Loren Nicholls

Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland

Loren Nicholls is a PhD candidate at the Sustainable Minerals Institute researching secondary prospectivity of mine wastes for critical metals and economic rehabilitation. The project is investigating the potential for Co endowment and recovery within tailings at Capricorn Copper Mine using geometallurgical characterisation and improved processing technologies. Loren has 10+ years’ experience in exploration and mining geology around the Asia-Pacific region, working primarily in gold and copper systems. Her interests are in geochemistry, mineralogy, integrated ore body knowledge and project generation. Loren is now transitioning into geometallurgy, mine waste characterisation and developing circular economy principles in the mining sector via her PhD research. During this period of study, Loren is also part-time consulting on ESG projects and greenfield critical mineral and REE exploration.