معرفی
Dr. Lieven Machiels is a geologist and senior researcher at KU Leuven, Belgium, affiliated with the Laboratory of Metallurgical Chemistry and the KU Leuven Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals. His work bridges geology, metallurgy and environmental engineering to deliver practical solutions for waste-to-resource valorisation, especially across Flanders and the broader EU.
Research Focus
- Enhanced Landfill Mining (ELFM) as a cornerstone of the circular economy
- Plasma processing and high-temperature slag valorisation
- Solvent extraction, bio- and solvo-leaching for critical-metal recovery
- Development and industrial uptake of inorganic polymer based building products
- Zero-waste strategies for mining tailings and metallurgical residues
Across more than 50 peer-reviewed publications since 2006, his research trajectory demonstrates a clear progression from fundamental mineralogical studies of natural zeolite deposits to cutting-edge hydrometallurgical and solvometallurgical flow-sheets that transform low-grade wastes into valuable metals, minerals and construction materials. The 2017-2023 corpus alone covers cobalt, nickel, zinc, antimony and lead recovery, deep-eutectic solvent systems, and life-cycle environmental evaluation of new binders.
Scientific Awards & Recognition
- Coordinator and key scientist in the EU Horizon 2020 training network on Enhanced Landfill Mining (EURELCO).
- Contributing author to policy-oriented reviews that position ELFM as the “missing link to Circular Economy 2.0”.
Advising & Collaborative Networks
- Active mentor within the EURELCO Marie Skłodowska-Curie training network (multiple PhD projects).
- Leads industry-academia consortia in Flanders to scale inorganic polymer building products.
- Principal investigator on projects integrating plasma fuming, LCA and market deployment of alkali-activated materials.
Laboratories & Teams
Dr. Machiels operates from the Laboratory of Metallurgical Chemistry at KU Leuven, which houses pilot-scale plasma reactors, solvent-extraction rigs and advanced mineralogical instrumentation. The lab is tightly integrated with the Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals, ensuring cross-disciplinary collaboration with process metallurgists, environmental scientists and industrial partners.
