James Vaughan

Source: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2189 Parent: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/346

Professor

James Vaughan

Positions

Affiliate of Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining : Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining : Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Affiliate of W.H. Bryan Mining and Geology Research Centre : WH Bryan Mining Geology Research Centre : Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Affiliate of Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining : Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining : Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Affiliate of Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre : Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre : Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Professor : School of Chemical Engineering : Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Background

Biography:

Associate Professor James Vaughan is the Chemical Engineering Metallurgy Major Lead and Leader of the Hydrometallurgy Research Group. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering at McGill University followed by Master of Applied Science and PhD degrees in Materials Engineering at The University of British Columbia in Canada. Before joining UQ, James gained industrial metallurgical process research and development experience with Glencore, Barrick and BHP. While at UQ, James served as Director of the University of Queensland Rio Tinto Bauxite & Alumina Technology Centre and has been Lead Chief Investigator of Australian Research Council Linkage and Discovery Projects. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and the Advanced Materials and Batteries Council (AMBC).

Research:

James' research focuses on the fundamental aspects of leaching, ion exchange and precipitation reactions as well as membrane separations. These projects are of interest to the base metals, precious metals and alumina refining industries as well as in the fabrication of value added materials such as lithium ion battery cathode precursors and zeolites.

Current Projects:

Extracting Queensland's rare earth elements sustainably (Queensland Department of Resources)
Copper process innovations (UniQuest)
New approach for producing zeolites from clay or mine tailings (Zeotech)
Inorganic membrane percrystallisation in hydrometallurgy (ARC Discovery)
Improving pressure oxidation for refractory gold (Newmont)
Effects of solution impurities on gold leaching (Newmont and BHP ARC Linkage)
Recycling vanadium catalyst (QEM Critical Minerals Trailblazer)
Purification of battery metal solution (Lanxess Critical Minerals Trailblazer)
Recycling batteries (V Resource)

Teaching and Learning:

Hydrometallurgy and Electrometallurgy (METL6204)
Metal Production and Recycling (METL2201)

Availability

Professor James Vaughan is: : Not available for supervision : Media expert

Fields of research

Chemical Sciences Engineering Resources engineering and extractive metallurgy

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy, The University of British Columbia

Research interests

Hydrometallurgy

leaching, precipitation, crystallisation, ion exchange, membranes, electrowinning

Research impacts

My research in hydrometallurgy is used for process development and improvements. Examples of contributions are as follows:

Selective acid leach process for refining mixed Ni-Co hydroxide precipitate licensed to Pure Battery Technologies
Low cost zeolite production technology licensed to Zeotech
New approaches for bauxite impurity management in the production of alumina
A hydrometallurgical route for recovering Ni and K from agromined bio-ore
The synergistic copper process

Slag to product: unlocking titanium-bearing slag value via selective leaching of amorphous titanium phase

Cheng, Shaokai, Vaughan, James, Wang, Guoxiong, Ma, Xiaodong, Lyu, Xueming and Peng, Hong (2026). Slag to product: unlocking titanium-bearing slag value via selective leaching of amorphous titanium phase. Minerals Engineering, 235 (Part 1) 109846, 109846. doi: 10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109846

Slag to product: unlocking titanium-bearing slag value via selective leaching of amorphous titanium phase

2026

Journal Article

The suitability of fermenter liquor from MSW as an electron donor for hypersaline sulfate reduction

Patel, M., Peces, M., Villa-Gomez, D., Pikaar, I., Vaughan, J. and Clarke, W.P. (2026). The suitability of fermenter liquor from MSW as an electron donor for hypersaline sulfate reduction. Waste Management, 211 115292, 115292. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2025.115292

The suitability of fermenter liquor from MSW as an electron donor for hypersaline sulfate reduction

2025

Journal Article

CO2-induced pH control reduces cathode scaling and enhances electrochemical acid recovery from nickel laterite waste solution

Ibrahim, Mohamed H., Batstone, Damien, Vaughan, James and Steel, Karen (2025). CO2-induced pH control reduces cathode scaling and enhances electrochemical acid recovery from nickel laterite waste solution. Separation and Purification Technology, 379 135075, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.seppur.2025.135075

CO2-induced pH control reduces cathode scaling and enhances electrochemical acid recovery from nickel laterite waste solution

2025

Journal Article

Relationship between maltose-based carbon membrane porosity, solution flux and the ability to perform continuous percrystallisation process

