Dr Laura Kuhar

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2019/2021 Superstar of STEM

Science and Technology Australia

Principal (Research and Development)

Rio Tinto

Perth, WA, Australia

Expertise

decarbonisation, battery technology, metal leaching, leaching, metal recovery, mineral processing, metal dissolution, dissolving metals, hydrometallurgy, in situ leaching, in situ recovery, keyhole mining

Media

More Media Info

Previous media experience

Print media - mostly for CSIRO publications (such as CSIRO's Resourceful magazine). Presentations at Pint of Science, panels or other public events (such as STEM panel for Perth College, Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy women's day event, PEEL Bright Minds Teacher's event), student outreach (Innovator's Tea Party, UWA Science Cafe'), numerous conferences

Links to media clippings

Biography

Laura Kuhar is a Principal in Rio Tinto's Research, Development and Technology team where she is focusing on decarbonisation and other research activities for the iron ore group. Prior to her current role, she served as a research team leader in the CSIRO Minerals group. She has expertise in hydrometallurgical processing (leaching of metals from rock) related primarily to copper, zinc, gold, nickel, uranium and platinum group metals and extensive expertise in in-situ recovery, which is like keyhole surgery for mining and involves the injection of liquid underground, the dissolving of value metal and processing of the fluid at the surface, without costly mining and rock processing and with environmental benefits. Laura has an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering, a PhD in chemistry and has been with the CSIRO for 10 years, before which she spent time as a researcher at Anglo American and De Beers Consolidated Mines. She has received awards for science communication and is a 2019/2020 Superstar of STEM.

Personal info

Gender:

Female

Languages besides English:

Afrikaans, conversational Italian

ResearcherID/ORCID iD:

E-8143-2010

Last updated: 13 Nov 2022