Post-Doc position at the University of Lorraine (France)
GeoRessources Laboratory
Title: Processing of fine-grained low grade oxides ores by physical separation methods
General requirements:
Candidates should have an outstanding research record in the field of Minerals processing with extensive knowledge in process mineralogy, minerals and/or chemical engineering. The selected candidate will join the “Georessources” research Laboratory, a major international research center with about 60 academics for a total staff about 180 persons developing research programs in all fields of applied geosciences including, mineral processing, minerals engineering, ore genesis, 3D modeling and economic geology.
The research activity will be in the “Minerals Engineering” team on fragmentation techniques and processing of ores. Innovative research on the beneficiation of non-conventional and low-grade resources can be developed. The experiences on the process intensification by coupling with external fields (electric pulses, ultrasonic) will be appreciated.
The candidate will integrate a research group with three senior researchers and 2-3 PhD students and will be involved in experimental research and academic tuition depending on candidate’s curricula.
Description of the project context:
In order to reduce the supply risk of lithium and regain its sovregnety, EU is willing to encourage mining Li from its 27 identified hard-rock deposits. In this context, 15 european partners gathered to build the EXCEED project, “Cost-effective, sustainable and responsible extraction routes for recovering distinct critical metals and industrial minerals as by-products from k@@ey European hardrock lithium projects“, which develops a new mining paradigm, i.e. zero-waste, multi-metal/mineral mining. The project focuses on providing additional critical raw materials (rare-earths, niobium, tantalum, tungsten, beryllium) and industrial minerals (quartz, feldspar and micas), coming from 4 lithium mines in Finland (Keliber), Portugal (Savannah), UK (Imerys) and France (Imerys).
Description and objectives of the proposal
The research object deals with the recovery of metallic by-products of lithium processing from the Rare Metals Granites. The whole project is set in the framework of a geometallurgical study focusing on the link between mineralogical characteristics and process behaviour of the ore. The researcher selected will have to understand the significant variability of rare metal granite and relate this to their genesis to understand how it impacts the modal distribution of elements of interest and consequently their recovery. The candidate will focus with a PhD student on the concentration of fine-grained dense minerals, mainly cassiterite (Sn) and coltan (Nb-Ta), using density separation methods. A focus will be done on the use of an enhanced gravity concentrator (Falcon) on several ore types from the Beauvoir (France) and St Austell (UK) granites. The main objectives are to refine the processing route of metallic oxides from different ore types by taking into account their characteristics, but also their relation with lithium-bearing and gangue minerals to minimize losses of all products. Knowledge in programming and modelling (CFD, finite elements, other is a plus.
Funding: This postdoc position will be supported by the Horizon Europe EXCEED Project
Duration: 24 monts
Provided documents:
- list of publications,
- experience in field, analytical, experimental or modeling approaches
- project in two-three pages summarizing the main trends in research that the candidate would like to develop based on the above mentionned work program ( or on the selected points of proposed program)
Applicants should send via email a Curriculum Vitae, Provided documents and the names and email addresses of two references to: Pr Lev FILIPPOV, lev.filippov@univ-lorraine.fr
Calendar for applying:
- March 5th 2023: Deadline for submitting your application
- March 15: Preliminary review, the candidates will be contacting after being preselected.
- For definitive selection, an audition of the candidate will be arranged either in Nancy or by video-conference
Starting expected from 13 March, 2023 but is depending on the instruction of the application by the administration of the university.
Level of salary: minimum 3500 Euros brut/month depending on the post-doc experience and according to the University’s “working experience/salary” scale after PhD thesis
