2019 - university of cape town

2019

annual report

Department of Chemical Engineering

The triumphs of engineering skill rest on a chemical foundation.

Horace G. Deming

ConTEnTsour Vision 2022 ..................................................................................... 3History of Chemical Engineering ...........................................................4Foreward ...............................................................................................5

DEparTmEnT

The Department ....................................................................................8Facilities and Equipment .......................................................................10safety and risk management ...............................................................11

proGrammEs

undergraduate programme .............................................................. ...13postgraduate programme ................................................................. ...17

rEsEarCH

noteworthy news ........................................................................... .......20academic staff and research Fields .................................................. .30Catalysis Institute (CaT) ........................................................................35Centre for minerals research (Cmr) ................................................. ...36Centre for Bioprocessing Engineering research (CeBEr) .................... 38Crystallisation and precipitation research unit (Cpu) ......................... 40Energy & Industrial systems analysis .....................................................41Future Water: uCT’s Interdisciplinary Water-research Institute .... ........ 42minerals to metals (mtm) ................................................................ ......43Hydrometallurgy (Hydromet) ............................................................ ....44publications .................................................................................... .......46

our vision 2021

3 | our VIsIon

annual rEporT | 2019

sTaFF & sTuDEnTs

ourEnVIronmEnT

our aCHIEVEmEnTs

• Our students are professionals and future leaders.

• Our staff are passionate, committed and caring.

• Our diverse academic staff are respected leaders in their field.

• The Department of Chemical Engineering is a vibrant, exciting, fun place to work.

• There is time for creative and original thinking, innovation and inspiration.

• With our home at the University of Cape Town

– an Afropolitan university – we are a hub for high achieving African and international scholars.

• Our BSc, MSc and phD graduates are independent thinkers.

• Our graduates recognise the needs of society in general and those of south africa in particular.

• The Department focuses on innovation in technology, processes and research.

• We are experts in the transformation of the resource-based economy and in waste and water treatment.

• Our internationally recognised research excellence has helped us to rise to global research challenges that have particular local relevance.

The Chemical Engineering Department is located on the historic Upper Campus of the University of Cape Town, on the southern slopes of Table Mountain’s Devil’s Peak. The campus is adjacent to the Table Mountain National Park, part of the Cape Floral Region, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The first home of the Chemical Engineering Department – constructed in 1969 to house only six academics, 12 postgraduates and an annual intake of 30 undergraduates – was the building that is now called Hoerikwaggo. Despite continuous structural modifications, the increased number of students, coupled with a substantial increase in research activity, meant that we outgrew the building. Thus, in 2004,the Department relocated to the much larger New Chemical Engineering Building, which won an award of merit from the south african Institute of architects for its design.

At the time, the prediction was that the Department’s annual intake would grow by five percent, and that there would be 450 undergraduates and 130 postgraduates in the programme within 10 years (by 2014). In 2013, in response to continued growth in both the undergraduate and the postgraduate programmes, the Department expanded further, and we came to share parts of the New Engineering Building with the Department of Civil Engineering, the Faculty Office and the new Centre for Imaging and analysis.

our undergraduate body has continued to grow to such an extent that most lectures now take place in the new Snape Teaching and learning Facility.

THE HIsTory oF chemical engineering

HIsTory oF CHEmICal EnGInEErInG | 4

The first home of the Chemical Engineering Department (Hoerikwaggo) was built

1969

relocated to the new Chemical Engineering Building award of merit from the south african Institute of architects for its design

2004

The Department expanded. parts of the new Engineering Building were now shared

2013

The start of 2019 heralded a new leadership team comprising prof aubrey mainza (Head of Department), Prof Dave Deglon (Deputy Head of Department), A/Professor Adeniyi Isafiade (Director of Postgraduate studies) and Dr siew Tai (Director of undergraduate studies). The transition period to the new team went smoothly, allowing the department to focus on research, teaching, and the social responsibility aspects of academic engagement. Throughout the year, the research outputs for the department were steady, despite the economic downturn which affected research and research funding witnessed in most academic and research institutions worldwide. In a deliberate effort to improve the staff to student ratio in the department, retired engineers with vast experience in the technical areas that include design were engaged to teach in the fourth year design course and young enthusiastic people with an interest in taking up careers in academia were recruited to participate in the undergraduate teaching program. This goal was aided by the partnership with the Minerals Qualification Authority project aimed at training academics to teach in minerals related programs across the country by the addition of three lecturers to that program, bringing the number of lecturers hosted by the department under the programme to five. These lecturers are Dr Elaine Govender-Opitz and Mr Muven Naidoo, who were joined in 2019 by Dr Sherry Bremner, Ms Catherine Edward and Ms resoketswe manenzhe.

In the last few years, the total number of students in our programmes has stabilised to a total close to 700. The department has 692 students comprising 174 postgraduates and 516 undergraduates. The postgraduate students comprised, 74 for PhD, 94 for MSc, and 6 registered for mphil studies in 2019. The department celebrated 126 graduates this year. This number was composed of 14 PhDs, 14 MScs, 3 MPhils and 95 BScs in Chemical Engineering. There were 96 new first year students registered in 2019, which is slightly lower than the number enrolled in 2018. To avoid seeing a further decline in first year numbers, the department started working on several intervention initiatives aimed at attracting more students to the chemical engineering discipline. These included setting up a marketing committee responsible for disseminating current news involving students and staff in the department using various platforms such as Instagram and Facebook as well as sending personalised letters to the applicants containing recent developments in the discipline. The uCT Chemical Engineering website was also updated.

The year 2019 was an exciting year for the department with regards to staff movements and staff recognition within the University. Professor Sue Harrison was appointed to the position of Deputy Vice Chancellor responsible for research and Internationalisation, recognising her remarkable contribution to research and the respect she is accorded internationally as a scholar. prof alison lewis was awarded an extension to serve for the second term as the

Dean of Engineering and Built Environment. professor patricia Kooyman was one of the recipients of the Vice-Chancellor’s meritorious womxn award. The womxn award is given to women researchers who make space for more women’s voices to be heard – both for their own advancement and for the advancement of others. The department was also proud to have one of the alumni, Dr George Belfort, who graduated with a chemical engineering degree in 1963, receive an Honorary Doctorate for his contributions in bio-separations engineering and in liquid-phase pressure-driven membrane-based processes at the graduation ceremony held in December 2019.

A number of our students also received exciting accolades. Our final year undergraduate student namhla Juqu was part of the 3-person team that developed the 4IR Mobile Clinic which scooped the first prize in the Ideation category at the pitch finals held at UCT on 9 May. The other team members were Tlotliso Jonas (mechanical and Mechatronics), and Evans Tjabadi (Electrical Engineering). There were also nineteen undergraduate students from the department who participated in a pilot project which was run in partnership with Engineers Without Boarders south africa. The students spent their winter vacation gathering, sifting and digitally capturing critical water and sanitation infrastructure data for the water stressed amathole District municipality in the Eastern Cape. mr Mpumelelo Mhlongo, a PhD candidate, was

5 | ForEWarD

ForEWarD


proFEssor auBrEy maInzaHEaD oF DEparTmEnT

named the uCT sportsperson of the year for the fifth consecutive year – something the department views as a remarkable achievement.

The Department has continued to grow steadily and remains attractive to international collaborators due to the high-quality research and progressive teaching initiatives. There have been some notable research programs initiated over the course of 2019. The contributions of the department in resource management, particularly in the minerals sector, led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the University of Cape Town and the French Geological survey (BRGM), dedicated to the sustainable management of natural resources. This agreement will promote scientific cooperation in the broad research areas of mineral resources and environmental management. Prof Sue Harrison was instrumental in finalising this agreement. A/Prof Nico Fischer was awarded funding by the newton Fund for a project aimed at building a community of users of the international synchrotron & neutron facilities and increasing the quality and impact of african research outputs. Dr Mehdi Safari, a postdoc in the department, received a Royal Academy of Engineering award for a project titled CAPE Partnership. This is a partnership between the Centre for minerals research and the school of Chemical and process Engineering (CapE) at the University of Leeds. Professor Aubrey Mainza was elected to serve as chairperson for the Global Comminution Collaborative, a collaborative research team that brings together expertise from around the world to address industry challenges and to foster advancement in comminution research.

Prof Alison Lewis received an award in recognition of her work in training, nurturing and mentoring of students in new research methods for the recovery of valuable metals, water and minerals using Crystallisation and precipitation principles. In addition, Prof Lewis and Prof Eric van steen were nominated for the 21st nsTF-south32 awards in the Engineering research Capacity Development category. Dr Takunda Chitaka was a recipient of the first Excellence in Academia PETCO Award. The award recognises the importance of peer-reviewed research underpinning

strategic interventions into recycling, waste minimisation and sustainability. ms Chelsea Tucker, a PhD candidate, was one of seven researchers who were recognised by the l’oréal-unEsCo for Women in science south African National Programme for her excellent contributions to science. ms resoketswe Manenzhe won the first prize in the short story category at the recent Writivism Festival in Kampala, Uganda. Ms Nicole Uys, a PhD candidate, was the recipient of the inaugural “Dee Bradshaw & Friends Travel Scholarship”.

The department continues to participate in research internationally and staff and students have been recognised for their contributions and achievements. Prof Sue Harrison, A/Prof Jenny Broadhurst and Dr Thanos Kotsiopoulos represented uCT at the Next Generation Researchers International conference at the sustainable minerals Institute, which is part of the consortium of universities actively working in the area of sustainable resource sector. The universities in this consortium are University of British Columbia, University of Cape, University of Exeter Town, and University of Queensland which are the four leading institutions in this research area. The department continued to take a leading role in a master’s course run in collaboration with unza in sustainable development in the minerals sector. In 2019 the team from the department comprising Prof Harrison, A/Prof Jennifer Broadhurst and Dr Elaine Govender contributed to the training of more than thirty graduate candidates from unza. The department was active in driving the post-mining industrial development through fibrous Multi-product values as part of the international community of practice project involving collaborators from the Faculty of law at uCT and other countries. The project is aimed at stimulating growth in economically depressed areas by planting and processing fibre-producing plants that have potential to create multiple products to create jobs and alternative commercial activities in those areas.

Although successful in many respects, the 2019 academic year was marred by the tragic passing of Uyinene Mrwetyana, affectionately called “Nene”. Nene was a South African student at the University of Cape Town who was raped and murdered on 24 August 2019 by a post office worker in Claremont, Cape Town. Lectures were

suspended for three days to allow students and staff to participate in peaceful protests to register their displeasure with the prevalence of violence against women in our society. Exercises in mindfulness and open discussion were utilised to build cohesion within the staff and student body and look for avenues in which we can contribute as individuals and as an institution in preventing such tragic events in our society.

The department will be celebrating its centenary in 2020 and there is excitement in the staff and student bodies as they look forward to commemorating this milestone. We look forward to a promising future and to meeting the unforeseen challenges that it will present with vigour and diligence to navigate our way into it.

ForEWarD | 6

THE

DEp

ar

TmEn

T

FaCulTy oF EnGInEErInG & THE BuIlT EnVIronmEnT (EBE)

Chemical Engineering

Director of undergraduate studies

(DuGs)

Bsc (Eng)Chem

msc (Eng)mphilmEng

phD

Director of postgraduate studies

(DpGs)

research Groups

Centre for Bioprocess Engineering research

Catalysis Institute

C*change Centre of Excellence

HySA/Catalysis Centre of Competence

CatCentre

Centre for minerals research

Crystalisation and precipitation research unit

research in Engineering Education

Environmental and Process Systems Engineering

minerals to metals signature Theme

process modelling and optimisation

Future Water

Hydrometallurgy

ElectricalEngineering

mechanicalEngineering

CivilEngineering

Architecture, Planning & Geomatics

Construction Economics & management

The Department of Chemical Engineering at uCT is one of six departments in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment; the others being the Departments of Civil,Electrical and mechanical Engineering and the Department of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics; and the Department of Construction Economics and management. The Department offers a four-year BSc (Eng) (Chemical Engineering), as well as master’s and doctoral degrees. The Department has recently restructured its undergraduate BSc (Eng) degree, with a strong focus on integrated project work with a strong theoretical underpinning, ensuring a relevant study to take on the challenges of the 21st century.

The MSc (Chem Eng), MPhil and PhD may all be pursued by dissertation only. There is also an option to pursue the msc (Chem Eng) and mphil by a combination of structured coursework and dissertation (60 credits coursework and 120 credits dissertation). The Department of Chemical Engineering also has strong research activity, as evidenced by the number of university-accredited research groupings hosted by the Department and its research output in accredited journals, as well as the large number of registered postgraduate students.

THE department

8 | THE DEparTmEnT


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analyTICal laBoraToryThe analytical laboratory has a dedicated 4-member Team to provide analytical and material characterization services to the Department of Chemical Engineering, other departments at UCT, as well as other Universities and small-medium companies. The laboratory is equipped with an AAS, ICP-OES, MP-AES, LECO-sulphur analyser for elemental analysis and a microwave digester to assist in the acid digestion of powder samples. The laboratory also houses a mastersizer and zetasizer for particle size analysis, and a rheometer for rheology experiments. Other equipment includes a TriStar for surface area and pore size/volume measurements, ASAPs for chemisorption, AutoChems for temperature-programmed studies.

ElECTronICs WorKsHopThe Electronics Workshop provides technical support to research groups and postgraduate students in the field of electronics, embedded systems, instrumentation and software design. It also runs several Linux servers that host molecular modelling (Accelrys, VASP), Computational Fluid Dynamics (Fluent) and Finite Elements (abaqus) software that is used in departmental research. In addition to this, the workshop advises staff and students on the conceptual design of instrumentation, data acquisition and control systems for test rigs, and implements and commissions these systems. Furthermore, the workshop designs, builds and commissions custom electronics and software solutions tailored to the requirements of the various research groups in the Department. LabVIEW, KiCad, SolidWorks and other CAD packages, as well as software simulation suites and industry-standard software tools are used. Digital fabrication and rapid prototyping using 3D-printing technologies are also offered.

mECHanICal WorKsHopThe mechanical Workshop is a well-equipped fabrication facility with the capacity for prototype development and customised designs in various materials, including stainless steel and Perspex.

