Professor Peter Dowd

Professor

School of Chemical Engineering

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


My research interests include geostatistical modelling and prediction in mineral resource, petroleum reservoir and environmental applications; geological modelling and mathematical geology; stochastic modelling and quantified risk assessment in natural resource and environmental applications; definitions and reporting of ore reserves; mineral economics; financial analysis and modelling; operational research; and computer-aided mine design. The context of much of this work has been the modelling and estimation of orebodies, coal deposits and hydrocarbon reservoirs, often in very complex geological settings; the generation of three-dimensional orebody models as the basis for optimal mine design and scheduling; establishing resources and reserves together with associated confidence limits; the design of blasting and loading operations to optimise mineral extraction; and the quantification of geological and technical risk associated with resource extraction.

Recent work has focussed on the characterisation of rock masses in hot dry rock enhanced geothermal systems; environmental risk analysis and assessment; stochastic modelling of flow pathways in aquifers; and assessing temperature changes in climate modelling. 

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2020 - ongoing Professor of Mining Engineering and Director the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Integrated Operations for Complex Resources The University of Adelaide
    2016 - 2020 Professor of Mining Engineering The University of Adelaide
    2013 - 2015 Professor of Mining Engineering and Executive Director, Mining Education Australia. The University of Adelaide
    2004 - 2012 Executive Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences The University of Adelaide
    1997 - 2003 Head of the School of Process, Environmental and Materials Engineering The University of Leeds
    1995 - 2001 Head of the Department of Mining and Mineral Engineering The University of Leeds
    1993 - 2004 Professor of Mining Engineering The University of Leeds
    1992 - 1993 Professor of Mine Design and Geostatistics The University of Leeds
    1990 - 1992 Reader in Mining Geostatistics and Operational Research The University of Leeds
    1986 - 1990 Senior Lecturer The University of Leeds
    1978 - 1986 Lecturer The University of Leeds
    1975 - 1978 British Petroleum Research Fellow The University of Leeds
    1972 - 1975 Research Fellow Ecole Polytechnique de l’Université de Montréal
    1967 - 1971 Operational Research Officer Conzinc Rio Tinto Australia (CRA) Ltd.
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2020 Distinction Elected President of the International Association for the Mathematical Geosciences International Association for Mathematical Geosciences United States -
    2016 Distinction 2016 Krumbein Medal International Association for Mathematical Geosciences - -
    2015 Recognition APCOM Recognition Award for contributions to APCOM over the past three decades APCOM: Application of Computers and Operations Research in the Minerals Industry - -
    2013 Award 2013 Georges Matheron Lecturer International Association for Mathematical Geosciences United States -
    2013 Teaching Award Institute of Engineers Australia and Australasian Association for Engineering Educuation, 2013 Award for Industry Engagement in University Education. Institute of Engineers Australia and Australasian Association for Engineering Education Australia -
    2009 Distinction President, Australian Council of Engineering Deans Australian Universities Australia -
    2007 Distinction Chair, Group of Eight Engineering Deans and Associates The Australian Group of Eight Universities Australia -
    2007 Distinction Vice-President, Australian Council of Engineering Deans Australian Universities Australia -
    2006 Fellowship Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering - - -
    1998 Fellowship Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering Royal Academy of Engineering United Kingdom -
    1998 Distinction President of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy Institution of Mining and Metallurgy UK (now the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining United Kingdom -
    1996 Distinction Vice-President of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy Institution of Mining and Metallurgy UK (now Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining) United Kingdom -
  • Language Competencies

