Course coordinator
Associate Professor James Vaughan
Consultation available upon request, email james.vaughan@uq.edu.au.
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Chemical Engineering School
Chemistry & process engineering of solvent extraction & ion exchange for the concentration & purification of aqueous solutions. Fundamental aspects of electrometallurgy & its applications. Cementation & precipitation processes.
The aim of the course is to provide advanced training in hydrometallurgy and electrometallurgy building on knowledge gained in earlier courses such as Process Principles, Reaction Engineering and Chemical Thermodynamics, for example.
The three key foci of the course are:
(i) develop a sound understanding of the science and engineering principles that underpin hydrometallurgical and electrometallurgical processes,
(ii) learn about process technologies and engineering, economic, safety or sustainability criteria for specific unit operations as well as overall process flowsheets, and,
(iii) apply this knowledge to the selection, design or optimisation of the processes.
The learning activities will include lectures, tutorials, workshops and group projects involving hands-on experiments in hydrometallurgy and electrometallurgy. The course is designed to develop the student's skills in transferring process principles to practical applications by taking on operation and design challenges. A combination of learning activities are involved in addressing each of the challenges and communicating findings and recommendations through group technical reports. Individual competencies are assessed through a series of online quizzes and a final exam.
The course will cover the processes from fundamental, engineering and high-level process analysis perspectives. The specific unit operations considered are leaching, precipitation/crystallisation, solid-liquid separation, solvent extraction/ion exchange/adsorption as well as electrowinning and electrorefining of metals.
Course requirements
Assumed background
It is assumed that the students taking METL6204 (Hydrometallurgy and Electrometallurgy) have a sound grasp of the engineering principles and theoretical concepts covered in courses in the first three years of chemical engineering, for example Process Mass and Energy Balancing, Chemical Kinetics, Chemical Equilibrium, Experimental Investigation. It is recommended (but not mandatory) that the students have taken the course METL2201 where Hydrometallurgy is introduced in the context Metal Production and Recycling.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
(CHEE2030 or CHEE3003) CHEE3005 to be completed prior to or concurrently this course
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
METL2201 or MINE2201
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
MINE4204
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Ummul Sultana
Tutor
Ms Tseveenkhuu Darinchuluun
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
Hydrometallurgy and Electrometallurgy are important methods used in the concentration and purification of metals and metal compounds from metal bearing materials such as ore, mineral concentrates or industrial and post-consumer waste. Major Australian commodities produced using these methods include alumina, aluminium, copper, nickel, gold, zinc, lithium, cobalt and neodynium, for example. The aim of the course is to provide advanced undergraduate training in hydrometallurgy and electrometallurgy ﾠthrough learning activities that include lectures, tutorials, individual and group projects involving hands on experiments. The student will learn some advanced concepts associated with the fundamental aspects underpinning the process as well as principles of engineering the unit operation and perspectives on overall process flowsheets covering many examples from current industry practice.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Describe fundamental chemical, thermodynamic and kinetic principles underpinning the unit operations of aqueous solution processing.
LO2.
Describe the important economic, environmental and safety considerations of hydrometallurgical processes and unit operations.
LO3.
Describe how hydrometallurgical processes unit operations fit within extractive metallurgy operations and interface with mineral processing and pyrometallurgy.
LO4.
Identify appropriate scientific, engineering, economic and environmental relationships and competently calculate relevant parameters.
LO5.
Contribute to a team project to take on a challenge in hydrometallurgy or electrometallurgy and report on the project outcomes.
LO6.
Integrate process knowledge and specific calculations to make recommendations on how to improve hydrometallurgical processes.
LO7.
Effectively communicate technical background, analysis and recommendations via conversation, and technical reports.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz |
Series of Online Quizzes
|
20% 4 online quizzes, each worth 5% | |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Group Reports 1 and 2 | 40% |
15/04/2025 - 27/05/2025
14:00 |
| Examination |
Exam During Exam Period (Central)
|
40% Hurdle |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Series of Online Quizzes
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 20% 4 online quizzes, each worth 5%
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Online multiple choice questionnaires to be completed via blackboard during the scheduled workshop time. The quiz will become available at 2:05 PM on Friday and the quiz is to be completed and submitted by 2:50 PM (45 minutes). Individual assessment / open book / non-invigilated.
Each quiz weighs 5%.
Reading: 5 minutes
Duration: 40 minutes
Format: Multiple-choice
Quiz 1 - Week 3
Quiz 2 - Week 5
Quiz 3 - Week 9
Quiz 4 - Week 13
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Via Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
A 7-day extension period is set to correct and turn around feedback to the students in a timely manner.
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessments must be submitted on or before the due date. Late submissions of assessment items will only be accepted if approval for late submission has been obtained prior to the due date.
Penalties Apply for Late Submission
Refer PPL Assessment Procedure Section 3 Part C (48)
A Student Access Plan (SAP) can only be used for a first extension. Extensions based on an SAP may be granted for up to seven (7) days, or the maximum number of days specified in the Course Instance (CI), if it is less than seven (7) days. Any further extensions will require additional supporting documentation, such as a medical certificate.
Group Reports 1 and 2
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
15/04/2025 - 27/05/2025
14:00
- Learning outcomes
- L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
Group report for project #1 (includes 2% for individual reflection) - Due 15/04/2025, 14:00. Weight: 20%.