THE CHEmICal EnGInEErInG EXpErIEnTIal lEarnInG FaCIlITyThe Chemical Engineering curriculum at the University of Cape Town has a strong focus on the integration of theory into practice. To meet this purpose of Experiential Learning, the undergraduate Experiential Learning Facility comprises equipment demonstrating state-of-the-art technology from various research centres and groups in the department. This facility has the capacity to demonstrate the core learning elements of chemical engineering practice in a direct manner. The strong link between research and training introduces a detailed understanding of current engineering technologies, some of which have not yet been adopted in industry.

In addition to learning the governing physical and chemical principles, the facility also allows students an opportunity to learn other skills pertinent to the functions of a modern engineer in industry. Data captured using data loggers requires

competency in computing skills to enable simplified analysis of the results. Students are also exposed to statistical methods of designing experiments and consequently using these methods to analyse the results. The performance of experiments in teams allows collegial learning, not only deepening understanding of engineering concepts, but developing the life skill of teamwork.

Safety, health and the environment are key features of the training conducted in the experiential laboratory, which functions as a low-risk entry point for students to become acquainted with complex instrumentation and control protocols on process rigs. These are skills that they will later use extensively when dealing with larger scale units within the department and industry.

In summary, the Experiential Learning Facility plays a crucial role in providing knowledge for various engineering concepts and in building awareness of the role of engineers in technology development and testing.

DEparTmEnTal FaCIlITIEsThe Department of Chemical Engineering consists of several research groups with a variety of instrumentation. The facilities offered to students and researchers support research and teaching in the Department and at the University of Cape Town. These are facilities and analysis options that can be catered for within the Department. liquid and gas chromatography is performed using various detection methods such as UV/VIS or RID for liquid chromatography, FID, TCD or MS-detection for gas chromatography. Furthermore, two-dimensional GC analysis is performed using GCxGC with TOF-MS.

In addition, the Department of Chemical Engineering has some unique equipment in the form of an in situ magnetometer (for measurement of content of magnetic material present under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions) and a novel in situ XrD set-up (for monitoring in situ transformations in solid materials at elevated temperatures and pressures). A variety of reactors are available at the Department for testingbiological reactions (fermenter, airlift reactor), heterogeneously catalysed reactions (fixed bed reactors, slurry reactors, Berty reactor), catalyst for fuel cells (fuel cell stations), crystallisation processes (Eutectic Freeze Crystallisers and LabMax crystallisers) and precipitation reactions (multiphase stirred tank reactors, fluidised bed crystallisers and large-scale (100L) multiphase reactors). crystallisation processes (Eutectic Freeze Crystallisersand LabMax crystallisers) and precipitation reactions (multiphase stirred tank reactors, fluidised bed crystallisers and large-scale (100l) multiphase reactors).

10 | FaCIlIT IEs anD EquIpmEnT


FaCIlIT IEs anD equipmentTHE DEPARTMENT RUNS AN ANALYTICAL LABORATORY, AN ELECTRONICS WORKSHOP, A MECHANICAL WORKSHOP AND AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FaCIlITy.


saFETy anD rIsK manaGEmEnT | 11

CarDInal saFETy rulEs

1. Be proactive and outspoken - show concern for safety and for others.

2. No work without safety planning, thinking and documentation.

3 . Form barriers between people and safety risks, especially chemicals.

4. Gases require advanced safety systems.

5. Always be ready for an emergency - evacuation without question.

The Department of Chemical Engineering is cognisant of the many occupational health and safety (OHS) risks in its extensive laboratories, as well as the importance placed on SHE (Safety, Health and the Environment) in the industries that employ our graduates. We continually strive to instil a ‘no harm’ ethos in both our teaching and research operations.

oHs In laBoraTorIEs anD THE WorKplaCEThe Department has a formal safety structure consisting of safety officers, typically heads of research groups, and safety representatives, usually senior laboratory staff involved in the day-to-day monitoring and implementation of safety issues, as well as evacuation marshals, first aiders, a chief fire officer and a Hazchem co-ordinator. We hold quarterly meetings in which laboratory inspections and incidents are reported and present a compulsory annual safety induction to all staff and postgraduate students.

saFETy In THE CurrICulumHealth and safety permeates the undergraduate curriculum as a teaching strand, and our courses frequently hold safety sessions to teach students to build the habit of conducting risk assessments. OHS is formally integrated into final-year courses.

saFETy TraInInGThe Minerals to Metals Initiative coordinates the South African sector of the Global minerals Industry risk management (G-mIrm) Programme. Developed in Australia, it aims to increase safety by improving managers’ understanding and practice of risk management, thereby entrenching it in organisational culture.

rEsEarCH In saFETy anD rIsK manaGEmEnTAllied to the G-MIRM training activities, collaborative research in safety risk management in the minerals industry is ongoing. This is primarily addressed by postgraduate dissertations with safety as a key area of focus, with students increasingly being encouraged to incorporate all appropriate safety considerations as part of their research.

‘NO HARM’ ETHOSOur vision is to be Africa’s leading chemical engineering department, through teaching and research. Safe and healthy learning and workplaces are indispensable to this vision. By teaching and practising current appropriate safety standards, we can be enablers of low-risk, healthy, non-polluting and resource-efficient industrial production. The five cardinal rules that we pledge to know and obey, which encapsulate the measures in place to achieve this vision, are as follows:

saFETy & risk management

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In the ECSA-accredited undergraduate programme, students are equipped for careers both in the process industries and as researchers (though many also take up positions in related/other sectors). This is achieved through: an underpinning of mathematics, basic science and engineering science fundamentals; the application of engineering-practice related knowledge, tools and skills to solve complex problems; and an exposure to complementary studies in the Humanities.Approximately 120 students (from a diverse range of backgrounds) enter the programme each year (Figure 1).

Of these, approximately 25% voluntarily transfer into the five-year (Aspect) programme after the first term, i.e. 75% remain in the four-year (mainstream) programme. The students in both programmes are supported through a variety of measures, including: a first-year mentorship scheme and team-building camp; dedicated year-advisors; a well-developed tutor system; a one-week industrial field-trip in second-year; and intensive winter- and summer-boot camps for students experiencing difficulties during the normal semester.

These initiatives together with the rollout of a new curriculum from 2014 have enabled the department to produce an average of just over 102 graduates per annum over the past five years (Figure 2). The cohort that graduated in 2019 was the third cohort in the new curriculum and 64% of students in the Mainstream programme graduated in four years. This year marked a high number of students graduating with either First Class Honours (14) or Honours (44). This number constitutes 61% of the graduating class of 2019 and is highlighted as a significant achievement (Figure 1).

The uCT Chemical Engineering undergraduate programme works closely with industry. Industrial partners provide many vital inputs to the programme: bursaries for students; placements for student field-trips and work experience (which all students must complete to be awarded the degree); service on the Advisory Board and Local Industry Forum; financial support from the Minerals Education Trust Fund; and significant contributions to new and improved equipment and infrastructure.

unDErGraDuaTE programme

13 | unDErGraDuaTE proGrammE



unDErGraDuaTE proGrammE | 14

2019

oVErall InTaKE: 2008-2019

Entrance year

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Fig.1 Overall intake between 2008 and 2019 by population group

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International White/unknown Coloured Indian Black

International White/unknown Coloured Indian Black

Graduation year

2008

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Fig.2 Number of graduates from the programme between 2007 and 2018 by population group

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BsC CHEmICal EnGInEErInG GraDuaTEs (95) In 2019

Allie, Farhana First Class Honours

America, Tyler Daniel

Azih, Michael Chinonso Honours

Bagraim, Jacques Honours

Boko, Sibabalwe

Bemanya, Sheena Rina Okwankun-da

Honours

Brown, Saphron Honours

Botha, Jason Samuel Frederick

Betty, Graeme Clive First Class Honours

Cloete, Carla Tatum First Class Honours

Cerpath, Riyaal Nashayir Honours

Court, Christine Colleen Honours

De Oliveira, Daniel Campling First Class Honours

Denny, Megan Celia Honours

Du Plessis, Ilse Honours

Dweba, Anam Ninzi Honours

Ebrahim, Laylaa Honours

Fahn, Kelly Melanie Honours

Fungura, Sheanesu Praise

Glass, Terri-Anne Honours

Geneke, Tshiamo

Guni, Felix Ashton Honours

Garrod, Luke James Honours

Govender, Caitlin - Honours

Govender, Danaly Honours

Gwala, Ngcebo

Hlela, Lusanda Brighton

Hislop, Amy Louise Louise Honours

Houston, Charles Robert First Class Honours

Johnston, Piers Richard Neville First Class Honours

Juqu, Namhla Honours

Kadir, Uzair Honours

Khoboko, Tsepang

Khan, Azra Honours

Kamedien, Imrah Honours

Kumadiro, Lisa Tatenda First Class Honours

Kridiotis, Philip Charles Honours

Mphono, Lebohang Aaron Honours

Lakey, Terri Ann First Class Honours

Mbhalati, Basani Honours

Mbhele, Mkhuseli

Midgley, Laurence Illing First Class Honours

Magudu, Anam

Mohamed, Faizel Honours

Mohamed, Mumdouh

Mohamed Sheikh, Shurah

Majikija, Siyabulela Anda Lizo

Makhanya, Reagan Mlamuli

Makhubela, Rudolf Honours

Mukwenya, Rufaro Chantelle Honours

Malatji, Matome Petros

Mncina, Ayanda Fortunate Honours

Mundida, Mellisa Tanaka First Class Honours

Manjo, Julius Mbimbi-Ikoli

Mpila, Sifiso

Marcus, Justin Matthew First Class Honours

Moran, Liam Alan Honours

Murphy, Kate Amy Graham Honours

Mariwande, Simbarashe David-Nigel Honours

Matogo, Dennis Tinotenda

Mathegu, Fhulufhelo Hope Honours

Mthenjana, Lunako Inga First Class Honours

Matjomane, Boitumelo Mamogobo Honours

Matlakala, Boitumelo

Mutataguta, Tawanda

Mwendia, Linda Ashley Honours

15 | unDErGraDuaTE proGrammE


unDErGraDuaTE proGrammE | 16

Myrtle, Charles

Naidoo, Sharlene

Ngwenya, Takudzwa Honours

Ngau, Michael Sekiette

Nkabi, Natasha

Nyaruwata, Everjoice Tendai Honours

Nyathi, Jabulani Junior First Class Honours

Pillay, Dillon Diego

Ponto, Lobiane Francis Honours

Pinto, Scott Bruce Honours

Rogerson, Chesley Kearn

Sibiya, Bafana

Shaw, Matthew John

Shozi, Mandisa Nicholate

Sejanamane, Katlego Mpho

Smith, Dane Aldrin

Smith, Jody Lee Honours

Song, Daichong Honours

September, Jason Robin

Ssekimpi, Karen

Sethosa, Tumelo Jacob

Syed, Ahmed

Thomson, Michael Tremaine First Class Honours

Wileman, Chloe Ann Honours

Walters, Reuben Donovan

Wali, Avuyile Honours

Wentzel, Louis Frans Jacobus Honours

Xaba, Mosola Eric Honours

Xaba, Victor Sifiso

17 | posTGraDuaTE proGrammE


The postgraduate programme is a core component of the offerings of the Department. postgraduate students play acrucial role as tutors in the undergraduate courses, and therefore the programme is essential to the functioning of the Department as a whole.

The Department offers a phD and a research only msc (both by dissertation), a taught MSc and a taught MPhil (both by coursework and dissertation) degrees. The phD and msc degrees may be carried out in any of the following research areas: bioprocess and catalytic process engineering; crystallisation and precipitation; environment and process systems engineering; minerals processing; hydrometallurgy and process modelling. The msc by a combination of coursework and research is offered in the areas of bioprocess and catalytic process engineering. The mphil degree specializing in sustainable mineral resource Development is trans-disciplinary and is offered through the Minerals to Metals Research Initiative within the department. all postgraduate studies based in the Department of Chemical Engineering involve a substantial research project in the context of larger research programmes. The Department prides itself on the availability of modern, world-class research facilities for

postgraduate studies. all postgraduate students are required to undertake the course on research methodology and Communication (CHE5055Z), leading to the formulation of a detailed research proposal. For PhD students, the proposal is presented in a seminar to the Department and reviewed by a panel comprising three academics, before registration is finalised by the Doctoral Degrees Board.

