Research Areas: Critical Minerals
Environmental Engineering
Education Background: Ph.D. Chemical Engineering
About:
Dr. Thandazile Moyo is an assistant professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME) at The Pennsylvania State University and a co-funded faculty in the Materials Research Institute (MRI). She is experienced in the hydrometallurgical processing of gold and base metals. Her research interests are developing flowsheets and testing green technology for metal recovery from primary and secondary resources. Some of her research employs the use of electrochemistry and electroanalytical tools to study surface reactions in mineral dissolution. Beyond the purely technical, Thandazile is passionate about the sustainable development of mineral resources and conducts research on the long-term impacts of mineral extraction. She researches on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), looking at the technological challenges and the contributions of the sector to sustainable development.
Before she joined Penn State University, Moyo completed her Ph.D. in chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town. She worked as a researcher, focused on flowsheet development and testing for metal recovery from waste PCBs and co-developed and taught courses on sustainability in minerals extraction at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Research Interests:
Extractive metallurgy (flowsheet design), sustainable mineral resource development, hydrometallurgy, electronic waste recycling (metal recovery from waste PCBs, from waste secondary batteries).
Memberships & Committees:
Chair of the EMS College Sustainability Research Committee
Africa Academy of Sciences Affiliate 2022-2026
Member Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME)
Honors & Awards:
National Research Foundation (NRF) Development grant for Y-Rated Researchers 2023
NRF Rated researcher 2022
Future Leaders - African Independent Researchers (FLAIR) fellowship 2021
NRF Free Standing Postdoctoral fellowship 2016
Teaching:
Sustainable Development of Energy and Mineral Resources (EME 597)
Dinga, J., J. Petersen, and T. Moyo, (2023). Leaching of chalcopyrite in aqueous-alcoholic ferric sulphate media. Proceedings of the SAIMM Copper Cobalt Africa in association with the 10th Southern African Base metals conference. 13-15th June, 2023. Livingstone, Zambia.
Chitaka, T. Y., T. Moyo, K. Gihring, and C. J. Schenck, (2022). The myth of livelihoods through urban mining: The case of e-waste pickers in Cape Town, South African Journal of Science. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2022/12456
Manzila, A. N., T. Moyo, and J. A. Petersen, (2022). Study on the Applicability of Agitated Cyanide Leaching and Thiosulphate Leaching for Gold Extraction in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining. Minerals, v. 12, [1291]. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12101291
Moyo, T., T. Y. Chitaka, A. Lotter, C. J. Schenck, and J. Petersen, (2022). Urban mining versus Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM): An interrogation of their contribution to sustainable livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa, The Extractive Industries and Society 2022. v. 12 [101173]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2022.101173
Moyo, T., Z. Sadan, A. Lotter, and J. Petersen, (2022). Barriers to recycling e-waste within a changing legal environment in South Africa, South African Journal of Science, v. 118. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2022/12564
Moyo, T., B. H. Chirume, and J. Petersen, (2020). Assessing alternative pre-treatment methods to promote metal recovery in the leaching of Printed Circuit Boards. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, v. 152 [104545]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.10454
Moyo, T., J. Petersen, and M. J. Nicol, (2019). The electrochemistry and kinetics of the oxidative dissolution of chalcopyrite in ammoniacal solutions: Part II– Cathodic reactions, Hydrometallurgy, v. 184, pp 67-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2018.12.020
Ilankoon, G., Y., M. N. Chong, G. Herath, T. Moyo, and J. Petersen, (2018). E-waste in the international context – A review of trade flows, regulations, hazards, waste management strategies and technologies for value recovery, Waste Management, v. 82 pp 258-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.10.018
Moyo, T., J. Petersen, and M. J. Nicol, (2018). The electrochemistry and kinetics of the oxidative dissolution of chalcopyrite in ammoniacal solutions, Part I – Anodic Reactions, Hydrometallurgy, v. 182, pp 97-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2018.10.018
