micasense multispectral sensor 5 band (RGB, RE, NIR); Sequoia multispectral sensor 4 band (RGB, NIR); thermoMAP thermal infrared camera (-40°C to 160 °C)
Contact
Doctor Peter Erskine
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation
(07) 3346 4065
p.erskine@uq.edu.au
Sustainable Minerals Institute, Level 5, Sir James Foots Building, St Lucia campus
Herbarium
Services
A research support facility for plant identification, with approximately 5,000 specimens. Many specimens are of plant species related to land rehabilitation in Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory, including one of the most comprehensive collections from the swamps of the Newnes Plateau / Western Blue Mountains region. The online digital herbarium is a database containing high resolution scans of over 1,200 plant specimens.
Equipment
- Leica M205A microscope (high resolution magnification (160x), digital display, image capture, live measurements, multi-focus image stacking)
- Several dissection microscopes
- Specimen digitisation system
- Plant identification library
- Plant presses for fieldwork
Contact
Phill McKenna
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation
(07) 3346 3135
phillmckenna@cmlr.uq.edu.au
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation Herbarium, Level 5, Sir James Foots Building, St Lucia campus
Mineral flotation
Service
Mineral flotation
Equipment
- Grind establishment (incl. 3 data points)
- Bulk rougher flotation
- Timed rougher flotation
- Rougher followed by cleaner (open circuit)
- Rougher followed by cleaner followed by recleaner (open circuit)
Contact
JKMRC Laboratory Facilities Manager
David Garcia Tabares
Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
(07) 3346 5883
d.garciatabares@uq.edu.au
Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
40 Isles Road, Indooroopilly QLD, Australia 4068
Mineral sample analysis
Service
The Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) is equipped with a range of analytical and sample preparation equipment for mineralogical characterisation that have applications in minerals and materials science.
Equipment
- 2 x MLA600 - FEI Quanta 600 Mk1 Scanning Electron Microsocope equipped with SiLi EDAX detectors
- 1 x MLA650 - FEI Quanta 650 Scanning Electron Microsocope equipped with a Bruker SDD detector
- 1 x Skyscan 1172 - X-ray micro tomography system
- 1 x Skyscan 1072 - X-ray micro tomography system
- 1 x Xradia Versa500M - X-ray micro tomography system
- 1 x Leica digital optical microscope
- 1 x Struers Tegrapol automated polisher
- 1 x Struers Labatom diamond saw
- 1 x JEOL carbon coater
Contact
Doctor Elaine Wightman
Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
(07) 3346 5917
e.wightman@uq.edu.au
UQ experimental mine
40 Isles Road, Indooroopilly QLD, Australia 4068
Mineral sample preparation/cutting/crushing/grinding
Service
Sample preparation/cutting/crushing/grinding
Equipment
- Sample preparation
- Core cutting
- Bulk crushing
Contact
JKMRC Laboratory Facilities Manager
David Garcia Tabares
Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
(07) 3346 5883
d.garciatabares@uq.edu.au
Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
40 Isles Road, Indooroopilly QLD, Australia 4068
Mineral sizing
Service
Mineral sizing
Equipment
- Bulk dry sizing to 3.35 mm using Gilson
- Dry sizing from -5 mm to -106 µm
- Wet sizing from -5 mm to -38 µm
- Wet pre-screen followed by dry sizing from -5 mm to - 38 µm
- Cyclosizing from -38 µm to -C5
- Malvern laser sizing
Contact
JKMRC Laboratory Facilities Manager
David Garcia Tabares
Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
(07) 3346 5883
d.garciatabares@uq.edu.au
Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
40 Isles Road, Indooroopilly QLD, Australia 4068
Poster printing
Services
Poster printing on cloth or paper, including A0 and custom sizes.
Equipment
HP Designjet T2300
Contact
Elisabeth Hansen
Sustainable Minerals Institute
(07) 3346 4094
e.hansen1@uq.edu.au
Research laboratories
Services
Multidisciplinary research laboratories used primarily for running experiments and sample preparation. Limited analytical capability. Used by disciplines including:
- Soil physics and geohydrology
- Geochemistry
- Chemistry (soil, water, plant, air)
- Microbiology
- Zoology / Myrmecology
- Seed biology
- Plant physiology
- Metallophyte studies
- Ecotoxicology and human health
- Ecological engineering
Equipment
- Ion chromatograph (anions only)
- XRF (portable)
- Spectrophotometer (Cary 60 UV-Vis)
- Respirometer (QBox)
- Custom plant growth chamber; Incubators and growth cabinets
- Microwave and block digesters
- Autotitrator (Metrohm)
- Laminar flow cabinet
- Autoclave
- Dehydrating ovens
- Centrifuge
- Permeameter
- Flow cells (columns)
- Soil water retention characterisation
- Multi-parameter water quality meters (including low-volume sensors)
- Various balances, shakers and sample mills (e.g. Retsch PM200 ball mill, Culatti Micro Hammer Mill)
- Olympus BX51 polarising microscope (on loan)
Contact
Vanessa Glenn
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation
(07) 3346 3138
cmlrlab@uq.edu.au
Vehicles and field equipment
Services
Equipment to support a wide range of environmental field work.
Equipment
- Toyota Landcruiser 4WD, compliant with most Australian mine site light vehicle requirements
- Toyota Landcruiser 4WD, compliant with some Australian mine site light vehicle requirements
- Toyota Troopcarrier 4WD
- Portable multi-parameter water quality meters
- GPS units (Trimble Nomad, Trimble Geo with optional external antenna)
- Various small tools (cameras, clinometers, height sticks, tapes, moisture probe, augers, soil sample corers)
- Field weather stations (Hobo) and data loggers
- Tensiometers
- Rainfall simulator
Contact
Sustainable Minerals Institute
(07) 3346 4018
v.nath@uq.edu.au
N/A (via Sustainable Minerals Institute, Environment Centres)
Get in touch
For general information about UQ's equipment and infrastructure, contact the Office of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Infrastructure)
(07) 3365 3560
director-infrastructure@research.uq.edu.au