Abd Jalil, Siti Nurehan, Motuzas, Julius and Vaughan, James (2025). Relationship between maltose-based carbon membrane porosity, solution flux and the ability to perform continuous percrystallisation process. Separation and Purification Technology, 378 (Part 2) 134641, 134641-378. doi: 10.1016/j.seppur.2025.134641

Relationship between maltose-based carbon membrane porosity, solution flux and the ability to perform continuous percrystallisation process

2025

Journal Article

Low-cost lanthanides and metalloid removal: Implications on arsenic mobility and bioaccessibility

Gontijo, Vitor L., Ciminelli, Virginia S.T., Sultana, Ummul, Souza, Taiane G.F. and Vaughan, James (2025). Low-cost lanthanides and metalloid removal: Implications on arsenic mobility and bioaccessibility. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 13 (6) 119721, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jece.2025.119721

Low-cost lanthanides and metalloid removal: Implications on arsenic mobility and bioaccessibility

2025

Journal Article

Anion effect on zeolite X synthesis and its phase transformation

Darinchuluun, Tseveenkhuu, Peng, Hong, Vaughan, James and Vogrin, John (2025). Anion effect on zeolite X synthesis and its phase transformation. Minerals Engineering, 228 109343, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109343

Anion effect on zeolite X synthesis and its phase transformation

2025

Journal Article

Revolutionising gold dissolution via chloride-triggered inorganic radicals from peroxymonosulfate

Lee, Richard Li Jie, Vaughan, James, Oh, Wen-Da and Peng, Yongjun (2025). Revolutionising gold dissolution via chloride-triggered inorganic radicals from peroxymonosulfate. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print), 1-15. doi: 10.1080/08827508.2025.2536244

Revolutionising gold dissolution via chloride-triggered inorganic radicals from peroxymonosulfate

2025

Journal Article

Understanding sulfate transport phenomena during electrochemical acid recovery from waste MgSO4: a modelling approach

Ibrahim, Mohamed H., Batstone, Damien J., Vaughan, James and Steel, Karen (2025). Understanding sulfate transport phenomena during electrochemical acid recovery from waste MgSO4: a modelling approach. Separation and Purification Technology, 360 (Part 1) 130988, 130988. doi: 10.1016/j.seppur.2024.130988

Understanding sulfate transport phenomena during electrochemical acid recovery from waste MgSO4: a modelling approach

2025

Journal Article

Advances in the integrated recovery of valuable components from titanium-bearing blast furnace slag: a review

Cheng, Shaokai, Li, Wenbo, Vaughan, James, Ma, Xiaodong, Chan, Junxiang, Wu, Xuankun, Han, Yuexin and Peng, Hong (2025). Advances in the integrated recovery of valuable components from titanium-bearing blast furnace slag: a review. Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 44 e01384, e01384-44. doi: 10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01384

Advances in the integrated recovery of valuable components from titanium-bearing blast furnace slag: a review

2025

Journal Article

Membrane percrystallization for production of lithium salt and basic compounds

Deng, Yiquan, Howes, Tony and Vaughan, James (2025). Membrane percrystallization for production of lithium salt and basic compounds. JOM, 77 (11), 8272-8284. doi: 10.1007/s11837-025-07464-2

Membrane percrystallization for production of lithium salt and basic compounds

2025

Conference Publication

Metal Recovery from Waste Using Bayer Process Desilication Products

Peng, Hong, Vaughan, James and Kim, Tae Young (2025). Metal Recovery from Waste Using Bayer Process Desilication Products. TMS 2025 Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Las Vegas, NV United States, 23–27 March 2025. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-80676-6_8

Metal Recovery from Waste Using Bayer Process Desilication Products

2025

Other Outputs

Lithium salt preparation and crystallisation process

Motuzas, Julius, Deng, Yiquan and Vaughan, James (2025). Lithium salt preparation and crystallisation process. PAT-02527-AU-01.

Lithium salt preparation and crystallisation process

2025

Other Outputs

Recovery of rare earth elements

Gontijo, Vitor Loureiro and Vaughan, James (2025). Recovery of rare earth elements.