In 2017, a detailed cohort analysis covering the years 2005 to 2016 was conducted to evaluate the progress of postgraduate students. Total enrolment was in the order of 160 to 180 postgraduate students in recent years, of which around 45% are now PhD students. While a ‘steady state’ between intake and graduation has been achieved with MSc students, the PhD cohort is still growing. Concerns relating to MSc students taking relatively long to graduate and a significant rate of discontinuation among PhD students have been identified and are being addressed.

posTGraDuaTE programme


posTGraDuaTE proGrammE | 18

masTErs CHEmICal EnGInEErInG GraDuaTEs (17) In 2019

Beavon, Corey mphil

Viljoen, David mphil

Tumbama, Lewis mphil

Sibanda, Lesley msc (Eng) by coursework and dissertation

De Oliveira, Dominic msc (Eng) by coursework and dissertation

Kruger, Dawid msc (Eng) by coursework and dissertation

Gertzen, Jonathan msc (Eng) by coursework and dissertation

Moydien, Mohamed msc (Eng) by coursework and dissertation

Davids, Natasha msc (Eng) by dissertation

Nyakunuhwa, Hebert msc (Eng) by dissertation

Nagel, Brigette msc (Eng) by dissertation

Kim, So-Mang msc (Eng) by dissertation

Sadan, Zaynab msc (Eng) by dissertation

Chirume, Blessing msc (Eng) by dissertation

Aspeling, Benita msc (Eng) by dissertation

Mjonono, Donald msc (Eng) by dissertation

Dzingai, Mathew msc (Eng) by dissertation

Van Zyl, Andries PhD

Naik, Linus PhD

Manono, Malibongwe PhD

Cherkaev, Alexey PhD

Macheli, Lebohang PhD

Engelbrecht, Edmund PhD

Mangunda, Cledwyn PhD

Goso, Xolisa PhD

Makaula, Didi PhD

Nosrati Ghods, Nosaibeh PhD

Egieya, Jafaru PhD

Taguta, Jestos PhD

Van Staden, Petrus PhD

Ghadiri, Mahdi PhD

pHD CHEmICal EnGInEErInG GraD-uaTEs (14) In 2019

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noTEWorTHy newsCHEm EnG ConTrIBuTEs a DVC To uCT EXECuTIVE TEamprof sue Harrison was introduced as the new DVC research and Internationalisation at uCT in may 2019 with her appointment running from 01 august. among her responsibilities as deputy vice-chancellor the cornerstone is to improve research quality, quantity and impact and to ensure that uCT maintains or improves its place as a research-intensive university as reflected in the international ranking of institutions. Sue is well-placed to fulfil these aims, having come to this position from holding the SARChI Chair in Bioprocess Engineering, as director of both the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering research (CeBEr) and the Future Water Research Institute at UCT, and as part of the core leadership team of the Minerals to Metals Initiative. The international and interdisciplinary research collaborations in these positions have given Sue exactly the experience and reach to add enormous value in the wider UCT community.

CEBEr CHanGEsSince Sue Harrison was appointed to her position in the executive academic leadership of UCT, certain changes had to be made at the research centre level. Prof Jenny Broadhurst, who has been a colleague in many CeBER projects, was appointed as interim sarChI Chair for Bioprocess Engineering research. The close involvement of CeBER researchers with the Minerals to Metals Initiative and Jenny’s gracious generosity allowed for this to be a seamless transition for all the projects currently supported through this Chair. Dr Thanos Kotsiopoulos, a Senior Research Officer in CeBER, was appointed Deputy Director of CeBER to oversee the ongoing research in the centre. Thanos has been involved in CeBER from his PhD years, and is welcomed into this role as a colleague who has an excellent grasp of the inner workings of CeBER, and the ability to add value in discussions of the full suite of CeBER research areas. He works closely with Sue Harrison, who retains the directorship, and together they enable CeBER to continue to embrace the future. Dr nodumo zulu added her expertise in algal research to the CeBER team of researchers.

VIsIT To unu-FlorEsShilpa Rumjeet, a Research Assistant and Project Manager in CeBER, was awarded a Research Stay, 15 July to 30 August 2019, at the United Nations University, Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources, Dresden, Germany. This opportunity was received by Shilpa as she was one of 25 awardees in 2018 of the German Federal ministry of Education and research (BmBF) hosted Green Talents – International Forum for High potentials in sustainable Development (www.greentalents.de/awardees_awardees2018). As a visiting scholar at UNU-FLORES, she conducted research activities in collaboration with Prof. Edeltraud Guenther (Director of unu-FlorEs) and Dr serena Caucci (senior research Associate, Waste Management Unit). This was an enriching opportunity for shilpa and has brought deeper skills and a wider

network to the CeBER team. To find out more see this interview with Shilpa: www.flores.unu.edu/en/news

sKIlls TransFEr From THE BanFIElD laBProf Jill Banfield, of the Banfield Laboratory University of California Berkley (www.nanogeoscience.berkeley.edu/), globally recognised as a leader and pioneer in the field of genome-resolved metagenomics, is one of CeBER’s international collaborators. This resulted in two opportunities for CeBEr personnel in 2019.

Tom Hessler, a PhD candidate in CeBER, was invited to the Banfield Lab to be trained in genome-resolved metagenomics of mixed microbial communities. This four month visit took place early in 2019, made possible through UCT’s Sir Robert Kotze travel scholarship. Tom was trained to use cutting edge bioinformatic pipelines to reconstruct and annotate individual genomes of microorganisms present within a series of biological sulphate reducing reactor systems. These reactor systems are studied at CeBEr for their potential as a sustainable approach to acid rock drainage remediation. Genome-resolved metagenomics, in addition to revealing the composition of microbial community, allows the study of the genetic makeup and, therefore, the metabolic potential of each microorganism in complex communities.

Dr Rob Huddy, Research Officer in CeBER, completed a ten-day Research Visit with Prof Banfield at the School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia, 15-24 July 2019. This was an opportunity for rob to work alongside her as they analysed the data generated from a long-term laboratory experiment based on biological destruction of thiocyanate. In exploring the metabolic potential of key microorganisms present in these communities rob acquired new data analysis skills and was then able to pass these onto students under his supervision as they analysed similar data.

rEsEarCHErs nEWly raTED By THE nrF• Elaine Govender-Opitz• Marijke Fagan-Endres

Eu HorIzon 2020 CeBER is involved as a collaborator in two projects which are part of the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Framework Programme. The first of these, known as BIORECOVER, is entitled “Development of an innovative sustainable strategy for selective biorecover of critical raw materials from Primary and Secondary sources”. (www.biorecover.eu/) CeBER is one of 14 research entities working together on this project. The second consortium involves 16 partners, with CeBER being one of two


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entities from outside the EU. This project is known as ITERAMS and is titled “Integrated mineral Technologies for more sustainable Raw Material Supply” (www.iterams.eu/). Sue Harrison, Thanos Kotsiopoulos, Kirsten Corin, Elaine Govender-Opitz, Mariette Smart and Rob Huddy all have involvement.

FuTurE proFEssors proGrammEElaine Govender-Opitz was selected in late 2019 to join the DHET programme which aims “to prepare promising and productive early career academics to become a new cohort of south African professors”. As part of the first cohort in the Future Professors Programme (www.dst.gov.za). Elaine will participate in intensive seminars and an international placement over two years.

mICro-prEsEnTaTIons By VIDEoCeBER & MtM students explored a new presentation format for the SMI-NGR Conference, St Lucia, Queensland Australia, 24 July 2019. student presentations were in the three-minute micro-format and could be presented by video. UCT gave nine presentations which can be viewed on the CeBER YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UC5CXm691Kzo1mQxJxbtbYnQ. Michael odidi won the runner-up award for best presentation in this category. Presentation by video was a forward-looking innovation which looks to become main-stream sooner than expected!

zIVaHuBCeBEr has been working closely with the uCT Digital library Services (DLS) during the establishment of the UCT open data repository ZivaHub (www.zivahub.uct.ac.za/) beginning in 2017. From late 2018 and throughout 2019 students and staff were involved in workshops on creation and publication of datasets. Early in 2019 their first dataset linked to a journal article was published and later in the year the first datasets linked to doctoral theses were published. This work was recognised by the Dls when CeBEr’s lesley mostert was selected as Data steward of the year.



2019 highlights• An Honorary degree was awarded to Dr Georges Belfort during

the December 2019 graduate season. Dr Belfort is a 1963 chemical engineering graduate.

• Two chemical engineering members of staff were nominees for the 21st nsTF-south32 awards. They are:

• Professor Alison Lewis and Professor Eric Van Steen for the Engineering Research Capacity Development Award (by an individual over the last 5 to 10 years).

• Professor Alison Lewis Engineering Research received the award in recognition of her training, nurturing and mentoring of students at the uCT Crystallisation and Precipitation Research Unit. Under her guidance, they have been trained in new research methods for the recovery of valuable metals, water and minerals.

• In February, UCT and the French Geological survey, BRGM, signed an mou dedicated to the sustainable management of natural resources. This agreement will promote scientific cooperation to contribute to research in the broad areas of mineral resources and environmental management. This provides an opportunity for both the BRGM and UCT to work in a more targeted way in the areas of natural resource efficiency. In particular, the teams will collaborate on both sustainable water resource management and sustainable mining and resource use.

• Professor Patricia Kooyman, the SARChI chair in Nanomaterials for Catalysis in the Department of Chemical Engineering, is a recipient of one of the Vice-Chancellor’s meritorious womxn awards. A total of five substantial grants were awarded to women researchers to make space for more women voices to be heard – both for their own advancement and for the advancement of others. Prof Kooyman was successful in the category “For womxn by womxn: conducting research in a field in which womxn are in short supply.

• 4IR Mobile Clinic – the brainchild of Tlotliso Jonas (Mechanical and Mechatronics), Namhla Juqu (Chemical Engineering) and Evans Tjabadi (Electrical Engineering), all in their final year of study – took first prize in the Ideation category at the Pitch finals held at UCT on 9 May. The competition is an event run by the Academic Representatives’ Council that gives students the chance to pitch their business or business idea and stand a chance of winning a monetary and mentorship prize.

• A partnership with Sasol has saved the university a lot of water. In 2008, a partnership between Sasol and the University of Cape Town’s Catalysis Institute yielded the invention of the Magnetometer, a device that adds significant value to research in a variety of fields including nano-technology. The machine requires a lot of water daily to cool it down, and

during the drought in Cape Town, this was very problematic. sasol came to the rescue and made a contribution of r450 000 towards the installation of a chiller, with Professor Claey’s research income paying the balance.

• Malibongwe Manono completed his PhD in three and a half years while working as a contract lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering. He graduated in the July graduation ceremony and as of 1 July, he is a permanent senior lecturer in the department.

• An engineering approach to the issue of plastic marine pollution has received the 2019 Excellence in Academia PETCO Award. Takunda Chitaka, a PhD student in the Department of Chemical Engineering, is the first recipient of this award which recognises the importance of having peer-reviewed research underpinning strategic interventions into the broad areas of recycling, waste minimisation and sustainability.

• 19 chemical engineering students participated in a pilot project which was run in partnership with EWB SA As part of their vac work they spent their winter vacation gathering, sifting and digitally capturing critical water and sanitation infrastructure data for the water-stressed amathole District municipality in the Eastern Cape. This will help the municipality, a Water Services Authority, improve its water and sanitation asset-management practices and service delivery to residents, and comply with national legislation. In December, 60 students will participate in a similar project.

• Mpumelelo Mhlongo, a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemical Engineering, was named the UCT Sportsperson of the Year for the fifth consecutive year.

• Resoketswe Manenzhe, a PhD student in the Centre for Minerals Research in the Department of Chemical Engineering, won first prize in the short story category at the recent Writivism Festival. Writivism is an initiative that identifies, mentors and promotes emerging African writers. The festival took place in Kampala, uganda.

• The Department of Chemical Engineering hosted A/Professor Nicolas von Solms, as part of their annual Visiting Engineer programme. nicolas graduated from chemical engineering in 1988. He did his MSc Eng at Imperial College, and a PhD at Rutgers University, and was a postdoc at U.C Berkeley. He is an associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark.

• The first Dee Bradshaw and Friends Travel Scholarship was awarded to Nicole Uys, a PhD student from Minerals to Metals.



• Chelsea Tucker, a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemical Engineering, was one of seven researchers who were recognised by the l’oreal-unEsCo for Women in science south African National Programme for their excellent contributions to science.

• Dr Mehdi Safari, a postdoc in the Department of Chemical Engineering has received a Royal Academy of Engineering award for a project titled CAPE Partnership. The partnership between the Centre for minerals research (Cmr) and the school of Chemical and process Engineering (CapE) at the University of Leeds. Safari, who is the lead applicant said, “Mineral processing, in non-technical words, is the process of separating valuable material from their raw bulks. To do this, the aggregates produced as a result of mining, in some cases, will be further milled to create particles. The aggregate-to-aggregate and particle-to-particle interactions pose several scientific challenges to understand their physical, chemical and mechanical behaviour. This interaction and characterisation of particles beyond mineral processing has been studied at the University of Leeds, and the Centre for Mineral Research has been focused on the mineral processing challenges at the larger scale. This partnership will enable the use of advanced characterisation techniques at particle scale to improve the mineral processing efficiency.

rE-EValuaTIon

A/Professor Kirsten Corin Chemical Engineering C2A/Professor Adeniyi Isafiade Chemical Engineering C2professor Jochen petersen Chemical Engineering B2

nEW raTInGDr Elaine opitz Chemical Engineering y2Dr Marijke Fagan-Endres Chemical Engineering Y1

The following academic staff received their NRF rating in 2019. It is rewarding to see young researchers receive a rating. NRF-rated researchers help to position the Faculty as a research-intensive faculty, and it benchmarks the quality of our researchers against the rest of the world.

Thank you all for the contribution you make to the Faculty.



