About the Project
Fully funded scholarship
- Living Stipend: AUD $37,000 per year (tax-free) for three years, with a six-month extension available subject to satisfactory progress.
- Tuition Fees: Fully covered for all students. Domestic students incur no tuition fees; international students receive a tuition fee waiver valued at ~AUD $44,000 per year for up to four years.
- Research Funding: Generous project operating budget for equipment, consumables, analytical work, conference travel, and (where relevant) travel to major national research facilities such as the Australian Synchrotron and/or the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering.
- Location & Commencement: Murdoch University (Perth, Western Australia). Commencing as soon as practicable.
Project overview
A processing route can work beautifully in the laboratory and still fail the only test that ultimately matters: at full scale, is it profitable, and is it environmentally defensible? This project exists to answer that question — and to feed the answer back while there is still time to act on it.
You will develop and assess candidate copper concentrate processing flowsheets using techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment. You will construct mass and energy balances, estimate capital and operating costs, quantify life-cycle emissions, compare energy scenarios, evaluate how realistic variation in ore and concentrate characteristics affects process economics, environmental performance and risk, and support decision-making under uncertainty. The models will be established from the outset using literature, industry and independently developed datasets, and may incorporate experimental data from the broader program and our industry partner as it becomes available.
Open question: Under what technical, economic and environmental conditions could the proposed copper-processing options remain viable across realistic ore and concentrate variability?
Required backgrounds: chemical, process or environmental engineering; industrial ecology; energy systems; sustainability science. Experience with process simulation, LCA software, or Python/MATLAB/R is a strong advantage.
The wider program
This PhD is part of a coordinated, industry-linked copper research program funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and undertaken by Murdoch University in partnership with BHP. The program spans economic geology, mineral characterisation, extractive metallurgy, impurity management, and techno-economic and environmental assessment. Each PhD has its own objectives, methods and deliverables, while researchers exchange data and insights where beneficial.
Research environment
You will join a multidisciplinary cohort spanning economic geology, extractive metallurgy and process assessment. You will work closely with experimental researchers and industry scientists while developing independent flowsheet, TEA and LCA models. The project provides access to relevant process data, modelling and analytical software, computing resources, and a project budget supporting specialist training, data acquisition and conference participation. Perth is Australia’s mining capital and provides an outstanding environment for research and careers in process engineering, sustainable resources and industrial decarbonisation.
Who we are looking for
We care about how you think and whether you can develop into an independent researcher. Applicants should have:
- A suitable academic background for this project (see above).
- A First Class Honours degree, a Master's degree with a substantial research component, or an equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline.
- Evidence of strong research potential, such as a high-quality thesis, publication, substantial research project, laboratory or modelling experience, or a project you can discuss with real depth.
- Strong written and oral communication skills, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- English language proficiency meeting Murdoch University HDR admission requirements, where applicable.
How to apply
Please send the following to Dr Xiangpeng Gao ([contact details available in the full listing]):
- CV, including degrees, institutions, grade average and the scale used, thesis/project title and mark if applicable, any publications, conference presentations and research projects.
- Academic transcripts for undergraduate and postgraduate study. Unofficial PDFs are acceptable at this stage.
- English test report (IELTS, TOEFL or PTE), if already available.
- Cover letter, maximum 400 words, explaining why you are interested in this project and your thoughts on the open question above — including how you would begin tackling it (the first analysis or model you would develop), what result you would look for, and what you would do next. We do not expect a fully developed research proposal; we want to understand how you think.
Email subject line: PhD Application — TEA-LCA — Your Full Name.
Please apply by 31 August 2026. Late applications will be considered if the positions have not been filled. If shortlisted, applicants will be contacted for additional supporting documents and an interview. Successful candidates are expected to commence as soon as practicable, subject to admission, visa and other administrative requirements.