    Language Competency
    French Can read, write, speak and understand spoken
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    1975 - 1978 The University of Leeds United Kingdom PhD
    1972 - 1973 Ecole Polytechnique de l’Université de Montréal Canada MScA,
    1964 - 1966 University of New England Australia BSc
  • UK Nirex Ltd. for the geostatistical characterisation of three-dimensional spatial heterogeneity of rock properties; 1996-99. Principal (sole) Investigator. £60k.
  • Teaching Company Directorate/UK Department of Trade and Industry with industrial collaboration.  Determination of the best layouts of quarry faces and blasting procedures to permit close approach to sensitive structures. Award under the Teaching Company Scheme (now DTI Knowledge Transfer Partnerships) 1998-2001. Lead Academic. Grant number (Knowledge Transfer Partnership no.) 4900. £92k.
  • Anglo American plc Funding for research Chair; 1998-2003. Principal Investigator. £100k.
  • Anglo American plc Funding for research Chair; 2004. Principal Investigator. £50k per annum reviewed every two years.
  • United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, grant for geostatistical calibration; 1999, Principal (sole) Investigator. £3k.
  • UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) grant for the Geostatistical calibration and integration of wireline, core and seismic data; 1999-2002, Principal (sole) Investigator. Grant number GR/M72944/01. £132k.
  • Teaching Company Directorate/Department of Trade and Industry with industrial collaboration for the development of a new, directional, nuisance dust gauge suitable for use around quarry and landfill sites, and to develop associated dust monitoring and modelling protocols and software. Award under the Teaching Company Scheme (now DTI Knowledge Transfer Partnerships); 2001-04. Lead Academic. Grant number (Knowledge Transfer Partnership no.) 5386. £92k.
  • EPSRC and industrial collaborators Joint Research Equipment Initiative (JREI) grant for XRF facility; 2000-03. Grant number GR/M92607/01. Principal Investigator. £168k.
  • BNFL Strategic Alliance in Particle Science and Technology. Collaboration with R A Williams (Alliance Director), B Rand, B Gibbs and K J Roberts at University of Leeds and R Clegg and D T Goddard at BNFL, 2000-2004, BNFL £2.0M and Royal Academy of Engineering, £140k.
  • EPSRC and industrial collaborators JREI grant for Global Positioning System; 2001-02. Principal Investigator. Grant number GR/R05659/01. £42k.
  • Rio Tinto plc WWW Geostatistics project; 2001. Principal (sole) Investigator. £15k.
  • EPSRC and industrial collaborators JREI grant for 3D measurement and simulation of structured materials facilitated by X-ray Micro-Tomography. 2001-03. Co-Investigator. Grant number GR/M91563/01. £171k.
  • EU Fifth framework. Network for extractive mining industries (consortium of 15 industrial and academic partners); 2001-05, €570,000.
  • EPSRC grant for Stochastic modelling of fractures in rock masses. 2002-2005. Principal Investigator. Grant number GR/R94602/01. £262k.
  • AMCO plc Funding of a readership; 2002-03. £46k per annum.
  • Marie Curie Fellowship (EU Fifth Framework). Geostatistical simulation. Principal Investigator. 2003-04, £17k.
  • Australian Research Council grant for Quantification of risk and uncertainty in the optimisation of open-pit mine design and production scheduling. R. Dimatrakopolous (Principal Investigator – University of Queensland), P.A. Dowd (Co-Investigator). ARC Linkage Grant LP0211446 - grant held at University of Queensland. 2002-04. $285k.
  • Australian Research Council grant for Development of a stochastic short-term production scheduling optimisation approach for open pit metal mines. R. Dimatrakopolous (Principal Investigator – University of Queensland), P.A. Dowd (Co-Investigator). ARC Linkage Grant LP0348798 - grant held at University of Queensland. 2003-05, ($315k).
  • Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA). Funding for a Chair in Mining Geology. Funding over three years 2009-11 ($180k).
  • University City Initiative (Adelaide) Research funding to establish the Institute for Mineral and Energy Resources.  Funding over three years from July 2009 ($750k).
  • South Australia State Government. Funding to establish the South Australian Centre for Geothermal Energy Research. 2008-09 ($250k); 2009-11 ($800k); 2011-13 ($1.0M). 
  • Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP110104766. Stochastic modelling of fractures in crystalline rock massess for hot dry rock geothermal systems, 2011-13. Principal Investigator ($330k).
  • Newcrest Mining Limited. Quantification of risk in mining operations, 2012-15. Principal Investigator ($533k).
  • Centre of Excellence in Mining and Petroleum Services.  Chair in Geostatistics and Quantitative Geology, 2014-16, ($245k).
  • South Australia Government Premier's Research and Industry Fund grant. Unlocking Complex Resources through Lean Processing. Consortium of industry and universities.  Chief Investigator. 2018 -2021,Total project award $4M from PRIF, $6.14M from industry, $4.46M from university partners.  
  • CRC ORE Resource scale heterogeneity evaluation. $145k + $55k in-kind. 2018-2019.
  • Co-operative Research Centre Project (CRC-P) Kapunda In-Situ Copper and Gold Field Recovery Trial. Led by Environmental Copper Recovery SA Pty Ltd in collaboration with Thor Mining PLC (Molyhil Mining), CSIRO, Mining3 and Terramin Exploration Ltd. 2018-2021, $2.85M.
  • Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Integrated Operations for Complex Resources (Director), 2020-23. $12.5M ($5.7M cash + $6.8M in-kind).
  • BHP. Rapid resource modelling and automated variography. 2019-22. $2.13M
     

