A new mineral, ehrigite, has been named after mining giant BHP’s (ASX:BHP) superintendent geometallurgy Kathy Ehrig, in recognition of her contributions to geology and geometallurgy.
University of Adelaide professors and scientists, Cristiana Ciobanu and Nigel Cook, found the small, new compound that is a sub-microscopic bismuth telluride mineral.
BHP says ehrigite has a unique crystal structure which required the use of an atomic-resolution transmission microscope to identify a previously unrecognised mineral.
Both Ciobanu and Cook’s efforts to have ehrigite accepted as a new mineral spanned more than a decade and BHP says the unanimous acceptance of the mineral by international colleagues is testament to Ehrig’s contribution in this area of research.
Each year, only 90 to 110 new mineral species are approved. There are 6,100 minerals officially recognised by the International Mineralogical Association, with new mineral names often derived from where the mineral was found or based on its composition.
Most new minerals discovered in recent times are microscopic and require skilled research and high-resolution instrumentation. The discovery of new minerals can lead to advancements in technology and industry.
For example, rare earths are crucial for the manufacturing of electronics, renewable energy technologies, and defence systems. Discovering new minerals can provide alternative sources for these essential elements, reducing dependency on existing, often limited, supplies.
BHP notes the discovery of ehrigite highlights the understanding of how minerals form, achieved through analytical resolution down to the atomic scale.
Further, BHP adds this knowledge helps find minerals effectively, determine where they are likely to form and where deposits can be found, alongside how to extract more value from existing deposits.
For more than three decades, Ehrig has been focused on understanding how to discover more high-grade ore and characterising deposits for geometallurgy, improving the communication between the ore and the plant.
BHP says Ehrig has contributed to bridge the gap between geology and minerals processing. By characterising the mineralogy and processing properties of BHP’s deposits well in advance of mining and processing, the Olympic Dam geometallurgy team and Ehrig improved the communication between the ore and the plant, leading to reliable predictors of future processing performance.
The mining giant adds that the new discovery of ehrigite celebrates Ehrig’s legacy while also underscoring the importance of continuous research and collaboration in advancing the understanding of mineral information and properties.
Cook and Ehrig have also been awarded $894,000 via an Australian Research Council grant to further develop applications of computational mineralogy to copper-iron sulphides.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: BHP
