Dr. Eugene Jak - Mysteries Unearthed

Metallurgy researcher Dr Eugene Jak is turning to mathematics to solve a long-standing metal processing problem.

Dr Jak, Research Director of the Pyrometallurgy Research Centre (PYROSEARCH) at The University of Queensland, is leading a project to provide a mathematical description of the chemical and physical behaviours of molten oxides.

According to Dr Jak, while the behaviour of molten oxides (slags) plays a crucial role in high-temperature metal and mineral processing, not much is known of the internal structure of these silicate systems at the atomic level.

A greater understanding of slag properties could have major benefits for a range of industries such as metal and mineral extraction, coal, glass and ceramics.

The knowledge could be used to increase metal and mineral yields, reduce waste, save energy and possibly develop new types of processes in metal-extraction.

Dr Jak said molten oxides were mostly composed of silicates derived from host rock minerals or were added deliberately in industrial processes to modify the properties of the reaction products.

'The structure of the silicates is very complicated, and it's a key factor in how the chemical and physical properties of the slags change with composition and temperature,' he said.

After developing a better understanding of the silicate components, Dr Jak said a mathematical basis would be used to predict the properties of the slags.

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