2nD aFrICan nEuTron anD synCHroTron DaTa analysIs CompETEnCy WorKsHopIn the past two decades or so, synchrotron-based material characterization techniques have developed into a key cornerstone of scientific research spanning a multitude of fields from archaeology to molecular biology, chemistry and material sciences. Most research fields addressing global challenges, such as the development of efficient battery and PV materials and very acutely virology, rely heavily on the information synchrotron facilities can provide, which is not accessible or overlooked with classic laboratory-based techniques. However, access to these infrastructures remains competitive and often depended on the ability of research teams to demonstrate capacity to analyse, interpret and publish the collected data. Such expertise is primarily linked to exposure and access. The African research community is lacking significantly in this field. As the only continent, besides the Antarctic, without its own synchrotron facility, African researchers are facing bigger challenges than their counterparts in Europe to develop into experienced users with an acknowledged track record. While the synchrotron facilities worldwide offer regular data analysis short courses, these are often oversubscribed and, due to the significant travel and accommodation costs, prohibitive for African researchers. This is especially true for emerging researchers and researchers from previously disadvantaged backgrounds or institutions. The lack of opportunity and the resulting danger of losing contact with the scientific community is the main driving force of the African neutron and synchrotron Data analysis Competency (www.ANSDAC.com) project. Funded for two years by the Newton Fund through the Royal Academy of Engineering, the project was developed as a vehicle to provide inclusive and hands on training in the analysis of X-ray diffraction and absorption as well as neutron scattering techniques. The partnership between the Universities of Glasgow and the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis c*change (www.cchange.ac.za) at the University of Cape Town as well as the South african industry partner sasol allowed to tap into large research networks identifying a mixture of South African and UK experts delivering the lectures over a 10-day period. The target group for the ANSDAC workshops was identified to be young emerging faculty researchers or senior phD students and postdoctoral fellows with the demonstrated intent to pursue a career in academia or in public research institutions. Two workshops were held to date (2018 and 2019). Each year the project team was overwhelmed by applications equating an oversubscription by a factor 4-5. participants were selected based on their background, career stage, motivational letter and commitment to act as a seed in their own institutions. In two workshops, 30 individuals from 16 South African and 3 African Universities have

been trained. From the pool of participants, to date, 20 % have been successful in securing beamtime at a synchrotron facility.

Beyond, the ANSDAC project has engaged with multiple role players and has established productive relationships with networks such as the African Light Source Project (www.africanlightsource.org) and the GCRF project Synchrotron Techniques for african research and Technology (www.start-project.org). Since 2019 the ANSDAC project has entered an official collaboration with the START Energy Materials team providing additional funding to extend the project scope by one year and deliver a third workshop in 2020. START will apply to the GCrF for renewal towards the end of 2020 and an agreement has been reached that ansDaC will then play a prominent role in the consortium providing a clear future pathway for the initiative.

19 institutions which have sent emerging researchers to the ANSDAC workshops in 2018 and 2019.



15 yEars DsI-nrF CEnTrE oF EXCEllEnCE In CaTalysIs C*CHanGEThe Department of Science and Innovation – National Research Foundation Centre of Excellence in Catalysis, c*change (www.cchange.ac.za), was established as one of the first Centres of Excellence in 2004. Hosted by the Catalysis Institute in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cape Town, it is a virtual Centre comprising of a network of 10 higher education institutions in South Africa. Its academics and researchers concentrate on three specific key research areas of highest interest to the South African economy and society – synthesis gas conversion, paraffin activation and value addition to unique olefinic feedstocks. In the initial years a fourth programme, Small Volume Chemicals, studied the possibility to transfer catalytic processes to the small and medium sized industry.

The centres were established with the call to promote science, technology and innovation in South Africa in order to foster development and social progress. Therefore, although fundamentally about excellence, it is also about a new and different approach to academic scientific practice in South Africa and, inter-alia, about a transformation of the body of South African researchers in terms of the age, gender and cultural profile of the country.

Initially the centre started in 2004 with only 5 black South African students. This number increased to 43 in 2017 making up 75% of the total students. Furthermore, in 2004 there were only 4 female students. In 2017 this number increased to 34 making up 60% of the students. Today, the centre is well on its way to achieve South Africa’s vision for 2030. The centre comprises a team of around 50-60 postgraduate students with an even gender distribution (with 36 black RSA students of which 22 are female), 12 postdoctoral, and some 22 academics (7 black staff of which 2 are female) from 14 research groups. Since its inception 163 c*change students have graduated (119 MSc and 44 PhD).

In order to improve the throughput of students which started on an average of 3 and a half years for a masters thesis, the centre decided to start a few initiatives that enable the students to stay on track and start their projects as effectively as possible. These initiatives include a good research practice (GRP) course, a half year review, an annual c*change symposium and a sharing of resources across partner institutions. These initiatives succeeded in lowering the throughput of masters students to only 23 months. Furthermore, to ensure that all students get the chance to experience oral and poster presentations they are encouraged to engage and contribute to the annual Catalysis Society of South Africa (CATSA) conference. Students are also allowed to apply for a travel grant from the centre in order to allow them to attend at least one international conference during their studies.

The academic outputs (peer reviewed articles, published conference papers, and book chapters) exponentially increased from 10 per year in 2004 to 80 per year in 2017 with a growth rate of about 10% per year. These outputs include 155 peer reviewed articles with an impact factor of >2, and 65 peer reviewed articles with an impact factor of <2. Furthermore, 32 conference papers were published as well as 6 book chapters. In 2019 c*change researchers have published a total of 35 peer reviewed articles and were awarded one patent.

c*change’s transformation record 2004-2017

c*change’s publication statistics 2004-2017



In addition, a first-of-its-kind convention dedicated to synthesis gas conversion - one of the key industrial technologies underpinning the South African economy – was established by c*change in 2012 (www.syngasconvention.com). This convention, held triennially, gives international and national delegates the chance to engage in highly relevant and cutting-edge science in which South Africa is a world leader.

It is important to the Centre to be engaged not only with the scientific community but also with the society at large and to identify possibilities to contribute beyond its research endeavours. To support the role out of a new science syllabus in South Africa c*change in partnership with industry developed a resource package supplying additional materials for grade 11 and 12 learners in the fields of Chemical Industries. The contents of the resource packs were aligned with the chemistry curriculum in South Africa and provided teachers with classroom-ready resource materials. By 2014 some 6500 resource packs have been distributed and 64 nationwide roll-out workshops were held. In 2017 the centre established the c*hemRoots project that developed and distributed curriculum-aligned support material, in the form of a series of teaching resource kits for grade 8-12 science teachers, throughout South Africa. The material is intended to support science teachers in teaching key chemistry concepts using hands-on practical activities, while focussing on conceptual understanding.

15 years in, c*change is more vibrant and diverse than ever. It is nationally and internationally recognized for its research outputs, successful student training, science engagement initiatives and has built a large research network. All this is a direct result of the new way of doing research in large cross disciplinary teams with a common focus. We are looking confidently into the future, the new individuals, publications and discoveries to come!

The c*change’s team at its 2019 annual symposium.


START is a collaborative project that seeks to foster the development of Synchrotron Techniques for african research and Technology (sTarT – www.start-project.org) funded by the UK’s Global Challenges research Fund (GCrF). It builds partnerships between world leading scientists in africa and the uK working together on research using synchrotron science. The project develops research along two lines of scientific investigation: developing and characterising new energy materials for example in the development of solar cells or improving energy efficiency through novel catalysts, and structural biology to understand diseases and develop drug targets. Prof Michael Claeys from the Catalysis Institute at uCT is one of the co-investigators in the Energy Materials strand.at the heart of sTarT sits the community of co-investigators whose work in the relevant scientific disciplines is world-leading in their fields. They support a wider group of students and post-doctoral researchers whose contribution to sTarT is vital to nurture future capacity and leadership in

the African scientific research community. Working on experiments at the UK’s synchrotron, Diamond Light Source, START researchers and students bring insights to sustainable energy and improvement in health that will have long-lasting legacies across africa.

In December 2019 the Energy materials team met at the University of Cape Town. Joined by representatives of the Diamond Light Source, the IsIs neutron and muon source and the african neutron and synchrotron Data analysis Competency (ANSDAC) training initiative, ongoing research projects and successes, joined initiatives and future directions were discussed over two days. For 2020 it was decided to formally partner with the ANSDAC initiative, to develop a proposal to facilitate synchrotron access for African researchers to the Diamond Light Source, to extend the existing network and to build on the successes for an upcoming funding renewal application to the GCrF.


GCrF - sTarT EnErGy maTErIals

proJECT TEam mEETInG



a GloBal nETWorK on tackling mine dustOccupational health hazards from mining are well documented, and the link between dust and lung disease was recently recognised in a class action lawsuit against the six main mining houses in South Africa, awarded in favour of mine workers who contracted silicosis and TB working on gold mines between march 1965 and May 2018. However, the health effects associated with environmental dust emissions, although frequently a concern expressed by mining communities and community support organisations, have not been rigorously studied. This is largely because poor engagement and communication between experts and lay persons, disciplinary silos and polarised viewpoints have made it difficult to develop a holistic understanding of the complex health issues associated with environmental emissions of mine dusts, and consequently to design meaningful and integrated approaches to address such issues.

Tackling these challenges is at the heart of the mine Dust and Health network launched in 2019. This network is hosted by the Minerals to Metals initiative within the Department of Chemical Engineering at uCT and funded by the united Kingdom government’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). Heading up the network is founding director associate professor Jennifer Broadhurst, assisted by deputy director Associate professor shahieda adams from the school of public Health and Family Medicine at UCT, and manager Dr Johanna von Holdt, lecturer at the Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences. The GCRF Mine Dust and Health Network spans several African countries and bring together researchers, stakeholders and people from a variety of disciplines and professional backgrounds to develop a common understanding around the

risks of mine dust and to work together towards integrated and inclusive solutions. Ultimately, this network seeks to serve as a collaborative think-tank to inform research directions both within and across disciplines; government policy and regulations; health monitoring programmes at public clinics; industry best practice; as well as community healthcare and impact prevention programmes across the globe.

An interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral workshop, convened in Cape Town in September 2019, was attended by 49 delegates from across south africa and zambia. During the course of this workshop four priority research areas of key relevance to mine dusts and its impacts were identified, namely (i) exposure and health (ii) monitoring and measuring (iii) stakeholder awareness and education and (iv) mitigation and innovation. During the course of 2019, and in line with the network’s aim to expand its sphere of influence and connect with other relevant networks, delegates from the network also participated in events organised by the Saldanha Bay Clean Air Association, the National Association of Clean Air (NACA), and the Extractives and Health Group (EHG) of the regional network on Equity in Health in East and southern africa (EquInET).

GCRF Mine Dust & Health Network management team: Assoc. Prof Shahieda Adams (Co-Director), Assoc. Prof Jennifer Broadhurst (Director), Dr Johanna von Holdt (Network Manager)

Dr lawrence Bbosa Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution research, primarily focusing on fundamentals of particle breakage and computational modelling

associate professor megan Becker Centre for Minerals Research, and the Minerals to Metals Initiative – Process mineralogy and applied mineralogy, geometallurgy

Dr paul Bepswa Centre for minerals research – Design of high-precision metal accounting measurement networks and investigations into the operational performance of tumbling mill comminution circuits

Dr sharon Blair Catalysis Institute – Director of HySA/Catalysis – Technology transfer

Dr sherry Bremner Centre for Minerals Research - Comminution research with a focus on modelling fine grinding technologies using computational and experimental techniques

associate professor Jennifer Broadhurst Minerals to Metals – Sustainable development of mineral resources with specific focus on environmental issues

Dr Jessica Chamier Catalysis Institute – Materials scientist developing and synthesising new materials for membrane electrode assemblies (mEas) used in fuel cell design. We are focusing on the design, development and electrocatalytic evaluation of novel catalyst support materials as well as methods for catalyst deposition and impregnation

professor michael Claeys Catalysis Institute – Director of the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change), Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, in situ catalyst characterisation, nanomaterials

associate professor Kirsten Claire Corin Centre for Minerals Research – Water in flotation, froth flotation, flotation and grinding chemistry, flotation electrochemistry

Professor David Deglon Centre for Minerals Research – Computational fluid dynamics and flotation cell modelling

Catherine Edward Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research - Inhibition kinetics of biooxidation organisms for process development and optimisation

Dr Marijke Fagan-Endres Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Heap bioleaching, bioflotation, hydrology, tomography (MRI and X-ray CT), microcalorimetry, bioproducts, probiotics

Dr mohamed Fadlalla Catalysis Institute - Evaluation of heterogeneous catalyst formulations/systems for prefer-ential oxidation of carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide hydrogena-tion to fuels and chemical, in situ and ex situ catalyst characterization

associate professor nico Fischer Catalysis Institute – study and characterisation of heterogeneous catalyst systems for synthesis gas conversion reaction including CO2 activation processes with special focus on the development and application of in situ characterisation techniques

professor Jack Fletcher Heterogeneous Catalysis - hydrogen production, fuel processing,hydroprocessing/hydrocracking

professor sue Harrison sa research Chair in Bioprocess Engineering and Director of the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Interaction of micro-organisms with the environment; microbial ecology and community dynamics in planktonic and sessile environments; energy-efficient reactor systems; biokinetics, metabolic modelling of biomass and bioproducts; and integrated bioprocess systems. The above is applied to the fields of alkane biotechnology, biomanufacture of pigments, enzymes and nutraceuticals, yeast handling, mineral bioleaching through heap and tank processes, acid rock drainage (ARD) prevention, ARD remediation through sulphate reduction, wastewater bioprocessing, algal bioprocesses for bioenergy and fine chemicals, bioprocess design, and evaluation for sustainable process engineering

aCaDEmIC sTaFF & rEsEarCH FIElDs

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mr Hilton Heydenrych Crystallisation and Precipitation Research Unit – Development of a systematic approach for the treatment of effluent water streams using multi-criteria evaluations and comparisons of simulated processes to develop new heuristic principles for the design of water-treatment processes; chemical engineering education-curriculum design and the analysis of throughput issues

Dr robert Huddy Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Microbiology of mixed microbial bioprocess systems, including bioremediation of thiocyanate-laden mine water effluents and biological sulphate reduction

Associate Professor Adeniyi Isafiade Environmental and process systems engineering and process modelling and optimisation – Bioenergy supply chain optimisation, process integration for materials, water and energy optimisation and systemic approach to mining accident causality

Dr Thanos Kotsiopoulos Centre for Bioprocess Engineering research – arD mitigation of abandoned mine wastes using permeable reactive barriers. Research extends to the advancement of new products through innovative bioprocess technologies with an emphasis on industrial application

professor patricia Kooyman Catalysis Institute - south african research Chair nanomaterials for Catalysis. Nanomaterials synthesis, advanced characterisation, and (catalytic) applications. Oxide nanoparticles, (alloyed) metal nanoparticles, (hierarchical) zeolites, sulphides, for use in: preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide in hydrogen, water-gas shift, selective methanation of carbon monoxide in hydrogen, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, hydrocracking/dewaxing, electro catalysis. Operando / in situ advanced transmission electron microscopy

