Richard Lilly

Dr. Richard Lilly is a University Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide, affiliated with the School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences within the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology. He serves as the Program Leader for the National Exploration Undercover School (NExUS), a Minerals Council of Australia-funded initiative training the next generation of mineral exploration geoscientists. His academic and industry career spans roles as Senior Exploration Geologist at Mount Isa Mines (2007–2015) and as Mount Isa Mines Embedded Research Fellow (2015–2019). His research focuses on ore deposit formation, exploration geochemistry, and improving exploration techniques under cover.

Education: PhD on the northern Oman ophiolite from Cardiff University (UK), followed by industry roles at Rio Tinto and Chevron before joining Mount Isa Mines. He teaches undergraduate economic geology and coordinates applied research projects linking academia and industry.

Research Interests: Exploration through cover, ore system characterization, deposit-scale modeling, and emerging technologies for mineral exploration. Key projects include studies on the Mount Isa Cu and Ernest Henry IOCG deposits, as well as collaborations with industry partners like Hillgrove Resources and OZ Minerals.

Awards: Finalist in the 2021 South Australian STEMM Educator of the Year Award for innovative teaching and outreach in geoscience education.

Grants and Industry Collaboration: Successfully managed industry-funded research programs (e.g., Mount Isa Mines Embedded Research Fellowship) and coordinates applied projects across Australian and European universities. Active in community outreach and mentorship through SEG, AusIMM, and the AIG national mentoring program.

NExUS Program: Since co-founding NExUS in 2016, he has led a 3-week summer school training over 200 students, fostering industry-academic collaboration and geoscience career development.