Richard Diaz Alorro

Associate Professor Richard Diaz Alorro is an academic specializing in Metallurgical Engineering and Resources and Geo-Environmental Engineering at Curtin University's Western Australian School of Mines. He leads the Metallurgical Engineering undergraduate program and directs global initiatives. His research focuses on leaching technologies, technospheric mining, and waste-to-resource processes, with 80+ publications in top journals like Minerals Engineering and Hydrometallurgy.

Education: PhD and MEng (Resources & Geo-Environmental Engineering) from Hokkaido University (Japan), BEng (Metallurgical Engineering, Cum Laude) from the Philippines. Professional experience includes roles at Toyota Tsusho Corporation in Japan and global sustainability workshops.

Research interests span urban mining, critical metal recovery, environmental remediation, and hydrometallurgical innovation. Notable awards include the 2022 Global Positioning Excellence Award and the 2012 Young Author Award from the International Mineral Processing Congress. He teaches courses on mineral processing and metallurgical design, and actively develops sustainable recycling technologies for EV batteries and industrial wastes.

Key contributions include leaching methodologies for cobalt/nickel recovery from slag, mechanochemical lithium extraction, and mercury sequestration from gold processing effluents. Oversees projects funded by industry and government, with a focus on circular economy applications.