Associate Professor Pieter Levecque Catalysis Institute – Catalysts and components for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, photocatalytic water splitting

professor alison lewis (Dean) Director of the Crystallization and precipitation research unit – Industrial precipitation and crystallization, recovery of value from effluent streams, water treatment through crystallization, process design and integration for water treatment, Eutectic Freeze Crystallization, Recovery of Rare Earth Elements, product and particle analysis; process analysis and control for optimised product quality; aqueous chemistry modelling of speciation, thermodynamic equilibria, hydrodynamic and population balance modelling of precipitation systems

mr niels lüchters Catalysis Institute – Fuel to hydrogen

professor aubrey mainza Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution and classification research; focusing on modelling of comminution and classification unit devices and using these in circuit design and optimisation studies

Dr Thebe mokone Hydrometallurgy - Focusing on metal extraction from secondary mineral ores and process development for industrial wastewater treatment

mr malibongwe manono Centre for minerals research – a fundamental study into the role of electrolytes on reagent interaction mechanism in the flotation of a PGM ore in response to water quality

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associate professor Belinda mcFadzean

Centre for Minerals Research – All aspects of flotation from interfacial interactions and chemistry to froths and full-scale optimisation

Dr rhiyaad mohamed Catalysis Institute – Research and development of materials and components for low-temperature pEm electrolyser applications

professor Klaus möller The research focus is about using novel implementations of open source simulation tools to develop custom simulations and analyses of industrial and conceptual processes. In particular the methodology used various combinations of Multi-species, Multi-phase, elementary kinetic models, thermo-chemical models, mass transfer models and heat transfer models to describe processes and operations. multi-dimensional problems of regular geometry are solved using collocation, while problems with complex geometry are analysed using CFD via OpenFoam. These tools are used to develop custom solutions for a range of local industries, namely, the conversion of alcohols to distillates, novel Fischer-Trosch fixed bed reactors for wax production, plastic to diesel, novel PSA air separation designs, carbon black furnace, beer tunnel pasteuriser, greenhouse design for enhanced CO2. In each case the simulation aims to provide enhanced understanding, energy minimisation, environmental impact reduction and further innovation through knowledge

Mr Muven Naidoo Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research - Process Technologies for the Recovery of Biobutanol via in-situ and ex-situ Separation with a focus on optimising energy use and improving productivity

Dr Elaine opitz Centre for Bioprocess Engineering research - application and modelling of biohydrome-tallurgical processes for the treatment of primary and secondary resources. Recovery of economic value from waste streams towards a circular economy model. Assessment of the impact of post-mining transformation strategies on water-energy-food nexus

professor Jochen petersen Hydrometallurgy, especially heap (bio)leaching of low-grade minerals, electrochemical study of mineral leaching kinetics in various chemistries (sulphate, ammonia, halides, cyanide), rare earth leaching, iron control, ion exchange and hydrometallurgical process analysis. Also holds the SARChI Chair in Minerals Beneficiation (since late 2018)

ms Tokoloho rampai Physical metallurgy, pyrometallurgy, materials and polar engineering. Specialise in ceramics; hard materials and Antarctic sea ice

Dr mariette smart Centre for Bioprocess Engineering research - Fundamental research of biologically assisted metal recovery processes for improved performance. Influence of microbes on industrial processes. Biological value recovery from discard streams including pathogen removal and remediation of metals from wastes and waste waters

Dr Darija Susac Catalysis Institute – Physical chemistry scientist with expertise in materials development, characterisation of energy application, fuel cells and electrolysers. Development of new materials and electrode structures, characterisation with advanced spectroscopy and microscopy techniques and creation of structure-property-performance correlations

Dr siew Tai Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research - High-value bioproducts, vaccines and biopharmaceuticals, skin disorder & cosmeceuticals, upstream and downstream processing, techno-economics

Ms Tracey van Heerden Catalysis Institute – Investigating metal-support interactions on cobaltFischer-Tropsch catalysts


namE rEsEarCH FIElD


Professor Eric van Steen SA Research Chair in Reaction Engineering, Catalysis Institute – Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, catalytic oxidations, photo-catalysis, molecular modelling of heterogeneous catalytic systems and reaction kinetics

Professor Harro von Blottnitz Environmental and Process Systems Engineering – Industrial ecology, life cycle assessment, material flow analysis, recycling systems, organic waste valorisation with a focus on biogas, all applied to questions of resource-efficient and clean production, also in informal settings; engineering education for sustainable development; sustainable mineral resource development

mr Jason Waters Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution and classification (including fine particles processing and rheology)

Mr André van der Westhuizen Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution and fine-particle processing

mrs Jenny Wiese Centre for minerals research – Investigation of the influence of chemical and operational parameters on flotation performance

Dr nodumo nokulunga zulu Centre for Bioprocess Engineering resarch - algal biotechnology research towards nutra-ceutical and pigment production. Valorisation of waste streams for biogas production

Emeritus professor Cyril o’Connor Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation; reagent studies

Emeritus professor Jean-paul Franzidis sa research Chair in Minerals Beneficiation & Director of Minerals to Metals Signature Theme – Integrating and expanding capacity in minerals beneficiation research

mr Walter Böhringer Catalysis Institute – Heterogeneous acid catalysis (core area) and hydroprocessing

emeritus staFF

Honorary professor Jennifer margaret Case

Centre for research in Engineering Education – student learning in science and engineering education, knowledge and curriculum, graduate destinations, higher education studies

Honorary associate professor Brett Cohen

Environmental Engineering

Honorary Professor Indresan Govender Centre for minerals research – particle Technology

honorarY staFF

aCaDEmIC sTaFF & rEsEarCH FIElDs | 33

namE rEsEarCH FIElD


Adjunct Professor Brian Joseph Chicksen

minerals to metals

Adjunct Professor Paul Dempsy

Adjunct Professor Caroline Digby minerals to metals

Adjunct Professor Wynand van Dyk Risk management, process optimisation and project management

Adjunct Professor Sandy Lamber Centre for minerals research

Adjunct Professor Jeremy Mann Centre for minerals research

Adjunct Associate Professor Philippa notten

Environmental and Process Systems Engineering – Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Adjunct Professor robert pieter schouwstra

minerals to metals

Adjunct Professor Michael Henry solomon

minerals to metals

Adjunct Professor David William Wright

adJunct staFF

Honorary research associate Dr Melinda Griffiths

Centre for Bioprocess Engineering research – process improvements and economics of large-scale production of spirulina and other micro-algae

Honorary professor Christopher Hebling Catalysis Institute – hydrogen technologies, electrolysers & fuel cells, photovoltaic (solar PV) systems & materials, wind energy. Currently Director Hydrogen Technologies Division, Fraunhofer Institute for solar Energy systems (Germany)

Honorary researchAssociate Dr Rob van Hille

Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Mineral biotechnology, algal biotechnology, microbial ecology, carbon cycling, sulphide chemistry and bioremediation, acid mine drainage retention treatment, anaerobic digestion and bioenergy

Honorary professor Graham Hutchings Catalysis Institute – Heterogeneous catalysis, selective oxidation and hydrogenation, in situ spectroscopy, catalysis by gold, design of novel catalysts

Honorary research associate Dr sarah Jones

Honorary professor michael nicol Hydrometallurgy

Honorary professor Hans Niemantsverdriet

Catalysis Institute – Heterogeneous catalysis, surface science, fundamentals of synthesis gas chemistry, scientific leadership training

Honorary research associate Dr melissa petersen

Catalysis Institute – molecular modelling

Honorary professor Jim petrie Environmental and Process Systems Engineering – Decision support systems, sustainable energy systems, industrial ecology

Honorary research associate Dr madelyn Johnstone-robertson

Bioprocess Engineering

honorarY staFF


The Catalysis Institute comprises arguably the leading heterogeneous catalysis research grouping in its field in South Africa and enjoys excellent relations with similar academic groups in Europe, North America and Asia as well as substantial co-operation with domestic and international industry. The Institute is comprised of three research and technology development centres, viz. the Centre for Catalysis Research (CatCentre), the DST – NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change) and the national Hydrogen Catalysis Competence Centre (Hysa Catalysis). Whereas the CatCentre is wholly associated with catalysis activities at uCT and is largely focused on industrial catalysis, c*change and HySA/Catalysis are national centres with mandates in basic catalytic science and engineering, and technology development in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells, respectively. In keeping with its mission of commercially relevant research and technology development, three companies have been spun-out of the Institute, viz. HyPlat (Pty) Ltd, Cape Catalytix (Pty) Ltd and Hydrogen Energy Applications (Pty) Ltd – in the fields of fuel cell technologies, laboratory test equipment and hydrogen-fueled power generators, respectively.

CEnTrE For CaTalysIs rEsEarCHresearch in the Centre for Catalysis research covers catalyst synthesis and modification, physico-chemical characterisation, molecular modelling of catalytic reactions

and testing under industrially relevant conditions. Special focus is given to catalytic processes using feedstock and materials of particular interest to South Africa, although substantial industrial contract work, in association with predominately international partners, is undertaken through the Centre.

DsT-nrF CEnTrE oF EXCEllEnCE In CaTalysIs (c*change) The DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change), established in 2004, is a large yet focused virtual research programme of national scope and significance. It encompasses multidisciplinary participants from 11 higher education institutions, comprising some 16 research groupings from fields in heterogeneous, homogeneous and bio-catalysis, and disciplines ranging from chemistry and engineering to microbiology. The objectives of the Centres of Excellence Programme are, among others, to promote knowledge and human capital development in areas of strategic importance to South Africa; to promote collaborative and interdisciplinary research; to integrate smaller and related research areas into one programme and to strive for the highest standards of quality and international competitiveness by exploiting the competitive advantage vested in outstanding researchers with planned, strategic, long-term research. The c*change scientific programme is made up of three distinct research programmes:• Paraffin Activation (PAR) Programme (UCT,

US, UKZN, UFS)• RSA Olefins (OLE) Programme (UCT, US, UFS,

NWU, UJ)• Synthesis Gas (SYN) Programme (UCT, WITS,

UWC, UJ, UL, UNISA)

HySA/CATALYSISHySA/Catalysis is one of the three centres of competence that make up the south african Department of science and Innovation’s National Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technologies Flagship project branded as Hydrogen south africa (Hysa) . It is co-hosted by the Catalysis Institute at the University of Cape Town and Mintek. HySA/Catalysis focuses on the development of fuel cell technology to establish south africa as a major global exporter of catalysts and fuel cell components.

CaTalysIs institute (CaT)THE CATALYSIS INSTITUTE COMPRISES THREE CENTRES, NAMELY THE CENTRE FOR CATALYSIS RESEARCH, THE DST-NRF CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN CATALYSIS (C*CHanGE) anD THE naTIonal HyDroGEn CaTalysIs CompETEnCE CEnTrE HYSA/CATALYSIS).

proFEssorJaCK FlETCHEr


CaTalysIs InsTITuTE | 35

OVERVIEW/VISIONThe Centre for minerals research is a multi-disciplinary, inter-departmental research centre based in the Department of Chemical Engineering. The Centre conducts research with the overall purpose of developing models, methodologies and heuristics for the design, simulation and optimisation of mineral processing concentrators. In addition, the Centre places a priority on the provision of high-level human resources to the South african mining and minerals-processing industry through rigorous postgraduate research training.

The Centre originated as a research group in 1980, became formally recognised as a research unit in the 1990s and was accredited by the university as a Research Centre in 2006. The main focus of research

is on the processes of comminution, classification and froth flotation, arguably the most important unit operations in mineral beneficiation. In excess of 2 000 million tons of more than 100 different mineral species are recovered annually through the process of flotation, in most cases preceded by comminution and classification. Inefficiencies in these processes translate into both an enormous loss of revenue and an unnecessary waste of the world’s valuable and steadily declining mineral reserves. Research is conducted using industrial, laboratory and computational methods, to develop robust models and heuristics for describing the performance of mineral processing concentrators.

The Centre for Mineral research enjoys extensive support from statutory funding

agencies as well as a wide spectrum of leading mining and mineral-processing companies, both locally and globally. There is also close collaboration with other research groups at universities and research organisations nationally and internationally.

DEsCrIpTIon oF aCTIVITIEsresearch in the Centre is broadly themed into comminution and classification, flotation, process mineralogy and technology transfer. process mineralogy is an interdisciplinary research area that plays an important role in the integration between comminution, classification and flotation. A technology transfer group, MPTech, plays a central role in ensuring that research outcomes are implemented.

CEnTrE For minerals research (Cmr)

proFEssorDaVID DEGlon

36 | CEnTrE For mInErals rEsEarCH (Cmr)


comminution andclassiFication research• Comminution Circuit Modelling

(Group leader: aubrey mainza)• Computational Modelling (Group

leaders: aubrey mainza and Indresan Govender)

• Positron Emission Particle Tracking (Group leaders: aubrey mainza and Indresan Govender)

Flotation research• Flotation Chemistry (Group Leader:

Cyril o’Connor)

– reagent research Group– Flotation Chemistry Group• Flotation Cells (Group Leader: Dave

Deglon)– Flotation Cell modelling– Computational Fluid Dynamics• Flotation Circuit Modelling (Group

leader: martin Harris)• AMIRA P9 Project (Group Leader:

martin Harris)

process mineralogY research• Process Mineralogy (Group Leader:

megan Becker)

– process mineralogy research– qEmsCan

technologY transFer• MPTech (Group Leader: André van

der Westhuizen)– Technology Transfer, Training, Design

Reviews, Circuit Optimisation– anglo platinum Graduate

Development Programme– Advanced Concentrator Technology

programme (aCT)

mIn

Era

ls

rEs

Ear

CH

uCT’s Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER) provides an environment inwhich to advance knowledge of bioprocess engineering that is relevant and excellent, and will fuel South Africa’s developing bioeconomy through both fundamental and applied research built on an interdisciplinary approach. The Centre equips scientists and engineers at postgraduate level with expertise to excel in every sector of the bioprocess arena, from research and industry to environmental services and solutions. CeBER is home to seven academic staff members, four to eight postdoctoral fellows at any given time and some 45 postgraduate students. It maintains a diversity of disciplines across its teams of researchers and collaborators to nurture an interdisciplinary and enriched approach to research. CeBEr builds on a foundation of bioprocess engineering research activity at the university started in the late 1960s, and has been a uCT-accredited research grouping since 2001.

