IMPC Lifetime Achievement Award to Prof. Zhenghe Xu

At last night's International Mineral Processing Congress Gala Dinner in Cape Town, the Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed to Prof. Zhenghe Xu.

Zhenghe with IMPC Chairman Aubrey Mainza and Council President Ralph Holmes

Professor Xu has built an exceptional international career at the forefront of engineering, materials science and sustainable resource processing, with a longstanding and valued association with the University of Alberta, Canada. He joined the University in 1997 and went on to become a leading authority in interfacial science, mineral processing and oil-sands engineering. During his time at Alberta, he held the Canada Research Chair in Mineral Processing and the NSERC-Industry Research Chair in Oil Sands Engineering right after his NSERC-Industry Research Chair in Coal Cleaning and Combustion Technology, developing research that combined fundamental scientific understanding with practical solutions to some of the most challenging issues in resource recovery and environmental sustainability.

Professor Xu’s research has spanned mineral flotation, oil-sands extraction, colloids and surface forces, petroleum emulsions, tailings management, wastewater treatment, and the recycling of spent batteries and electronics materials. His work has resulted in more than 550 peer-reviewed scientific journal publications with numerous patents, books and book chapters, and has influenced both academic research and industrial practice.

His achievements have been recognised with many of the highest honours in Canadian engineering and science. He was elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2008, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2015 and an International Member of Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2021, and has received numerous awards for research excellence, industrial practice and sustainable development, including 2024 Antoine M. Gaudin Award, MetSoc Airey Award, ASTech Leadership Foundation Award, MetSoc Award for Research Excellence, Syncrude Award for Excellence in Sustainable Development and APEGA Frank Spragins Technical Award.

In August 2016, Professor Xu joined Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China as a Chair Professor and Founding Dean of its College of Engineering, extending his influence into a new generation of research and engineering leadership. He remains closely associated with the University of Alberta as an Emeritus Professor, reflecting the lasting contribution he has made to the University, its research community and the wider field of engineering. Last month he joined Hong Kong Polytechnic University as chair professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering, extending his key expertise of mineral processing and interfacial sciences to energy storage materials for renewable energies. 

Prof. Xu's career is distinguished not only by the scale of his scholarly achievements, but also by his ability to connect fundamental science with real-world challenges. Through research, innovation, mentorship and international leadership, he has made a significant contribution to advancing more efficient and sustainable approaches to resource engineering. His Lifetime Achievement Award provides a fitting opportunity to celebrate a career of remarkable scientific achievement and enduring impact.

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