Master of Geostatistics Programme: Introduction to Geostatistics;  Linear Geostatistics;  Non-stationarity, selection and recoverability;  Non-linear Geostatistics;  Geostatistical simulation; Final project and thesis.

Mine Management

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Linking the resource to down-stream products Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Pouya Nobahar Ghezeljehmeidan
    2023 Co-Supervisor Fragmentation Sensing by Size and Lithology for Blast Control and Sensing of Sub-level Caving and Sub-level Open Stoping Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ahmadreza Khodayari
    2023 Principal Supervisor Sensed core data to predict process responses for mining projects Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Milena Nasretdinova
    2021 Co-Supervisor Ore Tracking Model from Uncertain Resource Model to Belt Sensors and Run-of-Mine Stockpiles Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Juan Chen
    2021 Co-Supervisor Application of Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Point Data to Develop a Geological and Geotechnical Characterization System in Order to Mitigate Instability Problems in Construction Sites Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Mohammad Yazdanpanah
    2021 Principal Supervisor Rapid updating of resource knowledge with sensor information including structures Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Sultan Abulkhair
    2021 Principal Supervisor Measure and monitor particle size distributions and grade so as to divert low value waste Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Nazym Baizhiyen
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Constraints and Quantifying Uncertainty on Resource Domain Boundaries Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Yerniyaz Abildin
    2015 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Quantification of Linear and Non-Linear Flow Behaviours in a Rock Fracture with the Complex Void Geometry Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Zhihe Wang
    2015 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Modelling pyrite oxidation in refractory gold-bearing stockpiles to evaluate gold recovery by direct cyanide leaching Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Hang Wang
    2014 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Quantification of Uncertainty of Geometallurgical Variables for Mine Planning Optimism Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Exequiel Manuel Sepulveda Escobedo
    2014 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Geostatistical Modelling and Simulation of Karst Systems Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mrs Romina Ghobadi
    2011 - 2014 Principal Supervisor Stochastic Modelling of Fractures in Rock Masses Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Younes Fadakar
    2006 - 2010 Principal Supervisor Simulation of Correlated Variables: A Comparison of Approaches with a Case Study from the Yandi Channel Iron Deposit Master of Science in Mathematical and Computer Sciences Master Part Time Mr Christopher Leslie De-Vitry
    2005 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Evaluation of Metallurgical Recovery Factors for Diamonds Recovered from Kimberlites Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Stephen John Coward
    2004 - 2014 Principal Supervisor An Integrated Model Risk Evaluation Model for Mineral Deposits Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Grant Deon Nicholas
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2013 - ongoing Board Member Boletín Geológico y Minero Instituto Geológico y Minero de España Spain
    2007 - ongoing Board Member Mathematical Geosciences International Association for Mathematical Geosciences United States
    1992 - ongoing Editor-In-chief Transactions of the Institutions of Mining and Metallurgy, Section A: Mining Industry Institution of Materials, Minerals and Mining and the Australasian Institution of Mining and Metallurgy United Kingdom
  • Position: Professor
  • Phone: 83134543
  • Email: peter.dowd@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83134359
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Engineering North, floor 1
  • Org Unit: Mining and Petroleum Engineering

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