Profile
Prof Xiaoyu Yan
News - 2021
21 September 2021
Former 4E member Rob Pell has just published a review paper “Towards sustainable extraction of technology materials through integrated approaches” in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. With the growing demand for a transition to renewable energy sources, the need to source sustainable, environmentally friendly raw materials and technology metals has risen significantly. In this paper, we outline how a life cycle assessment study that integrates considerations around the geology, mineralogy and ‘geometallurgy’ can help identify potential environmental impact ‘hot-spots’ before new extraction operations are begun. Great work Rob!
8 June 2021
Former 4E member Emily Stebbings has just published the second paper from her PhD. In the paper “Accounting for benefits from natural capital: Applying a novel composite indicator framework to the marine environment”, we developed a novel framework that investigates how the combination of different forms of capital (natural, financial, social, manufactured or human) provide a potential supply of benefits to the human society, and how changes in quality or extent of natural capital affects supply. Nice work Emily!
5 June 2021
Another publication from the IMP@ACT project Switch on-switch off small-scale mining: Environmental performance in a life cycle perspective! We assessed the environmental performance of a switch on-switch off (SOSO) approach to mining that relies on an integrated modular and mobile plant and is appropriate for rapid start-up and cessation of production from ore deposits that have economic viability dependent on fluctuating commodity prices.
26 May 2021
Former 4E member Anshul has just published his work within the IMP@ACT project. In the paper “Renewable energy can make small scale mining in Europe more feasible”, we found that mobile modular containerised renewable energy systems currently available on the market are technically and financially feasible to replace diesel generators for powering mobile, small-scale, switch-on, switch-off mining across Europe. Well done Anshul!
27 April 2021
Victor just published his last paper while at 4E – “Sustainable energy planning for remote islands and the waste legacy from renewable energy infrastructure deployment” in which we developed a life cycle sustainability framework to help inform the sustainable energy transition of remote islands. The work was carried out as part of the ICE project. Victor is leaving the university on 30th April 2021 and moving back to Greece. All the best Victor!
1 January 2021
The group welcomes new member Dr Xiaocheng (Sam) Hu. Xiaocheng is a Research Fellow on the ExeMPLaR and Met4Tech projects and will be working on household plastic footprint and the environmental sustainability of a circular economy for technology metals.