Recovery of rare earth elements

2025

Conference Publication

Unconventional cobalt

Chen, Jeff, Sultana, Ummul, Fittock, John and Vaughan, James (2025). Unconventional cobalt. 6th International Symposium on Nickel and Cobalt, Phoenix, AZ, United States, 16-20 November 2025. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland. doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-00167-2_2

Unconventional cobalt

2025

Conference Publication

Precipitation and calcination of Co and Ni niobates: a path to scalable lithium-ion battery materials

Silva, Gabriela Cordeiro, Leblon, Bruno Vinícius Diniz, de Alvarenga, Gabriel Túlio Mendes, Nazareth, Liliani Pacheco Tavares, Santos, André Luiz Alvarenga, Vaughan, James and Rocha, Sônia Denise Ferreira (2025). Precipitation and calcination of Co and Ni niobates: a path to scalable lithium-ion battery materials. 6th International Symposium on Nickel and Cobalt, Phoenix, AZ, United States, 16-20 November 2025. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland. doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-00167-2_5

Precipitation and calcination of Co and Ni niobates: a path to scalable lithium-ion battery materials

2024

Journal Article

Incorporation of composite metal-PVP derived carbon membranes for the percrystallisation of salt water

Abd Jalil, Siti Nurehan, Chen, Yongqi, McConnachie, Mark, Vaughan, James and Motuzas, Julius (2024). Incorporation of composite metal-PVP derived carbon membranes for the percrystallisation of salt water. Desalination, 591 117878, 117878. doi: 10.1016/j.desal.2024.117878

Incorporation of composite metal-PVP derived carbon membranes for the percrystallisation of salt water

2024

Conference Publication

Lanthanide Arsenate Chemical Thermodynamics

Gontijo, Vitor L., Ciminelli, Virginia S. T., Rocha, Sônia D. F. and Vaughan, James W. (2024). Lanthanide Arsenate Chemical Thermodynamics. 63rd Conference of Metallurgists, COM 2024, Nova Scotia, Canada, 19 - 22 August 2024. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-67398-6_35

Lanthanide Arsenate Chemical Thermodynamics

2024

Conference Publication

Lanthanide arsenate chemical thermodynamics

Gontijo, Vitor L., Ciminelli, Virginia S. T., Rocha, Sonia D. F. and Vaughan, James W. (2024). Lanthanide arsenate chemical thermodynamics. 63rd Conference of Metallurgists, COM 2024, Halifax, Canada, 19-22 August 2024. Westmount, Canada: Metallurgy and Materials Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), Westmount, Canada. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-67398-6

Lanthanide arsenate chemical thermodynamics

2024

Journal Article

Review on developments in technologies for critical metal recovery from mining and processing wastes

Villa Gomez, Denys, Whitworth, Anne J., Vaughan, James, Sultana, Ummul, Ledezma, Pablo and Parbhakar-Fox, Anita (2024). Review on developments in technologies for critical metal recovery from mining and processing wastes. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print), 1-20. doi: 10.1080/08827508.2024.2408015

Review on developments in technologies for critical metal recovery from mining and processing wastes

2024

Conference Publication

Mary Kathleen tailings derived rare earth concentrate via double salt precipitation and caustic conversion

Vaughan, J., Guan, Y., Loureiro Gontijo, V. L. and Sultana, U. (2024). Mary Kathleen tailings derived rare earth concentrate via double salt precipitation and caustic conversion. Southern African Rare Earths 2nd International Symposium 2024, Swakopmund, Namibia, 19-20 June 2024. Johannesburg, South Africa: Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Mary Kathleen tailings derived rare earth concentrate via double salt precipitation and caustic conversion

Current funding

2025 - 2026

Scaling up percrystallisation technology for advanced manufacturing of metal compounds and zero-liquid discharge applications

Australia's Economic Accelerator Ignite Grants

Open grant - 2023 - 2026

Mitigating the negative effects of process water on recovering gold

ARC Linkage Projects

Open grant - 2022 - 2028

Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer (Trailblazer University Program administered by Curtin University)

Curtin University

Open grant

Past funding

2023 - 2024

Battery Metal Solution Purification

Lanxess Pty Ltd

Open grant - 2023 - 2024

Vanadium Catalyst Recycling (RTCM Trailblazer project administered by Curtin University)

Curtin University

Open grant - 2023 - 2024

Sodium sulfate solution purification

V Resource Pty Ltd

Open grant - 2023

Desilication product seed preparation - stage 1

Technological Resources Pty Limited

Open grant - 2023

Lime reduction during pressure oxidation of gold-bearing sulphides

NewCrest Mining Limited

Open grant - 2022 - 2023

Controlling iron precipitation during pressure oxidation of gold-bearing sulphides

