PhD Studentship: Selective recovery of green technology metals from acid mine drainage, NERC GW4+ DTP PhD studentship for September 2025 Entry Ref 5418

About the Partnership

This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP).  The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the University of Exeter plus five Research Organisation partners:  British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology,  the Natural History Museum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory.  The partnership aims to provide a broad training in earth and environmental sciences, designed to train tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science. For further details about the programme please see http://nercgw4plus.ac.uk/ 

Project details

For information relating to the research project please contact the lead Supervisor via R.Crane@exeter.ac.uk

Project Aims and Methods

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is amongst the most problematic issues currently facing the mining industry and yet also poses a significant opportunity for the recovery of green technology metals which are reliant upon to tackle the Climate Emergency. A fundamental issue, however, holding back this opportunity is the fact that AMD contains a wide variety of metals which readily precipitate to form a mixed phase (and often environmentally toxic) ochre product which is difficult to subsequently treat to extract target metals. This PhD project will explore new horizons in the geochemical, electrochemical and/or hydrometallurgy manipulation of this step – to selectively recover key target metals. The candidate will be hosted at the Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter, benefiting from state-of-the-art analytical facilities and local field sites, but also from collaborations with the University of Bristol (project design and unique analytical capability) and the Coal Authority (site access, project design and industrial synergy).  

Project partners

The Coal Authority will provide in-kind support which will include attendance at regular attendance at regular project steering meetings, sharing existing water quality data held by the Environment Agency and the Coal Authority, technical support for co-development of the project to ensure maximum alignment with Coal Authority and Environment Agency strategic aims and for new policy development. Financial support for a 3 month placement at the Wheal Jane water treatment facility for the PhD student to conduct on-site upscaled experiments to support the aims of their project.  

Training

The DTP offers funding to undertake specialist training relating to the student’s specialist area of research. 

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