Process Science and Engineering Divisions
CSIRO’s minerals research has developed from three sources:
- CSIR Ore Dressing Investigations
- the Chemical Engineering Section of the Division of Industrial Chemistry
- the CSIR Minerals Utilization Section
CSIR Ore Dressing Investigations was first established in 1934 with three laboratories at the Kalgoorlie School of Mines, the South Australian School of Mines and Industries, and the University of Melbourne. It survived the transition from CSIR to CSIRO in 1949. In February 1970 Ore Dressing Investigations was disbanded, part joining the Division of Chemical Engineering, while the majority was incorporated into the Division of Mineral Chemistry.
The Chemical Engineering Section was originally part of the Division of Industrial Chemistry. In 1962 the Section was granted Divisional status, becoming the Division of Chemical Engineering. In 1978 it was renamed the Division of Mineral Engineering.
The Minerals Utilization Section began as part of the Division of Industrial Chemistry in 1958 and achieved divisional status as the Division of Mineral Chemistry in 1959. The Division specialized in physical and inorganic chemistry. In 1988 it became the Division of Mineral Products.
The Mineral Physics Section was established within the Division of Mineral Chemistry in July 1971 and was accorded divisional status in October 1972 as the Division of Mineral Physics. In 1985 it was renamed the Division of Mineral Physics and Mineralogy.
An amalgamation in 1987 between the Division of Mineral Engineering and the Division of Mineral Physics and Mineralogy led to the formation of the Division of Mineral and Process Engineering.
In 1995 the Division of Mineral Products merged with the Division of Mineral and Process Engineering to form the CSIRO Minerals Division. In 2009 this was renamed CSIRO Process Science and Engineering.
In 2014, in a major restructuring of CSIRO, the term Division was replaced by the term Flagship for the organization’s operating units and the title Chief replaced by the title Director. The Division of Process Science and Engineering was renamed Mineral Resources. As part of this restructuring 34 Process Science and Engineering staff were transferred to the Manufacturing flagship.
History of Process Science and Engineering Divisions
Chief of Division/Officer-in-Charge
| Division | Chief |
| Ore Dressing Investigations (1934-70) | Individual investigators (1934-50) Henry Haughton Dunkin (O-i-C 1951-67) Kenneth Selway Blaskett (1967-69) |
| Chemical Engineering Section (1958-62) | Henry Reginald Clive Pratt (1958-62) |
| Chemical Engineering (1962-78) | Henry Reginald Clive Pratt (1962-73) Thomas Hedley (Acting 1973-74) Denis Fletcher Kelsall (1974-78) |
| Mineral Engineering (1978-87) | Denis Fletcher Kelsall (1978-1982) Alan Whitehead (Acting 1982) Alan Forrest Reid (1982-1983) Robin John Batterham (Acting 1983-87) |
| Minerals Utilization Section (1958-59) | Richard Grenfell Thomas (O-i-C 1958-59) |
| Mineral Chemistry (1959-87) | Richard Grenfell Thomas (1959-61) Ivan Edgar Newnham (1961-70) David Francis Koch (1971-85) Thomas Biegler (Acting 1985-86) Thomas Biegler (1986-87) |
| Mineral Products (1988-95) | David Francis Koch (1988) Thomas Biegler (1988-1994) |
| Mineral Physics Section (1971-72) | Kenneth Gordon McCracken (1971-72) |
| Mineral Physics (1972-84) | Kenneth Gordon McCracken (1972-84) |
| Mineral Physics and Mineralogy (1985-87) | Brian Jerrald Jack Embleton (1985-87) |
| Mineral and Process Engineering (1987-95) | Robin John Batterham (1987-88) William John Trahar (Acting 1988) Robert David La Nauze (1988-1994) |
| Minerals (1995-2009) | Robert David La Nauze (1995-96) Roderick Jeffery Hill (1997-2003) William John Rankin (Acting 2003-04) Lambertus Gerrit Jan (Bart) Follink (2004 -2009) |
| Process Science and Engineering (2009-14) | Lambertus Gerrit Jan (Bart) Follink (2009-2011) Mark Fietz (Acting 2011) Anita J Hill (2011-14) Marcus Zipper (2014) |
Sources
• Schedvin CB, Trace K, 1978, Historical Directory of CSIR and CSIRO 1926-1976, CSIRO Publishing.
• Encyclopedia of Australian Science
• CSIRO Annual Reports
• CSIRO Communications