Group report for project #2. Final report for the group project. Includes 2% for peer review of group work (Propose a grade distribution for your group team members for the project work throughout the course and justify the allocation of the grade distribution.) - Due 27/05/2024, 14:00. Weight: 20%.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Via Turnitin on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessments must be submitted on or before the due date. Late submissions of assessment items will only be accepted if approval for late submission has been obtained prior to the due date.
Penalties Apply for Late Submission
Refer PPL Assessment Procedure Section 3 Part C (48)
A Student Access Plan (SAP) can only be used for a first extension. Extensions based on an SAP may be granted for up to seven (7) days, or the maximum number of days specified in the Course Instance (CI), if it is less than seven (7) days. Any further extensions will require additional supporting documentation, such as a medical certificate.
Exam During Exam Period (Central)
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 40% Hurdle
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L06
Task description
Closed book exam: On campus invigilated.
Format: Short answer, Problem solving.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
A mark greater than 40% must be achieved in the final exam to obtain an overall grade of 4 and a mark greater than 50% must be achieved in the final exam to obtain an overall grade of 5 or more.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (<30%) Fail (Serious): Serious deficiencies in quality of performance in relation to learning objectives. Fails to satisfy most or all of the basic requirements of the course. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (30-44%) The student fails to demonstrate any relevant knowledge or understanding of the underlying concepts. Much of the information provided is inaccurate and irrelevant. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: (45-49% AND/OR final exam <40%) Fail: Falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (50%-64% AND final exam >40%) The student demonstrates a sound knowledge of the relevant information and at least a partial understanding of the underlying concepts. Has some correct and some incorrect information. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (65-74% AND final exam >50%) The student demonstrates a sound knowledge of the relevant information and a sound understanding of the key concepts. There are only minor factual inaccuracies. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (75-84% AND final exam >50%) Key concepts are understood. There are only very minor factual inaccuracies and no irrelevant information. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: (>85% AND final exam >50%) Key concepts are understood. There is evidence of critical analysis and an ability to synthesise information from different aspects of the subject. There are no factual inaccuracies and no irrelevant information. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Students should carefully read the project details, scope, and criteria set out in the project briefs. These briefs will be posted on Blackboard at the commencement of semester.
Only University approved and labelled calculators can be used in all quizzes or exams for this course. Please consult ﾠhttps://my.uq.edu.au/services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/sitting-exam/approved-calculators for information about approved calculators and obtaining a label for non-approved calculators.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Additional learning resources will be provided throughout the course and made available via blackboard.
AusIMM Cost estimation handbook
Monograph, 2012, 2nd ed.
(Call Number: TN272 .C68 2013, Engin & Sciences - High Use Area)
Bard A., R. Parsons, J. Jordan, Standard Potentials in Aqueous Solution (1985).
UQ Library: QD571 .S74 1985
Burkin, A.R., 1966. The Chemistry of Hydrometallurgical Processes, Spon, London. (Call Number:TN688 .B8 1966)
Burkin, A.R., Chemical Hydrometallurgy: theory and principles, (Call Number:TN688.B87 2001)
Burkin, A.R., Leaching and Reduction in Hydrometallurgy, (Call Number:TN688.L4 1975)
Burkin, A.R., Production of Aluminium and Alumina, (Call Number:TN775.P63 1987)
Davenport, WG, King, M, Schlesinger, M & Biswas, AK 2002, Extractive metallurgy of copper, Pergamon Pr.
Free, M.L. Hydrometallurgy: fundamentals and applications, TMS-Wiley, 2013 (UofQ Library Online Ebook)
Habashi, F., A Textbook of Hydrometallurgy, (Call Number:TN688.H33 1993)
Hayes, P.C., 2003. Process Principles in Minerals and Materials Production , 3rd edition, Hayes Publishing, Sherwood, Qld 4075. (Call Number: TN673 .H38 1993)
Available also from the author.
Rankin, W,.J. Mawby, Sir M, Woodcock, J. T.
Australasian mining and metallurgical operating practices: the Sir Maurice Mawby memorial volume
Monograph series, 2013, 3rd edition. Volumes 1 & 2
(Call Number: TN155 .M5 2013 v.1 & v.2, Engin & Sciences - High Use Area)
Sinclair, RJ 2005, The extractive metallurgy of zinc, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Hydrometallurgy (Journal) UQ Library TN688 .H9
http://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/hydrometallurgy
Zemaitis J., D. Clark, R. Marshall, N. Scrivner, Handbook of Aqueous Electrolyte Thermodynamics (1986).
UQ Library: QD565 .H26 1986
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Not scheduled |
Workshop |
Workshops Related to the Group Projects Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Multiple weeks |
Lecture |
Lectures Lecture slides and recordings will be posted on blackboard along with other supporting materials or videos. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorials The tutorial sessions are to practice calculations and interpretation of diagrams covered in the lectures which build skills in analysis and decision making in hydrometallurgical and electrometallurgical processes. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Practical |
Practicals Related to the Group Projects Groups will be established to take on two projects each involving a hands-on practical. The project outcomes will be written up in the form of reports. Associated reflections on group performance and peer assessments and mentor meetings will support these activities. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course:
- Safety Induction for Practicals
Course guidelines
Anyone undertaking courses with a practical component must complete the UQ Undergraduate Student Laboratory Safety Induction and pass the associated assessment.
Specific instructions, usage guidelines and rules for each of the undergraduate laboratories will be delivered as part of each course.
In some cases, students may be required to attend a specific face-to-face laboratory induction/training session.