Nov. 1, 2013, 6:30 p.m.
University of Newcastle Professor Laureate Graeme Jameson, AO, has been named NSW Scientist of the Year.
A NEWCASTLE chemical engineer who invented a technology that annually pumps more than $3billion into the Australian economy was named the NSW Scientist of the Year last night.
University of Newcastle Professor Laureate Graeme Jameson, AO, accepted the prestigious NSW Science and Engineering Award at Government House in Sydney.
This award was for his work inventing the Jameson Cell, a technology relied upon by mining operations across the world to separate valuable minerals from host rock.
Since it was first introduced in 1989, the cell has contributed more than $26billion in Australian exports.
It has now been implemented in more than 25 countries including the United States, South Africa, China and Mexico.
Professor Jameson said receiving the award was an honour.
“You don’t do this kind of work to receive awards but it is nice to have your work recognised,” he said.
“I’ve always had a view that scientific technology can contribute greatly to the benefit of the community.
“[The Jameson Cell] recovers very fine particles that would otherwise go to waste and the amount of money that is being saved is quite significant.
“It also has environmental uses.”
Professor Jameson said he was now setting his sights on making a significant change to the mining industry’s energy consumption.
A project he is working on has the potential to halve the mining industry’s energy use.
He said it was hoped it would be operational in five years.
“I’m working on a process to recover mineral valuable particles from rocks and part of the process they currently use means they have to grind it finely,” he said.
“This grinding uses up a great deal of energy but I’m hoping to halve this.
“This will have environmental benefits because energy and greenhouse gas emissions are proportional.”
This is the second year in a row a University of Newcastle researcher has been named NSW Scientist of the Year.
Last year Professor John Aitken became the first person outside of a Sydney university to receive the title.
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