Studying online
There are now 2 possible online modes for units:
Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.
Click on an offering mode for more details.
Unit Overview
- Description
The minerals industry is of utmost importance to the Australian economy and a major employer of engineers from all disciplines. The overarching aim of this unit is to develop students' understanding of the various key steps and technologies required to achieve critical mineral processing and metal production. Topics cover the dominant technologies and operations in mineral processing and extractive metallurgy, including classification, comminution, separation, flotation, sintering, pelletising, pyrometallurgy, and hydrometallurgy. The application and operation of these technologies will be discussed through the lens of major W.A. mineral industries such as iron ore, lithium, and nickel production. Future developments in minerals processing such as decarbonisation, process intensification, and used product recycling will be covered along with their impact on the overall processing route.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
(see Timetable) Availability Location Mode Semester 1 UWA (Perth) Face to face - Details for undergraduate courses
- Level 4 option in the Chemical Engineering major sequence
- Outcomes
Students are able to (1) evaluate the typical unit operations in mineral processing and extractive metallurgy related to their associated efficiency, energy consumption, and emissions; (2) create and analyse strategies for the decarbonisation of the current dominant mineral processing units; (3) analyse methods for the recycling and recovering the valuable metals from used waste streams; (4) evaluate and justify the selection of process routes for a given ore deposit or source material with awareness of its economic, environmental and social impacts; and (5) create appropriate professional technical reports and presentations.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) technical report; (2) oral presentation; and (3) final examination. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Dr Yiran Liu
- Unit rules
- Contact hours
- Weekly 3-hour Workshop
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.