CeBER’s vision is to be an interdisciplinary research enterprise developing the nation’s bioprocess engineers, providing innovation and new insights into bioprocesses and bioproducts and becoming a global leader in selected research niches.

The mandate is to educate students in bioprocess engineering and biotechnology principles and practice, and to engage

in inter- and transdisciplinary research programmes, which provide fundamental knowledge and develop technologies to create social and economic benefit through sustainable bioprocesses and bioproducts for the industry, the environment and society.

CeBEr is recognised for its strong interdisciplinary focus, integrating biological understanding and process-engineering systems. Its particular strengths are in bioreactor design; integrated and sustainable bioprocesses; microbial ecology and associated dynamics; solid-liquid-gas contacting; mass transfer and fluid flow. Areas of application include mineral bioleaching; value from waste, considering solid waste, wastewater and mine water; algal biotechnology; alkane biotechnology; commodity products and fine chemical and health products. CeBEr’s research contributes to the circular economy and resource efficiency while driving environmentally sustainable processes and socially responsive solutions in its transfer and application. We work together with the minerals to metals and Future Water transdisciplinary research groupings.

CEnTrE For BIoproCEssengineering research (CeBEr)

proFEssorsuE HarrIson

38 | CEBEr


algal BiotechnologYMicroalgae have great potential for biomass and bioproduct production, owing to their broad product spectrum, photosynthetic metabolism and ability to use Co² as their carbon feedstock. CeBEr focuses on integrated algal processes for the production of pigments, nutraceuticals, lipids, commodity and energy products in both ponds and closed photo bioreactors. The potential role of algae in Co² uptake and the potential of algae to bio-concentrate metals from wastewater is explored. We host a large algal culture collection, which is undergoing extended characterisation, and have developed approaches for its genetic improvement. Through the biorefinery concept, inventory analysis, and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), we identify key contributions required for feasible algal processes, one of which is the design of low-energy reactor systems.

BiotechnologY towards chemicals, Food andhealth productssouth africa has been an early adopter of a nationalbioeconomy strategy to integrate bio-conversion and bio-based products into our economy, diversifying it from the fossil-based resources richly supplied in south africa towards an enhanced focus on sustainable and low-carbon processes. research in fine chemicals and commodity bioproducts in CeBER focuses on combining process kinetics, metabolic modelling, product optimisation, induction and process sustainability. Commodity bioproducts, such as biofuels and polymers, are produced from renewable resources, including platform biochemicals. Bioconversion of linear alkanes yields value-added products such as alcohols, carboxylic acids, hydroxy acids and dioic acids. Recombinant microbial systems are used to maximise productivity of affordable, modern biopharmaceuticals, antimicrobials and nutraceuticals. Plant cell culture and novel approaches for the genetic modification of plant cells and micro-algae are under development.

mineral and metal BioprocessingIn biohydrometallurgy, microbial biocatalysts ensure the provision of leach agents for solubilisation of metals from minerals, providing an alternative for the recovery of metals such as copper, zinc, nickel or gold (via bio-oxidation) from low-grade ore or niche concentrates. research focuses on both microbial and fluid contacting sub-processes within heap bioleaching, chiefly heap hydrology, solution flow and contacting with the mineral phase, their impact on microscale physicochemical conditions and on development and location of microbial communities, microbial ecology, structure-function relationships within consortia, whole-ore growth studies, leaching reactions and impact of gangue materials. The same understanding is used to minimise or prevent acid rock drainage (ARD). The intensification of tank bioleaching and microbial ecology in these systems are studied. Valorisation of secondary resources, including mine waste and urban waste, forms a key component of our circular economy approach. This includes repurposing mine waste into fabricated soils.

water and the environmentOur research focuses on water treatment for the delivery of compliant, fit for purpose and, where required, potable water from domestic and industrial wastewater streams with embedded recovery of values using a circular economy approach. We seek to address water scarcity, a key driver in South Africa, in collaboration with the interdisciplinary research institute, Future Water. CeBER hosts complementary research projects treating process and domestic wastewater rich in organics, nitrogen and phosphate compounds, typical of the wastewater arena, with associated value recovery. Integrated systems, microbial ecology and the potential for value recovery are explored through the concept of a waste (water) biorefinery, using an industrial ecology approach, sustainability and life cycle analyses, and integrating emerging technologies for renewable energy. arD and neutral mine-drainage prevention are addressed through the enhanced management of waste materials (see mineral Bioprocessing) in collaboration with the minerals to metals signature theme. A key component is the development and refinement of the tools used for characterisation and prediction of arD generation. arD remediation using integrated biological technologies places particular emphasis on biological sulphate reduction, and partial sulphide oxidation to recover elemental sulphur.

rEsEarCH FoCal arEas anD proJECTs


rEsEarCH FoCal arEas anD proJECTs | 39

WHo arE WE?We are a group of curious and dynamic ‘pattern sniffers’. We are passionate about the planet, sincere about sustainability and committed to research into crystallisation and precipitation.

rEsEarCH FoCusour focus is on precipitation and crystallisation research, mainly connected to the mineral-processing industry and water treatment. Specific projects involve treatment of desalination brines and precious-metal precipitation.

One of our flagship projects is the exciting and novel Eutectic Freeze Crystallisation Project.

somE CurrEnT rEsEarCH proJECTs• Crystal engineering in eutectic freeze

crystallisation• Ice scale formation and consistent

production in continuous eutectic freeze crystallisation processes

• Antisolvent crystallisation of rare earth salts using fluidised bed reactor

• Eutectic freeze crystallisation of multi-component brines

• Freezing of seawater reverse osmosis retentates

• Understanding the kinetics of acid mine drainage treatment processes

• Precipitations kinetics of diethylenetriammonium hexachlororhodate (III) salt

InTErnaTIonal CollaBoraTIon• Tianjin University, China• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

(EPFL), Switzerland• Technical University of Delft, Netherlands• Norwegian University of Science and

Technology, Norway• Aalto University, Finland• Lappeenranta University of Technology,

Finland• University of Toronto, Canada• University of Sao Paulo, Brazil• KTH Royal Institute of Technology, sweden

CrysTallIsaTIon & precipitation research unit (Cpu)

proFEssoralIson lEWIs

40 | CrysTallIsaTIon & prECIpITaTIon rEsEarCH unIT (Cpu)



EnErGy & InDusTrIal sysTEms analysIs | 41

EnErGy & InDusTrIal sYstems analYsisEnErGy sysTEms rEsEarCH JoIns CHEmICal EnGInEErInGIn 2019, energy research at UCT was reorganized, with the Energy research Centre (ErC) in the Department of mechanical Engineering being disbanded. The energy systems and economics modeling team of the ERC merged with the Environmental & Process Systems Engineering research group to form a new entity which broadly pursues research that can help enable a low-carbon, sustainable and circular economy in south africa. The common denominator in the skills of the merged group is systems analysis and modeling.

IDEnTITy oF THE nEW rEsEarCH GroupIn our research, we combine modelling of energy, industrial and economic systems with policy analysis and field-based research, to generate and enhance knowledge of energy and industrial systems at sectoral, regional, national and sub-continental scales, focused on south africa and the saDC region. such large systems are known to behave counter-intuitively, and modelling helps to study the interaction of multiple components under changing conditions over longer time periods, providing intelligence needed for policy regulation and on optimal capital investment into costly infrastructure. In the SA TIMES model (SATIM, see picture), the group holds the only full energy sector model for South Africa, combining, for example, electricity, gas and liquid fuels sectors on the supply side with industrial, transportation residential, commercial and agricultural users on the

demand side. a dynamic linking of this energy systems model with a macroeconomic general equilibrium model allows for economic analysis of energy-system decisions and ensures that inputs to saTIm are grounded in techno-economic forecasts rather than arbitrarily specified. Specialists cover several key sub-sectors: e.g. iron and steel, non-metallic minerals, chemicals, bioenergy, freight and passenger transport, residential and commercial buildings, power generation, coal-mining and renewables. In addition, the group has expertise in modelling on several open-source energy systems platforms.A sustainable development focus remains core to the new group’s work. Structurally, this is supported on the one hand by the deep ties of the energy systems researchers into the global world of climate mitigation and analytically by the continued research and teaching strength in Life Cycle Assessment, an increasingly industry- and policy-relevant systems analysis tool.

posTGraDuaTE rEsEarCHThe education of master’s and phD students should be a key component of E&ISA’s research. One PhD, 1 MSc.Eng. and 3 M.Phil. degrees were awarded in 2019. It is envisaged that as of 2021, postgraduate qualifications in energy studies would also be offered by the Chemical Engineering department, through this new research group amongst others.

Overview of the Energy Systems Model (SATIM)

POLICY OBJECTIVES / CONSTRAINTS

ENERGY RESOURCES / IMPORT & EXPORT

Import/export(elc, oil, gas)

renewableenergy source

potential

Fossil fuelreserves

DEmanD sECTors(commercial & agriculture omitted from diagram)

residentialsector

base-year calibration

Industrialsector


Transportsector


EConomIC analysIs

socio-economicvariables

(GDP, population)

rEsulTs analysIs

Investmentschedule/plan

Imports, exports, consumption, production,

emissions

System costs, energy costs

supply TECHnoloGy

Existing coal/gas supply

systems

Existing liquid fuel supply

systems

Existing power system

Markal/Times(Gams with CplEX

solver)lEasT-CosT

opTImIsaTIonEnErGy moDEl

Base year:naTIonal EnErGy

BalanCE

Future coal/gas supply

technologies

Future liquid fuel supply

technologies

Future power generation

technologies

Energy securityobjectives

Environmental objectives,

taxes

socio-economic

growth objectives

residentialsector futuretechnologies

Industrialsector futuretechnologies

Transportsector futuretechnologies

residentialsector

demand projections

Industrialsector

demand projections

Transportsector

demand projections

Inputs to optimization model

outputs from optimization model

Intermediary information flow

The Future Water research institute is hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, and was founded in 2016 in response to uCT’s call for the development of critical inter- and transdisciplinary research initiatives.

Following Prof Sue Harrison’s move to DVC:research & Internationalisation in August 2019, the institute is now led by Dr Kirsty Carden (Civil Engineering, interim director) and professor neil armitage (Civil Engineering, deputy director). The core research team brings together academics from all six of UCT’s faculties, and 10 Departments, including Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, African Studies, Construction Economics and Management, Architecture Planning and Geomatics, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Environme Law, Social Anthropology, and Public Health.

We focus on addressing water scarcity and developing water-sensitive approaches that sustain society’s current and future water needs. Future Water is driven by the urgent need to enhance capacity for managing water scarcity and building resilience; to innovate so that water supply meets demand; and to ensure technically sound, socially acceptable and sustainable water management policies and practices. We aim to increase

knowledge and understanding of water issues, improve water management and water governance, and increase capacity across the water sector.

To achieve this, we seek to integrate technical and socio-economic aspects of water through inter- and transdisciplinary scholarship as well as multi-stakeholder and user perspectives. Using this approach, we plan to consolidate existing research strengths and resources as a platform from which to launch new directions in water research towards sustainable and resilient futures.

FuTurE WaTEr: uCT’s TransDIsCIplInary water-research institute

Dr KIrsTy CarDEnCivil Engineering, interim director

42 | FuTurE WaTEr


FuTurE WaTErrEsEarCH THEmEs

Promoting water efficiency, reuse and recycling, as well as the (re)design of settlements to include blue-green infrastructure, sustainable drainage systems, alternative water resources and water conservation strategies.

Promoting water efficiency, reuse and recycling, as well as the (re)design of settlements to include blue-green infrastructure, sustainable drainage systems, alternative water resources and water conservation strategies.

Shifting from widely-prevalent linear water management models, to more circular approaches that encompass resource recovery and value from diverse forms of waste, including urine.

Through all of our research we strive to understand the variety of ways that people interact with and value water. We also explore people’s attitudes and behaviours in relation to water, making use of arts-based approaches, participant observation to develop ethnographic explorations, and other innovative methods.

water sensitive design

integrated water resource management

resource recoverY For the circular economY

addressing diverse relations and values around water

FuTurE WaTEr rEsEarCHErs In CHEmICal EnGInEErInGCEBER – Sue Harrison, Thanos Kotsiopoulos, Juarez Amaral-Filho,

Cmr – Kirsten Corrin

Cpu – alison lewis

EPSE – Harro von Blottnitz, Fadiel Ahjum

MtM – Jenny Broadhurst, Michael solomon


mInErals To mETals (mTm) | 43

mInErals to metals (mTm)minerals to metals (mtm) was established in May 2007 as one of five University of Cape Town Signature Research, with the aim of integrating, enhancing and expanding capacity to facilitate sustainable exploitation, development and utilisation of mineral resources within africa and beyond. The vision of Minerals to Metals is to play a leading role in the global mineral’s sector by conducting inter- and multi-disciplinary research, developing capacity of future leaders within the minerals sector, as well as bridging the gap between academia and industry via partnerships and collaboration. The continuously evolving portfolio of research projects comprises projects in the thematic areas of mineral value chains and strategic minerals; licence to operate (social and legislative); value from waste (repurposing mine waste and urban mining); post-mining transformation; artisanal mining; and development of decision-support tools and approaches. These research foci are strongly underpinned by the fundamental principles of science and engineering, whilst intersecting with the impacts of the sector on the broader environment and society.

