Sello Peter Tsebe | Pyrometallurgy | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Sello Peter Tsebe | Pyrometallurgy | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Sello Peter Tsebe, Mintek, South Africa

Mr. Sello Peter Tsebe is a registered Professional Engineer (ECSA) and currently serves as Head of Technology Demonstration in the Pyrometallurgy Division at Mintek, South Africa. With over 17 years of experience in metallurgical research and project leadership, Mr. Tsebe is a pioneering figure in the development and commercialisation of advanced pyrometallurgical technologies. He has led multidisciplinary teams, managed large CAPEX projects, and contributed to international collaborations such as the EU HORIZON programs. He is also the inventor of patented technologies including eWasteSmelt™ and ImpMan™. Mr. Tsebe is known for his critical thinking, innovation, and dedication to sustainable mineral processing. He has authored over 45 technical reports and 10 technical papers and continues to drive Mintek’s strategic RDI goals while mentoring the next generation of engineers.

Publication Profile

Google Scholar

🎓 Education

Mr. Tsebe began his academic journey with a Senior Matric Certificate from Gojela High School in 2002 and was a Grade 12 Merit Certificate holder for the highest academic achievement. He completed an Academic Enrichment Programme at EduMap College in 2003. In 2009, he obtained his B.Sc.Eng in Materials and Metallurgy from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), where he was twice listed on the Dean’s List of Excellence. He further pursued a Programme in Project Management (PPM) at the University of Pretoria in 2017. Most recently, he completed his M.Sc.Eng in Extractive Metallurgy at Wits University in 2023. His academic path demonstrates a solid foundation in metallurgical engineering, project leadership, and research excellence, enabling him to develop innovative and impactful metallurgical solutions across research and industry sectors.

🏢 Experience

With over 17 years in metallurgical R&D, Mr. Tsebe has built an impressive career at Mintek, progressing from Engineer to Head of Technology Demonstration in Pyrometallurgy. He began in Pyrometallurgy (2008–2010), then moved to Hydrometallurgy (2013–2014), and gained industrial experience at Rand Refinery (2011–2012). He rejoined Mintek, rising through Senior Engineer, Principal Engineer, Chief Engineer, and finally Head (2022–present). Throughout, he has led large-scale pilot projects, managed RDI strategy, secured project funding, and mentored engineers. His contributions include successful patent filings, technology transfer, and management of multimillion-rand projects. He is recognised for his leadership in client engagement, CAPEX planning, and sustainable metallurgical innovation.

🏅 Awards & Honors

Mr. Tsebe has received both academic and professional accolades. In academia, he was featured on the Wits University Dean’s List of Excellence in 2004 and 2005 and received the Global Material Solution Prize (2004). Earlier in his academic life, he won the Mogalakwena District Maths Olympiad and a Grade 12 Merit Certificate (2002). Professionally, he was awarded the 2015 Mintek Excellence Award for developing a world-class high-pressure leach pilot plant. He has also received multiple research funding awards for projects like eWasteSmelt, ImpMan, and SmelterEnergy, totaling millions in investment. His innovative contributions to pyrometallurgy and leadership in research execution have earned him recognition both locally and internationally.

🔬 Research Focus

Mr. Tsebe’s research focuses on pyrometallurgical process development, high-temperature metallurgical simulations, and sustainable resource recovery from waste streams. His innovations include patented technologies like eWasteSmelt™ and ImpMan™, which tackle e-waste recycling and process improvement. He has led EU HORIZON collaborations (PREMA, SisAl Pilot, HAlMan) and published extensively on furnace operations, smelter efficiency, hydrogen reduction of manganese ores, and battery materials. His work bridges lab-scale experimentation and full pilot-scale demonstration, often involving computational modeling and simulation tools such as COMSOL and FactSage. He is also engaged in capacity building, training, and mentoring of junior engineers, aligning his work with broader goals of circular economy and green metallurgy.

Publication Top Notes

📊 Variables Applicable to Benchmarking of Tap-Hole Life-Cycle Management Practices in Coke-Bed-Based Ferroalloy Production – 3 citations, 2018
⚙️ Effect of Ore Pre-heating on Furnace Operation in High Carbon Ferromanganese Production—Lessons Learnt from Pilot-Scale Test Work – 1 citation, 2023
🧪 Evaluation of the Effects of Fluidization Conditions on Hydrogen Reduction in Manganese Ore Fines – 0 citations, 2025
🔥 Numerical model of aluminothermic reduction vessel preheating and charge heating with graphite heating rods – 0 citations, 2024
🔥 Numerical model of a top-blown rotary converter preheating and charge heating with an oxy-fuel burner – 0 citations, 2024
♻️ Development of an Integrated Process Flowsheet to Recover Valuable Metals from Waste Cathode Ray Tubes and Printed Circuit Boards – 0 citations, 2024
🔋 Battery materials research conducted at Mintek towards energy storage and resource efficiency – 0 citations, 2022
🧱 Overcoming the phosphorus issue at the Agbaja iron ore project in Nigeria – 0 citations, 2019
🖥️ Towards computational models of metallurgical converting processes – 0 citations, 2018
🔥 Ladle Furnace Preheating and Charge Heating with Graphite Heating Rods – 0 citations, year not listed
🔥 Top-Blown Rotary Converter Preheating and Charge Heating with an Oxy-Fuel Burner – 0 citations, year not listed

