‘Current’ research
Direct metal extraction under electro-kinetic forcing – opening the possibility of a low-impact mining future.
Electrokinetic in situ recovery (EK-ISR) enables metal recovery from low-permeability ore material without the need for excavation. This breakthrough can reduce both capital cost and environmental impact of metal extraction, allowing miners to overcome common challenges to development, including the impact of tailings and other aspects of mine infrastructure footprints.
MRIWA Project M0544 provided significant insights into the physical and geochemical processes controlling EK-ISR. Comparison of observed recovery on a whole-of-mine-life basis indicates the approach could offer immediate economic and sustainability benefits for small-volume extraction of high-value metals such as gold and rare earth elements.
If realised in practice, these advantages could help activate stranded assets in Western Australia and bring complex, currently uneconomic ore bodies into production
Read MRIWA report 544 summarising the findings of this research.
Page was last reviewed 18 February 2026