Thomas Avram

Thomas (Tommy) Avram is a Ph.D. Student in Environmental Geochemistry at the University of Saskatchewan, working under the supervision of Dr. Matthew Lindsay. His current research investigates the geochemical evolution of sulfide-bearing tailings produced in bitumen-ore processing in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR).  

Broadly, his research objectives are to: (i) investigate the geochemical response of the tailings to the application of a soil reclamation cover; (ii) characterize the mineralogy of hardpan layers and examine their influence on metal(loid) mobility and oxidation kinetics; (iii) identify primary and secondary REE-hosting minerals and the mechanisms controlling REE mobility; and (iv) gain understanding regarding the presence and importance of secondary phases in metal(loid) attenuation. Tommy’s work employs a broad variety of field-, lab-, and synchrotron-based techniques, including field lysimeters, column experiments, and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis. Tommy holds a B.Sc.(Hons.) in Environmental Geoscience from the University of Regina; his honours thesis examined lithium enrichment via mineralogically controlled water-rock interactions in basinal brines.