Below is an overview of the research programme with project topics and funders.
Vacancies appear at the bottom – you can apply by contacting the research group.
Current projects
| Degree | Student | Supervisors | Project | Funder |
| Postdoc | Darlington Ashiegbu | Herman Potgieter & Lizelle van Dyk | scFE of gold | DRDGold |
| Postdoc | Emmanuel Oke | Herman Potgieter | Leaching of metals from waste electronic equipment with DESs | Wits |
| Postdoc | Jos Nyembwe | Herman Potgieter & Henry Simonsen | Leaching of Li from Aftritin ore | Andrada Mining Ltd (formerly Afritin) |
| PhD | Craig Nsakabwebwe | Herman Potgieter & Emmanuel Oke | Recovery of Ta from cassiterite ore with ILs and DESs | Andrada Mining Ltd (formerly Afritin) |
| PhD | Hlayiseka Yingwani | Herman Potgieter & Sanja Potgieter | Air quality profile of new VR* mine in Mpumalanga | Private / direct research funding |
| PhD | Lwazilwenkosi Chuma | Herman Potgieter, Saeideh Babaee, Yusuf Isa & Paul den Hoed | Leaching of Ta from cassiterite ore with the gas phase process | Andrada Mining Ltd (formerly Afritin) |
| MSc | Amanda Nonyane | Herman Potgieter & David Whitefield | Wear and corrosion resistance of HEA in mine tailings slurries | DRDGold |
| MSc | David Nkhoesa | Herman Potgieter Emmanuel Oke | Recovery of V from VR8 ore with ILs and DESs | Private / direct research funding |
| MSc | Enhle Buthelezi | Herman Potgieter Sunny Iyuke Darlington Ashiegbu | Development of a photocatalyst/polymer membrane for cyanide / tanneries effluents treatment (reduction of COD loading) | Private / direct research funding |
| MSc | Jacques Pansegrouw | Herman Potgieter Caren Billing David Whitefield | Electrolytic recovery of iron from hematite fines in a strong basic solution | Private / direct research funding |
| MSc | Moeketsi Khomo | Herman Potgieter, Lizelle van Dyk, Henry Simonsen & Jos Nyembwe | Improving the recovery of tin from cassiterite | Andrada Mining Ltd (formerly Afritin) |
| MSc | Mpendulo Kubeka | Herman Potgieter Caren Billing | Investigating Ta and Sn extraction ligands and complexes | Andrada Mining Ltd (formerly Afritin) |
| MSc | Ntuthuko Mbhamali | Herman Potgieter, Jeanet Conradie & Emmanuel Oke | Co and Cu leaching and recovery with organic acids | Glencore |
| MSc | Paballo Pilane | Herman Potgieter & Puja Hansdah | Cyanide recovery with IX technology | DRDGold & Mintek |
| MSc | Phenyo Matau | Herman Potgieter, Lizelle van Dyk & Darlington Ashiegbu | scFE gold extraction process | DRDGold |
| MSc | Willy Chabalala | Herman Potgieter & Emmanuel Oke | Pyrite destruction with ILs and DESs | DRDGold |
| MSc/PhD | Vacancy (apply) | (Still to be decided) | Separation technology for pyrite screening | DRDGold |
| MSc | Vacancy (apply) | Herman Potgieter, Paul de Hoed & Adam Luckos | Fe (and Mn) extraction from ore with the gas phase process in a fluidised bed | ARM |
Published papers
- The feasibility of pyrite dissolution in the deep eutectic solvent ethaline: Experimental and theoretical study
- Investigation into the possibility of using a novel ionic liquid leaching method to obtain vanadium from vanadium slag
- A New Hydrometallurgical Process for Metal Extraction from Electric Arc Furnace Dust Using Ionic Liquids
- The Kinetics of Pyrite Dissolution in Nitric Acid Solution
- Oxidative leaching of refractory sulphidic gold tailings with an ionic liquid