Zhiguo LUO | Ferrous Metallurgy | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Zhiguo LUO | Ferrous Metallurgy | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Zhiguo LUO, School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, China

Based on Mr. Zhiguo Luo’s qualifications, here is an assessment of his suitability for the Research for Best Researcher Award:

Publication profile

Education and Professional Experience

Mr. Zhiguo Luo holds a Ph.D. in Ferrous Metallurgy from Northeastern University, where he focused on simulating the dephosphorization of hot metal using BOF slag. His academic background includes significant research in metallurgical processes, as evidenced by his advanced degrees and his role as an Associate Professor at Northeastern University. His experience extends to international research, including a stint as a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales.

Research Interests and Projects

Mr. Luo’s research interests cover transport phenomena, reaction engineering of metallurgy, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) & discrete element method (DEM). His projects are diverse, ranging from simulations of refining processes to the development of instructional equipment for metallurgical processes. Notable projects include simulations for COREX processes and optimization studies for refining ladles.

Publications

  • Zhao, N., Luo, Z., Zou, Z. – Advancements in the Understanding of Single-Bubble Dynamics: Integrated Experimental and Simulation Studies. Steel Research International, 2024, 95(8), 2400020. 📄
  • Luo, Z., Lu, J., Zou, Z., Chang, S. – Study on inclusion removal in two-strand tundish with gas curtain considering bubble-inclusion attachment. Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, 2024. 🔬
  • Lu, J., Luo, Z., Zou, Z. – Numerical simulation of collision-coalescence and removal of inclusion in split swirling flow tundish. Metallurgical Research and Technology, 2024, 121(4), 403. 🔄
  • Li, H., Chen, J., Luo, Z., Wang, X. – Development of Mass–Energy Balance Model Based on a New Process of RSF with Hy-O-CR. Metals, 2024, 14(1), 127. ⚙️
  • Yang, W., He, P., Chang, L., Zhao, N., Liu, Q., Luo, Z. – Numerical Analysis of Slag–Steel–Air Four-Phase Flow in Steel Continuous Casting Model Using CFD-DBM-VOF Model. Metals, 2023, 13(12), 1943. 🔍
  • Wang, X., Luo, Z., Zhang, C., Tian, Z., Han, X. – Simulation on the Solid Flow in COREX Shaft Furnace with CGD Using DEM. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2023, 2463(1), 012050. 🏗️
  • Shi, B., Liu, H., Liu, B., Luo, Z., Zou, Z. – Influence of Breeches Pipe Structures on Hot Blast Distribution Rule Around the Hearth Circumferentially. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B: Process Metallurgy and Materials Processing Science, 2022, 53(6), 3613–3623. 🔥
  • Lu, J., Li, S., Luo, Z., Zou, Z., Shao, L. – Numerical simulation of collision removal of inclusion in swirling flow tundish. International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering, 2022, 20(12), 1275–1282. 🔬
  • Lai, Q., Luo, Z., Zhang, Y., You, Y., Zou, Z. – Numerical Simulation of Multiphase Flow in Steel Continuous Casting Mold Using a Novel Euler–Euler–Lagrange Method. Steel Research International, 2022, 93(9), 2200118. ⚙️
  • Shi, B.-H., Liu, B.-N., Luo, Z.-G., Zou, Z.-S. – Simulation Study on Flow Characteristics of Hot Blast in Bustle Pipe of Blast Furnace. Dongbei Daxue Xuebao/Journal of Northeastern University, 2022, 43(5), 755–760. 🌬️

Supervision and Mentoring

Mr. Luo has supervised several Ph.D. students, guiding research on various aspects of COREX Melter Gasifier and other related topics. His role as a principal supervisor highlights his commitment to advancing the field through the development of future researchers.

Conclusion

 

Mr. Zhiguo Luo’s extensive research, robust publication record, significant contributions to metallurgical simulation, and dedication to mentoring emerging researchers make him a strong candidate for the Research for Best Researcher Award. His work not only advances fundamental understanding in metallurgical processes but also has practical implications for industrial applications, underscoring his excellence in research and education.