Leadership is provided by Prof Jochen Petersen (Director)and A/Prof Jennifer Broadhurst (Deputy Director), assisted by EXCO members Prof Sue Harrison, A/Prof Megan Becker, Prof Harro von Blottnitz, Prof David Deglon and Prof Aubrey Mainza, and Adjunct Professors Michael Solomon, Caroline Digby and Brian Chicksen. In line with the interdisciplinary ethos of MtM, many of the projects involve collaboration with researchers and academics across other disciplines and groupings, both within and beyond UCT. One example is the NRF Community of Practice project on Resilient Futures which brings together four sarChI Chairs (Bioprocessing, Mineral Law, Minerals Beneficiation and Development Economics) to investigate whether fibre-rich biomass (bamboo, hemp and kenaf) can be used to simultaneously remediate degraded land and provide opportunity for economic growth beyond the life-of-mine. In 2019, minerals to metals also collaborated with the Future Water institute and mineral law in Africa on the publication Regenerative Water Futures: Tensions around scarcity and the mining Industry. another highlight of 2019

was the procurement of a grant from the uK Global Challenges research Fund for the establishment of an inter-disciplinary and multi-sectoral Mine Dust & Health Network, which aims to develop a shared and common understanding of the inter-related health risks relating to mine dust, and to identify priority research areas and activities to address these. In terms of education and training, MtM aims to develop what has been termed ‘T-shaped’ professionals – those who have depth (the vertical dimension, from the analytical expertise developed through postgraduate research) as well as breadth (the horizontal dimension achieved through working alongside of, and interacting with, individuals from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds). This is achieved through the development of interdisciplinary courses and academic programmes, as well as the MtM Forum, a weekly-lunch-hour gathering of students, academics and external stakeholders to explore and debate often controversial topics around mining and society in transition.

Hydrometallurgy is at the core of many extractive metallurgical processes, material synthesis as well as electrochemical processes and energy storage. It is finding renewed interest due to its perceived ‘greener’ processing of minerals in aqueous solution at moderate temperatures with manageable emissions. In particular, heap leaching is a technology in which coarsely crushed ores are treated directly by aqueous solutions in large stockpiles at the mine-site, obviating the need for energy intensive fine grinding of ore and serious water losses through the storage of tailings material. In-situ leaching takes this a step further in that the ore does not even need to be mined. Extractive hydrometallurgy further enables the simultaneous recovery of minor elements (those of value and those considered toxic) which is of particular interest in the mining of polymetallic mineral ores and waste materials in the context of sustainability.

research under Hydromet focusses on a number of topics, both fundamental and applied: investigation of alternative chemistries for the recovery of PGM and gold (thiocyanate, ferricyanide, iodine) and for the leaching of the refractory copper mineral chalcopyrite (sulphate, ammonia

and chloride systems and the role of organic additives). Studies using electrochemical methods have gained particular traction, and the group has built up some expertise in this regard through the support of Hon. Prof Mike Nicol who regularly visits at UCT. Research in the area of heap leaching, where Prof Petersen enjoys considerable international recognition, focusses on gas and solution flow through heap beds as well as the study of solute migration through the cracks and pores of large particles. other research topics include ion exchange, extraction of rare earth metals and iron precipitation during lime treatment of amD solutions. Hydromet collaborates widely within the Department and internationally. a key collaboration was with prof Dee Bradshaw as the sarChI Chair for mineral Beneficiation under the Urban Mining and strategic minerals themes. With prof petersen having succeeded Prof Bradshaw on the sarChI Chair following her sudden death in 2018, these themes continue. Urban Mining focusses on the recovery of value metals from discarded consumer waste, especially e-waste, an area in which the group has been experiencing significant growth in 2019.other collaborations include Fe-ooH precipitation (with Cpu) and characterisation

of crack and pore networks in large ore particles (Monash University, Australia). Prof Miao Chen from CSIRO and RMIT University, Australia, visited Hydromet in July/August 2019 as part of a growing collaboration in the area of heap leaching and electrochemistry. Many other international connections, especially in China, arise through Prof petersen’s role as the Editor-in-Chief of the Elsevier journal Hydrometallurgy.

Major academic visits by Professor Petersen were to the Wuhan Institute of Technology in China where he was appointed a Visiting professor in august 2019.

professor petersen also held the following Honorary appointments last year:Visiting professor: Wuhan Institute of Technology (2019-2022); Central South University, Changsha (2018 onwards); Kunming University of Technology, China (2017 onwards); Adjunct Professor: RMIT University, Melbourne (2017-2019); Editor-in-Chief, Hydrometallurgy, Elsevier (2013-present).

HyDromETallurGy (hYdromet)

proFEssorJoCHEn pETErsEn

44 | HyDromETallurGy


THE HyDromETallurGy rEsEarCH Group (HyDromET) FormED In 2016 unDEr proF JoCHEn pETErsEn’s lEaDErsHIp. IT GrEW ouT oF THE BIo-HyDromETallurGy THEmE In THE CEnTrE For BIoproCEss EnGInEErInG rEsEarCH (CEBEr).

pu

BlIC

aTI

on

s

46 | puBlICaTIons


puBlICaTIonsJournal arTIClEs

Abikoye B., Čuček L., Isafiade A.J., Kravanja Z. Integrated design for direct and indirect solar thermal utilization in low temperature industrial operations, 2019, Energy, VOL: 182scopus: 2-s2.0-85067647827

Babu S.G., Karthik P., John M.C., Lakhera S.K., Ashokkumar M., Khim J., Neppolian B. synergistic effect of sono-photocatalytic process for the degradation of organic pollutants using Cuo-TiO2/rGO, 2019, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, VOL: 50scopus: 2-s2.0-85054032711

Chitaka T.Y., von Blottnitz H. accumulation and characteristics of plastic debris along five beaches in Cape Town, 2019, Marine Pollution Bulletin,scopus: 2-s2.0-85057857949

Achaye I., Wiese J., McFadzean B.Effect of mineral particle size on froth stability, 2019, Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy: Transactions of the Institute of mining and metallurgyscopus: 2-s2.0-85064709610 Borja D., Nguyen K.A., Silva R.A., Ngoma E., Petersen

J., Harrison S.T.L., Park J.H., Kim H. Continuous bioleaching of arsenopyrite from mine tailings using an adapted mesophilic microbial culture, 2019, Hydrometallurgy, VOL: 187 scopus: 2-s2.0-85066431946

Bukur D.B., Silvester L., Fischer N., Claeys M., lemonidou a.a. on the use of an in situ magnetometer to study redox and sintering properties of NiO based oxygen carrier materials for chemical looping steam methane reforming, 2019, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85066285491

Bremner S., Govender I., Mainza A. asymmetric dynamics in a horizontally stirred mill using DEM, 2019, Minerals Engineering, VOL:134scopus: 2-s2.0-85061194509

Blakemore,D.M; I. Govender, A. T. McBride, A. N. mainza. multiple particle tracking in pEpT using Voronoi tessellations. Chemical Engineering Science, Volume 207, 2 November 2019, Pages 780-789.

Bremmer G.M., van Haandel L., Hensen E.J.M., Frenken J.W.M., Kooyman P.J. The effect of oxidation and resulfidation on (Ni/Co)MoS2 hydrodesulfurisation catalysts, 2019, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, VOL: 243 scopus: 2-s2.0-85055266285

Bam L.C., Miller J.A., Becker M., Basson I.J.X-ray computed tomography: Practical evaluation of beam hardening in iron ore samples, 2019, Minerals Engineering, VOL:131 scopus: 2-s2.0-85056723337

Beiza L., Quezada V., Melo E., Valenzuela G. Electrochemical behaviour of chalcopyrite in chloride solutions, 2019, Metals, VOL: 9 scopus: 2-s2.0-85060115070

Cilliers J.J., Harrison S.T.L. Yeast flocculation aids the performance of yeast dewatering using mini-hydrocyclones, 2019, Separation and Purification Technology, VOL: 209scopus: 2-s2.0-85049898684


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Darabi H., Koleini S.M.J., Deglon D., Rezai B., abdollahy m.Investigation of bubble-particle interactions in a mechanical flotation cell, part 1: Collision frequencies and efficiencies, 2019, Minerals Engineering,VOL: 134scopus: 2-s2.0-85060450573

Fratalocchi L., Lietti L., Visconti C.G., Fischer N., Claeys M.Catalytic consequences of platinum deposition order on cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts with low and high cobalt oxide dispersion, 2019, Catalysis Science and Technology, VOL: 9 Scopus: 2-s2.0-85067841236

Gambu T.G., Abrahams R.K., van Steen E. micro-kinetic modelling of Co-TpD from Fe(100)-incorporating lateral interactions, 2019, Catalysts, VOL: 9 scopus: 2-s2.0-85064114376

Egieya J.M., Čuček L., Zirngast K., Isafiade A.J., Pahor B., Kravanja Z.synthesis of biogas supply networks using various biomass and manure types, 2019, Computers and Chemical Engineering, VOL: 129 scopus: 2-s2.0-85050869080

Ebrecht, A.C., van der Bergh, N., Harrison, S.T.L. Smit. M.S; Sewell, B.T.; Opperman, D.J. 2019.Biochemical and structural insights into the cytochrome p450 reductase from Candida tropicalis.Scientific Reports 9, 20088 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56516-6

de Klerk D.N., Govender I., Mainza A.N. Geometric features of tumbling mill flows: a positron emission particle tracking investigation, 2019, Chemical Engineering Science, VOL: 206, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85065782973

de Kock L., Russo V., von Blottnitz H. Carbon intensive but decarbonising quickly? Retrospective and prospective Life Cycle Assessments of South African pome fruit, 2019, Journal of Cleaner Production,VOL: 212scopus: 2-s2.0-85057753593

Fortune B., Mhlongo S., Van Zyl L.J., Huddy R., Smart M., Trindade M. Characterisation of three novel a-L-arabinofuranosidases from a compost metagenome, 2019, BMC Biotechnology, VOL: 19, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85064495967

Freakley, S.J., Kochius, S., Marwijk, J., Fenner C., Lewis R.J., Baldenius K., Marais S.S., OppermanD.J., Harrison S.T.L., Alcalde M., Smit M.S., Hutching, G.J. 2019. A chemo-enzymatic oxidation cascade to activate C–H bonds with in-situ generated H 2 O 2 . Nature Communications 10, 4178 https://doi.org/10.1038/ Scopus: s41467-019-12120-w

Ghadiri M., Harrison S.T.L., Fagan-Endres M.A. Effect of surfactant on the growth and activity of microorganisms in a heap bioleaching system, 2019, Minerals Engineering, VOL: 138 scopus: 2-s2.0-85064699727

Geldenhuys S., McFadzean B. The effect of pulp bubble size on the dynamic froth stability measurement, 2019, Minerals Engineering, VOL:131, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85056732133

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Hoseinian F.S., Rezai B., Kowsari E., Safari M. Effect of impeller speed on the Ni(II) ion flotation, 2019 Geosystem Engineering, VOL: 22, scopus: 2-s2.0-85053442120

Jenoff E. De Vrieze, G. Marien Bremmer, Mostafa Aly, Violeta Navarro, Joris W. Thybaut, Patricia J. Kooyman, and Mark Saeys. ACS Catal 9 (2019) 7449−7456. Shape of Cobalt and Platinum nanoparticles under a Co atmosphere: a Combined In situ TEm and Computational Catalysis Study. https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.9b01840

Mangunda C., Petersen J., Lewis A.E. The effect of Fe(III) concentration on the dewatering behaviour of Fe(III) oxyhydroxide precipitates from low-tenor solutions, 2019, Hydrometallurgy, VOL:183 scopus: 2-s2.0-85056837567

Mandakini Padhi, Narasimha Mangadoddy, T. Sreenivas, Teja Reddy Vakamalla, A. N.mainza. study on multi-component particle behaviour in a hydrocyclone classifier using experimental and computational fluid dynamics techniques. Separation and Purification Technology, Volume 229, 15 December 2019.

Konadu, K.T., Harrison, S.T.L., Osseo-Asare, K., Sasaki, K. 2019. Transformation of the carbonaceous matter in double refractory gold ore by crude lignin peroxidase released from the white-rot fungus. International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation, 143, art. no. 104735. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2019.104735

Leyland D., Chivavava J., Lewis A.E. Investigations into ice scaling during eutectic freeze crystallization of brine streams at low scraper speeds and high supersaturation, 2019, Separation and Purification Technologyscopus: 2-s2.0-85063041813 Hoseinian F.S., Rezai B., Safari M., Deglon D., Kowsari E.

