Dr Richard Lilly

Overview: Dr. Richard Lilly is currently the Mount Isa Mines Embedded Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide. His research interests aim to understand how ore deposits are formed and to assist in the geochemical exploration for new resources. Richard has 8 years of experience working as a Senior Exploration Geologist (Mount Isa Mines) and brings an industry perspective to his applied research projects and teaching of undergraduate economic geology courses. Richard also serves as an industry-academic boundary spanner; assisting the engagement between the university sector and the minerals industry.

The Embedded Research Fellow project is an industry (Mount Isa Mines) funded academic position within the Department of Earth Science (School of Physical Sciences) at the University of Adelaide. The role involves coordinating and supervising a range of applied economic geology research projects at Universities across Australia and Europe and to establish strong industry-academic links. Additionally, Dr. Richard Lilly teaches economic geology courses to undergraduates and co-ordinates the National Exploration Undercover School (NExUS). Research is completed through numerous projects including Honours, Masters and PhD level studies which are coordinated to directly address specific geological questions at Mount Isa Mines operations in NW Queensland. The five core research themes are:

1. Exploration Through Cover; aims to establish innovative geochemical exploration techniques including the use of a soil gas technique and biogeochemistry to generate new drill targets under cover.
2. Deposit Scale Characterisation; detailed geological, geochemical and geophysical modelling and structural studies of current ore bodies (Mount Isa Cu and Ernest Henry IOCG) and advanced exploration targets to maximise near-mine and brown-fields exploration targeting.
3. District Scale Ore Systems; studies of temporal and spatial variations of ore systems and the implications for district and regional prospectivity for improved exploration targeting and ground evaluation.
4. Production Challenges; identification of key geological and metallurgical questions to overcome technical challenges across different MIM business units.
5. Emerging Projects; identification and assessment of applicability of advanced and emerging technologies and to maintain flexibility of research studies to meet changing business needs and maximise knowledge transfer for MIM staff.

National Exploration Undercover School (NExUS): In 2016 Dr. Richard Lilly co-founded the National Exploration Undercover School and is integral to the organising and running of the course as lead coordinator. The 3 week summer school aims to provide exploration and geoscience training for some of Australia’s top graduates and undergraduates and to assist them with their careers. The NExUS summer school has received media interest and considerable positive feedback from the minerals industry as an innovative and forward thinking initiative.

• Report on 2016 NExUS 

• Report on 2017 NExUS 

Community engagement: Dr. Richard Lilly regularly gives geoscience and exploration focused talks in local schools and at outreach events. He is the University of Adelaide geology representative for the South Australian Society of Economic Geologists (SA SEG), Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), Adelaide University Geology Society (AUGS) and am a member of the national AIG mentoring program.

Richard is a passionate geologist and through his proactive teaching and mentoring roles at the University of Adelaide, is helping to teach and inspire the next generation of geoscientists and exploration geologists.