Thandazile Moyo is an assistant professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME). She is experienced in the hydrometallurgical processing of gold and base metals. Her research interests are developing flowsheets and testing green technology for metal recovery from primary and secondary resources. Some of her research employs the use of electrochemistry and electroanalytical tools to study surface reactions in mineral dissolution. Beyond the purely technical, Thandazile is passionate about the sustainable development of mineral resources and conducts research on the long-term impacts of mineral extraction. She researches on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), looking at the technological challenges and the contributions of the sector to sustainable development.
This faculty member is associated with the Penn State Intercollege Graduate Degree Program (IGDP) in Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) where a multitude of perspectives and cross-disciplinary collaboration within research is highly valued. Graduate students in the IGDP in MatSE may work with faculty members from across Penn State.
- Application of process mineralogy to evaluate environmental risks of reprocessing coal waste to recover critical mineral.
- Tackling impurities in leachate from low-grade ore and secondary resources.
- Flow sheet evaluation for metal recovery from secondary batteries.
Moyo, T., Chitaka, T.Y., Lotter, A., Schenck, C.J., Petersen, J. Urban mining versus Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM): An interrogation of their contribution to sustainable livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. The Extractive Industries and Society 2022. Vol 12, 101173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2022.101173
Moyo, T., Sadan, Z., Lotter, A., Petersen, J. Barriers to recycling e-waste within a changing legal environment in South Africa. South African Journal of Science 2022. Vol 118. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2022/12564
Chitaka, T.Y., Moyo, T., Gihring, K., ., Schenck, C.J. The myth of livelihoods through urban mining: The case of e-waste pickers in Cape Town. South African Journal of Science 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2022/12456
Manzila, A.N.; Moyo, T.; Petersen, J. A Study on the Applicability of Agitated Cyanide Leaching and Thiosulphate Leaching for Gold Extraction in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining. Minerals 2022, 12, 1291. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12101291
Moyo, T., Chirume, B. H., Petersen, J. Assessing alternative pre-treatment methods to promote metal recovery in the leaching of Printed Circuit Boards. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2020 Vol 152, 104545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.10454
Ilankoon, Ghorbani, Y., Chong, M. N., Herath, G., Moyo, T., Petersen, J. E-waste in the international context – A review of trade flows, regulations, hazards, waste management strategies and technologies for value recovery. Waste Management. 2018, Vol 82 pp 258-275. ISBN 0956-053X. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.10.018
Moyo, T., Petersen, J., Nicol, M. J. The electrochemistry and kinetics of the oxidative dissolution of chalcopyrite in ammoniacal solutions: Part II– Cathodic reactions. Hydrometallurgy. 2019, Vol 184 pp 67-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2018.12.020
Moyo, T., Petersen, J., Nicol, M. J. The electrochemistry and kinetics of the oxidative dissolution of chalcopyrite in ammoniacal solutions. Part I – Anodic Reactions. Hydrometallurgy. 2018 Vol 182 pp 97-103. ISBN 0304-386X. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2018.10.018
Moyo, T. and Petersen J. Study of the Dissolution of Chalcopyrite in Solutions of Different Ammonium Salts. The Journal of The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. 2016, Pp 509-516. https://doi.org/10.17159/2411-9717/2016/v116n6a4
Moyo, T., Petersen, J., Franzidis, J.-P. and Nicol, M.J. An electrochemical study of the dissolution of chalcopyrite in ammonia–ammonium sulphate solutions. Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, 2015 Volume 55 (3), pp 269-278. https://doi.org/10.1179/1879139515Y.0000000024