NewCrest Mining Limited

Open grant - 2022 - 2025

Metal extraction pilot study

Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy

Open grant - 2022 - 2025

Fingerprinting environmentally sustainable ores using neodymium isotopes

Queensland Department of Resources

Open grant - 2022 - 2024

Expanding Queensland's Rare Earth Element opportunities - defining and extracting new REE resources

Queensland Department of Resources

Open grant - 2021 - 2022

Review of arsenic treatment technologies

MMG Australia Limited

Open grant - 2020 - 2021

Stage 1 - Beneficial reuse option for coal combustion products (Proof of Concept)

Stanwell Corporation Ltd

Open grant - 2020

Evaluation of residue for zeolite production

UniQuest Pty Ltd

Open grant - 2020 - 2022

Production of synthetic zeolites

UniQuest Pty Ltd

Open grant - 2020 - 2024

Extracting Queensland's Rare Earth Elements Sustainably

Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy

Open grant - 2020 - 2021

Value-added cobalt refining technologies powering advanced batteries (CRC-P administered by Pure Battery Technologies Pty Ltd)

Pure Battery Technologies

Open grant - 2019 - 2023

Inorganic membrane percrystallisation in hydrometallurgy

ARC Discovery Projects

Open grant - 2018 - 2020

Improved processing of nickel and cobalt

UniQuest Pty Ltd

Open grant - 2018 - 2019

Advanced micro-X-ray Fluorescence facility for biological, medical, materials science and geochemistry

UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure

Open grant - 2017 - 2020

Desilication product characterisation and chemical thermodynamic solubility model.

Alumina Quality Workshop (Inc)

Open grant - 2015 - 2019

Chemically modified bayer process desilication

Rio Tinto Alcan

Open grant - 2015 - 2016

Bauxite residue particle-particle separations

Rio Tinto Alcan

Open grant - 2015 - 2019

Bayer process sinter-leach

Rio Tinto Alcan

Open grant - 2015 - 2019

Influence of pressure oxidation autoclave conditions on gold recovery

NewCrest Mining Limited

Open grant - 2015 - 2019

Nucleation and growth of Bayer process desilication products

Rio Tinto Alcan

Open grant - 2015 - 2020

The Australian Copper-Uranium Transformation Research Hub (ARC Research Hub administered by the University of Adelaide)

University of Adelaide

Open grant - 2015 - 2017

Stabilisation of mercury during bauxite digestion

Rio Tinto Alcan

Open grant - 2014 - 2016

Silicate Management in the Bayer Process - Project under the UQ RTA Bauxite and Alumina Technology Centre

Rio Tinto Alcan

Open grant - 2014 - 2017

Engineered Inorganic Membranes for Novel Mineral Brine Processing

ARC Discovery Projects

Open grant - 2014

Precious metals recovery from electronic waste using sequential leaching

UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund - Seed Research Grant

Open grant - 2013 - 2015

Sodium oxalate management by crystal growth modification

Rio Tinto Alcan

Open grant - 2012 - 2013

Improving Gold and Silver recovery at Hidden Valley by Optimising Leaching and Carbon Absorption Circuit Performance

UniQuest Pty Ltd

Open grant - 2011 - 2012

Chemical thermodynamics of metal chloro-complexes in concentrated systems and their application in hydrometallurgy

The Parker CRC for Integrated Hydrometallurgy Solutions

Open grant - 2011

The fundamentals of impurity rejection during and post-leaching of nickel from saline streams and alternative resin elution strategies

The Parker CRC for Integrated Hydrometallurgy Solutions

Open grant - 2011 - 2014

A novel low-energy process route for primary copper production utilising synergistic hydro- and pyrometallurgical processes.

ARC Linkage Projects

Open grant - 2011 - 2012

A novel and efficient process for separating and producing nickel metal from mixed metal hydroxide precipitates

UQ Early Career Researcher

Open grant - 2010 - 2012

Maximising Alumina in Iron Blast Furnace Slags - the key to increasing iron ore exports, expanding geopolymer markets and global greenhouse gas reductions

UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund

Open grant - 2009 - 2010

Nanofiltration of aqueous solutions - separating acid from dissolved metals

UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund

Open grant - 2009 - 2010

Nanofiltration recovery of acid during aqueous processing of metals

UQ FirstLink Scheme

Open grant