PhD student in Mining Waste Facility and Life Cycle Assessment.

Are you passionate about sustainable solutions in the mining sector? Join us to explore how we can develop and assess processing techniques for Mining Waste Facilities (MWFs) that can unlock the potential of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). Mining Waste Facilities (MWFs) represent vast, low-grade, and complex waste deposits. These sites are increasingly recognized as a significant source of CRMs, such as Rare-Earth Elements (REE) found in Apatite. This PhD project aims to fast-track the development of both technical and environmental solutions, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), for MWFs across Europe. Project description: The research position is within European Horizon Project: Sustainable & CIrcular Production of MINeral Critical Raw Materials (SCIMIN-CRM). The project aims to enhance access to primary and secondary raw materials in Europe by leveraging MWFs' untapped potential. The scope of the project is to develop or adopt processes for the recovery of critical and non-critical raw material from active and abandoned MWFs, developing a standardized & transferable methodology to help assess the technological and environmental feasibility of reprocessing them. The PhD student is responsible for connecting the technical solutions for the recovery CRMs from MWFs to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) models with experimental work at different MWFs. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate and work with a multi-disciplinary and international group of researchers and companies to deliver valuable systems solutions for the future development of MWF extractions and processing. You will also be involved with the development of the SCIMIN Digital Platform, consisting of decision-making support & knowledge sharing tools. You will work closely with other PhD students and senior scientists within the Chalmers Rock Processing Systems group as well as other researchers within the SCIMIN project (Grangex - Sweden, SGS - Portugal, Advanced Minerals Processing – Spain and Montanuniversitaet Leoben - Austria) and other international collaborations. Major responsibilities • Technical Development: Conduct site surveys, material processing, and testing. • Environmental Solutions: Apply LCA to evaluate the environmental impacts of processing MWFs. • Collaboration: Work closely with other group members and external partners to deliver innovative solutions. • Communication: Present and publish scientific results in English, both orally and in writing. • Doctoral Program: Undertake courses, participate in seminars, conferences, and research-related teaching (about 20% of the position). Read more about doctoral studies at Chalmers here. Qualifications • A master’s degree in engineering (e.g., mechanical, chemistry, mining & minerals processing, mathematics, or related fields). • Strong interest in technology and sustainability. • Familiarity with the industrial sector and programming languages. • Fluency in English (both spoken and written); Swedish proficiency is a merit (Chalmers offers Swedish courses). • An excellent academic track record, motivation, and commitment to scientific research. • A valid drivers license is beneficial. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research in sustainable mining while gaining expertise in both technical and environmental fields. Contract terms Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years. We offer Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg.  Read more about working at Chalmers and our benefits for employees. Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers. Application procedure The application should be marked with reference number 20240573 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically and be attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files. CV: (Please name the document: CV, Family name, reference number) • CV • Other, for example previous employments or leadership qualifications and positions of trust. • Two references that we can contact. Personal letter: (Please name the document as: Personal letter, Family name, ref.number) 1-3 pages where you: • Introduce yourself • Describe your previous experience of relevance for the position (e.g. education, thesis work and, if applicable, any other research activities) • Describe your future goals and future research focus Other documents: • Copies of bachelor and/or master’s thesis. • Attested copies and transcripts of completed education, grades and other certificates, e.g. TOEFL test results. Use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form.  Please note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered. Application deadline: 2024-11-22 The position will remain open until filled. The expected starting date is January 2025. For questions, please contact: Gauti Asbjörnsson, Associate Professor gauti@chalmers.se +46 72 9819993    Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg conducts research and education in technology and natural sciences at a high international level. The university has 3100 employees and 10,000 students, and offers education in engineering, science, shipping and architecture. With scientific excellence as a basis, Chalmers promotes knowledge and technical solutions for a sustainable world. Through global commitment and entrepreneurship, we foster an innovative spirit, in close collaboration with wider society. Chalmers was founded in 1829 and has the same motto today as it did then: Avancez – forward.