Minerals Research Leaders: Artur Deditius
Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA)
Minerals research advancing WA
Unveiling the minds behind breakthroughs: A Glimpse into Our Research Community.
At MRIWA we seek to support visionary minerals research projects creating economic, environmental, and social benefits for Western Australia.
Today, we spotlight our fifth researcher in the Lead Investigator Interview Series Artur Deditius and delve into the behind the scenes of what it is like to be championing impactful research.
Meet Artur Deditius, lead researcher for the project titled: Understanding the Mt Weld Carbonatite mineral system – a Critical Minerals super-resource in Western Australia.
Despite the rich concentrations of rare earths and other critical minerals mapped out at Western Australia’s Mt Weld deposit, drilling to define the mineralisation of this world-class super resource has, to date, been limited. This project aims to explore the volcanic system responsible for delivering Mt Weld’s mineral wealth to support exploration for new rare earth and critical mineral resources.
Artur responds to the following series of questions, giving us insight into the project, what his role looks like, the challenges, rewards, memorable experiences, and valuable advice.
What is your background and what led you to work in this area?
I am a geologist and have always been interested in the natural world particularly in taxonomy and the origin of vertebrates. As a freshman at university, I wanted to do the cool stuff and become a paleontologist and study dinosaurs. However, my love for chemistry prevailed, and I specialised in mineralogy and geochemistry. Further down the track, I focused on two things, safe storage of spent nuclear fuel in geological repositories and ore deposits. Currently, I am an Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Research at the School of Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry and Physics ( Murdoch University ) – perhaps the first geologist in this role in the fundamental sciences.
Tell us a little bit about your role as Lead Investigator on this project?
Shortly, I say, management and oversight of everything. Working at the interface of government (MRIWA) industry ( Lynas Rare Earths Ltd ) and University with great help from my colleagues Dr Hans Oskierski ( Murdoch University ), Dr Denis Fougerouse (leading the Curtin part of the project), Prof. Pete Kinny ( Curtin University ) and two highly skilled PhD students – Anderson Matias dos Santos and Arthur Vicentini de Oliveira. Project leads work in a constantly changing environment with a weekly load of new data, ideas, and literature. Keeping the project objectives in site, effective communication with industrial partners, and guiding students in the right direction are crucial. On top of that, meetings, reports, purchase orders, invoices, etc..
What inspired the research project, how does it address current industry challenges and how will your research benefit Western Australia?
The extremely complex mineralogy of REE (Rare Earth Elements) at Mount Weld, Western Australia, and the heterogeneous distribution of light and heavy REE in ore deposits poses significant challenges for mine development and subsequent mineral processing and metallurgical treatment. It is somehow surprising that since 1990, very little systematic work has been done on one of the world's richest deposits of critical minerals (i.e., REE).
Expansion of existing mines to uncover the highest ore grades suitable for mineral processing is one of the biggest challenges facing the mining sector in Western Australia. Therefore, understanding the metal distribution in the mine and adjacent areas is critical for the long-term sustainable supply of the commodities.
The primary benefits to WA’s industry and community will be enhanced mineral exploration success, i.e., finding more valuable resources in the studied carbonatite mineral system. Expanding the mine’s lifetime in Western Australia, including Mt Weld (Mt Weld Mining Pty Ltd) at the forefront of REE production over the next 20-30 years, will ensure a constant flow of royalties and employment. The genetic understanding can also inform selective mining, blending, and deportment, which can be applied to other carbonatite-hosted deposits in Australia. Furthermore, this project will facilitate training of future generations of geologists in the applied industry environment with expertise in critical metals.
What have you found most rewarding doing research?
Discovering things that were never seen or known before. I am passionate about all kinds of microscopy that helps us to visualise and understand the mechanisms responsible for the formation of tiniest objects, and the kilometre-scale or even larger planet-scale features.
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What have you found most challenging about doing research?
A constant pressure on researchers to prove that the project has direct application or even a dollar value, including fundamental research. I find this approach to be against the very fabric of research, which is driven by our natural curiosity irrespective of the outcomes. Do not get me wrong, applied research is very important, but the success of its application is based on the fundamental understanding of the operating mechanisms and conditions that control the process or the object under scientific investigation.
Secondly, the observed increase of the volume of administrative duties delegated to academics is counterproductive. I believe this is not only my opinion. Discussion of the issue with fellow researchers led us to the conclusion that commonly research is erroneously translated to project management.
Can you share a piece of advice for those interested in pursuing a career in your field?
Read a lot, learn, and always stay open-minded. A piece of advice for those who want to pursue a scientific career in geology - do not try to “fit” the object/phenomenon you are investigating to the theory you have just learned about. It is easier to say than do, but it helps to discover new things. Enjoy fieldwork - remember, travelling to exotic and stunning locations is part of your job.
Can you share a memorable experience or breakthrough moment from your research that had a significant impact on your work?
A few things come to mind. During my post-doc at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (USA) I was privileged to be part of the team that discovered the presence of cationic arsenic (As) in pyrite and linked As and gold in all types of ore deposits. Less known, but perhaps more important, studies of synthetic and natural U(IV)-silicate called coffinite (USiO4), a mineral predicted to form as an alteration product of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in geological repositories for SNF under reducing conditions. Finally, conducting a fieldwork on the slopes of El Laco volcano in the Chilean Andes with two of my colleagues, Martin Reich (University of Chile) and Adam Simon (University of Michigan), and our subsequent work proving that magnetite lava does exist.
How do you envision the future of your field, and what role do you see yourself playing in its evolution?
Very bright, economic geology and mineral science are essential to transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a mineral-based green economy. Geologists and, broadly speaking, geoscientists address the need for materials for energy transition, environmental protection, and responsible resource management. My role is dual as the educator of the next generations of specialists for the mining and minerals industry and researcher helping to find new resources and/or better ways of mineral processing.
What’s the next big project idea you want to work on?
Of course, I will continue investigating the processes of formation and alteration of carbonatites. This year, we (the Sustainable Geochemistry and Mineral Science research group at Murdoch University) are starting a new project focusing on the mine waste and their potential regarding carbon sequestration and metal extraction.
In addition, I am at the stage of my career where sharing knowledge, communicating, and educating a new generation of extractive metallurgists become the big idea. History taught us that geologists finding ore deposits and extractive metallurgists producing metals/materials are essential for a well-functioning civilisation irrespective of geographical location. Without these people, it is impossible to achieve net-zero carbon emissions and tackle the problem of climate destruction.
Conclusions and more information
In this interview Artur shows us the many hats a lead researcher can wear and the importance of continuous learning to advance research and inspire the next generation of science leaders.
For more information about the MRIWA project Artur leads, visit:
For more inspiring stories from the frontiers of research, discovery and exploration at MRIWA, stay tuned here on LinkedIn for more from the Lead Investigator Interview Series. Together, let’s continue championing the pursuit of knowledge, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and advance Western Australia.