?????Dr. Bjorn von der Heyden
Lecturer
e-mail: bvon@sun.ac.za
phone : (0)21-808-3122
Bjorn von der Heyden completed his Ph.D. in geology at Stellenbosch 肆客足球 in 2013 and subsequently spent two years working as a geologist in the South African minerals sector for Exxaro Resources Ltd. After his exposure to the mining industry, he returned to academia appointed as a lecturer in Economic Geology. In this role, he places equal emphasis on generating and publishing exciting new science, and on providing high-quality education to the next generation of African earth scientists.
Research Interests
? Controls on hydrothermal classes of ore mineralisation (notably gold)
? Synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy
? Applied geometallurgy
Courses
? Third year level: Economic Geology
? Honours level: Mineral Economics
? Honours level: Ore microscopy
? Honours level: Geostatistics
? Honours level: Two-week mine/geology of South Africa tour
? External course: Geology for Engineers
Relevant research grants
? DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Integrated Mineral and Energy Resource Analysis (CIMERA) funding for two M.Sc. level student projects, and one Ph.D. level research project.
? NRF Unrated Researcher Grant (2017-2019): Principal Investigator- Gold mineralisation in sub-Saharan Africa
? Royal Academy of Engineering Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa Grant (2018-2020): Research Partner- Industrial Minerals in Zimbabwe
Publication highlights
? Babedi, L., Tadie, M., Neethling, P. and von der Heyden, B.P., 2021. A fundamental assessment of the impacts of cation (Cd, Co, Fe) substitution on the molecular chemistry and surface reactivity of sphalerite. Minerals Engineering 160, 106695.
? Dunn, S.C. and von der Heyden, B.P., 2021. Gold remobilization in gossans of the Amani area, southwestern Tanzania. Ore Geology Reviews 104033.
? Von der Heyden, B.P., 2020. Shedding light on ore deposits: A review of synchrotron X-ray radiation use in ore geology research. Ore Geology Reviews 117, 103328.
? Dunn, S.C., von der Heyden, B.P., Rozendaal, A., Taljaard, R., 2019. Secondary gold mineralisation in the Amani Gold Placer Deposit, Tanzania. Ore Geology Reviews 107, 87-107.
? von der Heyden, B.P., 2019. Interviews with professional geologists enhance learning about the applied aspects of economic geology for final-year university students. Journal of Geoscience Education 67(1), 20-33.
? von der Heyden, B.P., Roychoudhury, A.N., Tyliszczak, T., Myneni, S.C.B., 2017. Investigating nanoscale mineral compositions: Iron L3-edge spectroscopic evaluation of iron oxide and oxy-hydroxide coordination, American Mineralogist 102 (3), 674-685.
? von der Heyden, B.P., Roychoudhury, A.N., Mtshali, T.N., Tyliszczak, T. and Myneni, S.C.B., 2012. Chemically and geographically distinct solid-phase iron pools in the Southern Ocean, Science 338, 1191 – 1201.
? For full publication list please visit google scholar “https://scholar.google.co.za/citations?user=MStFH-wAAAAJ&hl=en?"
Student supervision
Since 2016, 20 Honours-level students and three M.Sc. students and one Ph.D. student have been graduated from the Economic Geology study group at Stellenbosch 肆客足球.
Current M- and D-level students contributing to the study group include:
? Steve Chingwaru (M.Sc.): Gold deportment in sulphide minerals from the Witwatersrand paleoplacer deposit.
? Yann Waku (M.Sc.): Gold mineralisation in the Moto greenstone belt, DRC.
? Tanisha Schultz (M.Sc.): Mineral chemistry alteration signatures associated with high grade gold mineralisation, Barberton.
? Ryan Rosenfels (M.Sc.): Copper and Cobalt mineralisation in the Fungurume 88 deposit, DRC.
? Muofhe Tshibalanganda (M.Sc.): X-ray Computed Tomography as a tool in oil and gas exploration.
? Stephan Dunn (Ph.D.): Gold Mineralisation in the Amani hills, Ubendian mobile belt, SW Tanzania.
? Lebogang Babedi (Ph.D.): Characterisation of electronic structure and surface properties of auriferous pyrite.
Awards
? 2018: Stellenbosch 肆客足球 Teaching Excellence Award: Developing Teacher category
? 2017: Runner-up Award 10th Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference (Stellenbosch 肆客足球)
? 2009: Haughton Award (Geological Society of South Africa): Best Honours research thesis in South Africa in 2009.
Professional Affiliations
? Geological Society of South Africa (GSSA): Member number 968331
? Society of Economic Geologists: Member number 909238
? Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits: Member number 3969-17
? Centre of Excellence for Integrated Mineral and Energy Resources (CIMERA): Research partner.
? Mineralogical Society of South Africa (MINSA): co-opted committee member.
? African Light Source Initiative: committee member for international conference organisation
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