Effect of hydrodynamic parameters on nickel removal rate from wastewater by ion flotation, 2019, Journal of Environmental Management, VOL: 244 scopus: 2-s2.0-85066027583

Manono M., Corin K., Wiese J. The effect of the ionic strength of process water on the interaction of talc and CmC: Implications of recirculated water on floatable gangue depression, 2019, Minerals, VOL:9, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85067026046

Govender S., Gambu T.G., van Heerden T., van Steen E. Mechanistic pathways for oxygen removal on Pt-doped Co (111) in the Fischer-Tropsch reaction, 2019, Catalysis Today scopus: 2-s2.0-85061428392


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Nemet A., Isafiade A.J., Klemeš J.J., Kravanja Z. Two-step MILP/MINLP approach for the synthesis of large-scale HENs. 2019, Chemical Engineering Science, VOL:197, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85049516248

Mjonono D., Harrison S.T.L., Kotsiopoulos A. supplementing structural integrity of waste rock piles through improved packing protocols to aid acid rock drainage prevention strategies, 2019, Minerals Engineering, VOL:135, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85061837573

Moyo, A.; Amaral Filho, J.R. do; Harrison, S.T.L.; Broadhurst, J.L. 2019. Implications of Sulfur, speciation on the assessment of acid rock Drainage Generating potential: a study of south African, Coal Processing Wastes. Minerals, 9, p.776. https://doi.org/10.3390/min9120776

Moyo T., Petersen J., Nicol M.J. The electrochemistry and kinetics of the oxidative dissolution of chalcopyrite in ammoniacal solutions. Part II – Cathodic reactions, 2019, Hydrometallurgy, VOL: 184, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85059466640

Moodley D., Claeys M., van Steen E., van Helden P., Kistamurthy D., Weststrate K.-J., Niemantsverdriet H., Saib A., Erasmus W., van de Loosdrecht J. sintering of cobalt during FTs: Insights from industrial and model systems, 2019, Catalysis Today, scopus: 2-s2.0-85063760223

Ndimande C.B., Cleary P.W., Mainza A.N., Sinnott M.D.using two-way coupled DEm-spH to model an industrial scale Stirred Media Detritor, 2019. Minerals Engineering VOL:137, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85064207734

Nyathi, T, Fischer, N, A.P.E. York, D.J. Morgan, G.J. Hutchings, E.K. Gibson, P.P. Wells, C.R.A. Catlow & M. Claeys, Impact of nanoparticle-support interactions in Co3O4/Al2O3 catalysts for the preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide, ACS Catalysis, 9 (2019) 7166.

October L., Corin K., Schreithofer N., Manono M., Wiese J. Water quality effects on bubble-particle attachment of pyrrhotite, 2019, Minerals Engineering, VOL:131, scopus: 2-s2.0-85056776916

Pitterson N.P., Agrawal A., Case J.M., Krost K. Exploring the development of students’ affinity identity in their choice of institutions and programs of study, 2019 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings EBE Chemical Engineering, 126th ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: Charged Up for the Next 125 Years, ASEE 2019, 15 June 2019 through 19 June 2019 21535965

Ogunmodimu O., Okoroigwe E.C. solar thermal electricity in nigeria: prospects and challenges, 2019, Energy Policy, Scopus: 2-s2.085060084206

Ram R., Becker M., Brugger J., Etschmann B., Burcher-Jones C., Howard D., Kooyman P.J., Petersen J. Characterisation of a rare earth element- and zirconium-bearing ion-adsorption clay deposit in Madagascar, 2019, Chemical Geology, VOL: 522, scopus: 2-s2.0-85066432212

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Wolf M., Gibson E.K., Olivier E.J., Neethling J.H., Catlow C.R.A., Fischer N., Claeys M.In-depth characterisation of metal-support compounds in spent Co/SiO2 Fischer-Tropsch model catalysts, 2019, Catalysis Today,scopus: 2-s2.0-85060916452

Wolf, M; Roberts, S.J; Marquart, W; Olivier, E.J. ; Luchters, N.T.J.; Gibson,E.K.; Catlow, C.R.A. ; Neethling,J.H; Fischer,N & Claeys, M. Synthesis, characterisation and water-gas shift activity of nano-particulate mixed-metal (Al, Ti) cobalt oxides, Dalton Transactions, 48 (2019) 13858.

Wolf M., Fischer N., Claeys M. Capturing the interconnectivity of water-induced oxidation and sintering of cobalt nanoparticles during the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in situ, 2019, Journal of Catalysis, VOL: 374, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85065447659

Wolf M., Gibson E.K., Olivier E.J., Neethling J.H., Catlow C.R.A., Fischer N., Claeys M.Water-Induced Formation of Cobalt-support Compounds under Simulated High Conversion Fischer-Tropsch Environment, 2019, ACS Catalysis, VOL: 9, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85065388799

Voigt M.J., Miller J., Bbosa L., Govender R.A., Bradshaw D., Mainza A., Becker M. Developing a 3D mineral texture quantification method of drill core for geometallurgy, 2019, Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, VOL: 119 scopus: 2-s2.0-85067188987

von Holdt J.R.C., Eckardt F.D., Baddock M.C., Wiggs G.F.S. assessing landscape Dust Emission potential using Combined Ground-Based measurements and remote Sensing Data, 2019, Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, VOL: 124, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85065230934

Vladimir V. Maximov, Eugenii A. Permyakov, Viktor S. Dorokhov, Anjie Wang, Patricia J. Kooyman, and Victor m. Kogan. ChemCatChem (2019). Effect of promoter nature on synthesis gas conversion to alcohols over (K)MeMoS2/Al2O3 catalysts. https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201901698

van Helden P., Prinsloo F., van den Berg J.-A., Xaba B., Erasmus W., Claeys M., van de Loosdrecht J. Cobalt-nickel bimetallic Fischer-Tropsch catalysts: a combined theoretical and experimental approach, 2019, Catalysis Today, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85063444618

van Staden P.J., Petersen J. The effects of simulated stacking phenomena on the percolation leaching of crushed ore, Part 2: Stratification, 2019, Minerals Engineering, VOL:131scopus: 2-s2.0-85056798659

Sadat Hoseinian F., Rezai B., Kowsari E., Safari M. A hybrid neural network/genetic algorithm to predict Zn(II) removal by ion flotation, 2019, Separation Science and Technology (Philadelphia), scopus: 2-s2.0-85062351789

Tanaka S., Malan A.G. Investigating design parameters of a perforated metal gas diffusion layer in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, 2019, Journal of Power Sources, VOL: 198 scopus: 2-s2.0-85058787856

Soltani F., Abdollahy M., Petersen J., Ram R., Javad Koleini S.M., Moradkhani D. Leaching and recovery of phosphate and rare earth elements from an iron-rich fluorapatite concentrate: Part II: Selective leaching of calcium and phosphate and acid baking of the residue, 2019, Hydrometallurgy, VOL: 184, Scopus: 2-s2.0-85059428545


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Yang Y., Yang Y., Gao X., Petersen J., Chen M. Microstructure evolution of low-grade chalcopyrite ores in chloride leaching - a synchrotron-based X-ray CT approach combined with a data-constrained modelling (DCM), 2019, Hydrometallurgy, VOL:188 ,Scopus: 2-s2.0-85066839610

Yoro K.O., Sekoai P.T., Isafiade A.J., Daramola M.O.A review on heat and mass integration techniques for energy and material minimization during CO 2 capture, 2019, International Journal of Energy and Environmental, scopus: 2-s2.0-85065134820

Zhang X.R., Zhu Y.G., Zheng G.B., Han L., McFadzean B., Qian Z.B., Piao Y.C., O’Connor C.,An investigation into the selective separation and adsorption mechanism of a macromolecular depressant in the galena-chalcopyrite system, 2019, Minerals Engineering, VOL:134scopus: 2-s2.0-85061373965

ConFErEnCE proCEEDInGs

Berning T., Tanaka S. A study of multiphase flow and heat transfer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells with perforated metal gas diffusion layers 2019, ASME-JSME-KSME 2019 8th Joint Fluids Engineering Conference, AJKFluids 2019, EBE Chemical Engineering 2 10.1115/AJKFluids2019-4654, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (asmE) asmE-JsmE-KsmE 2019 8th Joint Fluids Engineering Conference, AJKFluids 2019, 28 July 2019 through 1 August 2019, 9,78079E+12, ASME-JSME-KSME Jt. Fluids Eng. Conf., AJKFluids

Bremner S., Mainza A.N., Tavares L.M., Anyimadu A., Dumont J.A., Peixoto G.C., Assis V.M., Lemos M.G., Pereira M.S. The influence of the SAG/Ball mill mode of operation on circuit operations, 2019, IMCET 2019 - proceedings of the 26th International mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey EBE Chemical Engineering 1025 1035, Baski 26th International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey, IMCET 2019, 16 April 2019 through 19 April 2019, 9,78605E+12, IMCET - Proc. Int. Min. Congr. Exhib. Turk.

Himunchul, A., Gwynne-Evans, A., Himunchul, L. and Broadhurst, J. (2019) Developing T-shaped individuals through the master of philosophy specialising in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development programme at the University of Cape Town. In: Kloot, B (ed), Proceedings of the Eighth Research in Engineering Education Symposium, Cape Town, South Africa: 799-808 (IsBn: 978-0-7992-2600-3)

Mabote S., Mainza A.M., Bepswa P.A. An investigation of the effect of operating and design variables on screening efficiency in wet fine screening 2019, IMCET 2019 - proceedings of the 26th International mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey, EBE, Chemical Engineering 749760 Baski, 26th International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey, IMCET 2019, 16 April 2019 through 19 April 2019 ,9,78605E+12, IMCET - Proc. Int. Min. Congr. Exhib. Turk.

Motibane L.P., Tshabalala L.C., Mathe N.R., Hoosain S., Knutsen R.D. Effect of powder bed preheating on distortion and mechanical properties in high speed selective laser melting, 2019 IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, EBE Chemical Engineering 65510.1088/1757-899X/655/1/012026, Institute of Physics Publishing, Conference of the South African Advanced Materials Initiative 2019, CoSAAMI 2019, 22 October 2019 through 25 October 2019 17578981 Iop Conf. ser. mater. sci. Eng.

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solomon m. Economic succession planning for mines 2019, IMCET 2019 - Proceedings of the 26th International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey, EBE Chemical Engineering 2 11, Baski 26th International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey, IMCET 2019, 16 April 2019 through 19 April 2019, 9,78605E+12 IMCET - Proc. Int. Min. Congr. Exhib. Turk.

Pitterson N.P., Agrawal A., Case J.M., Krost K. Exploring the development of students’ affinity identity in their choice of institutions and programs of study, 2019, ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings EBE, Chemical Engineering, American Society for Engineering Education,126th ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: Charged Up for the Next 125 Years, ASEE 2019,15 June 2019 through 19 June 2019, 21535965 ASEE Annu. Conf. Expos. Conf. Proc.

BooK CHapTErs

Broadhurst, J.L. (2019) The contribution of mining to clean water and sanitation (sDG 6): Case studies from South Africa. In: Nagao M., Masinja J. & Alhassan A. (eds). Sustainable Development in Africa: Case Studies. Spears Media Press: 213-226 (ISBN 1942876416, 9781942876410).

Kudo,S., Kapfudzaruwa, F., Broadhurst, J.L., Edusah, S.E., Awere, K.G., Matsuyama, K., Nagao,M. and Mino, T. (2019) Moving towards Transdisciplinarity: Framing Sustainability Challenges in Africa. Sustainable Development in Africa: Concepts and Methodological Approaches. In: Nagao, M., Broadhurst, J., Edusah, S., and Awere, K. G. (eds). Sustainable Development in Africa: Concepts and methodological approaches. spears media: 1-14 (IsBn 9781942876458)

Stander H-M. and Broadhurst J.L. (2019) Reflections on method of expert interviews for research on sustainable development of mineral resources in Africa. In: Nagao, M., Broadhurst, J., Edusah, S., and Awere, K. G. (eds). Sustainable Development in Africa: Concepts and methodological approaches. spears media press: 133-152 (IsBn 9781942876458)

EDITED BooKs

Harrison S., Carden, K., Abrams, A. and Broadhurst, J. (2019) Regenerative Futures: Tensions around Water Scarcity and the Mining Industry, Juta Law: 24-25 (ISBN 978 48513 414 5)


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Nagao, M., Broadhurst, J., Edusah, S., and Awere, K. G. (2019). Sustainable Development in Africa: Concepts and Methodological Approaches. Spears Media Press, 168pp (IsBn 9781942876458)

TECHnICal papErs anD polICy BrIEFs

Broadhurst, J.L., Chimbganda, T. and Hangone, G. (2019) Identification and Review of Downstream Options for the Recovery of Value from Fibre Producing Plants: Hemp, Kenaf and Bamboo. Report No MtM DSI-NRF CoP/WP201903, Report commissioned by the Towards Resilient Futures, Community of Practice: “Developing a Fibre micro-industry to Generate Economic Growth from Degraded Land” (http://www.resilientfutures.uct.ac.za/about-Towards-resilient-Futures).

Broadhurst, J.L., Chimbganda, T. and Hangone, G. (2019) Multi-Product Potential of Fibre-Rich Plants: Hemp, Kenaf & Bamboo. Policy Brief: DSI-NRF CoP/PB3. Policy Brief Report commissioned by the Towards Resilient Futures, Community of Practice: Developing a Fibre Micro-industry to Generate Economic Growth from Degraded Land (http://www.resilientfutures.uct.ac.za/about-Towards-Resilient-Futures).

Journal papErs

Moyo, A., Amaral Filho, J., Harrison, S.T.L. and Broadhurst, J.L. (2019) The deportment and acid rock drainage implications of sulfur forms in south african coal processing wastes. Minerals, 9(12): 776 https://doi.org/10.3390/min9120776)

DaTasETs

FInal TECHnICal rEporTs

Mjonono, D; Harrison, STL; Kotsiopoulos, A. 2019. Co-disposal Packing Protocols. ZivaHub | OpenData UCT. https://doi.org/10.25375/uct.7679843.v1

Harrison, Susan T.L., Madelyn Johnstone-Robertson, Sharon Rademeyer, Leslie Murhonyi, Carol Ngwenya, Caryn Horn, Shilpa Rumjeet and Mariette Smart. 2019. Value recovery from SolidConfectionery Waste. CSIR External Report CSIR/IU/WRIU/2016/006. UCT-REF-23886. CSIR, Pretoria. Harrison, S. T. L. 2019. Briefing note: Value recovery from solid confectionery waste. CsIr.

Department of Chemical EngineeringPrivate Bag X3rondebosch7701south africa021 650 [email protected]

published on behalf of the University of Cape Town’s Department of Chemical Engineering by sG [email protected] 552 2103

photography Candice mazzolini

2019 - university of cape town

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