Project Info

Analysis of mineral supply chains using graph analytics

sebnem duzgun
duzgun@mines.edu

Project Goals and Description:

Mineral supply chains are one of the critical components of the energy transition.  However, these supply chains have resilience issues due to social, political, and environmental aspects of their extraction and required processing and associated trading.  The project we have been working on deals with modeling mineral supply chains using systems engineering approaches, where we represent the supply chains with graphs.  We investigate the trade pattern from source to destination using various global data sets.  We also use the graphs to quantify emissions and resilience of the considered mineral supply chain.  Additionally, some minerals (e.g. gold, silver, and colored gemstones) are produced by artisanal small-scale mining, where some illicit activities play a role.  Using graph analytics, we explore possible illicit activities within the supply chain network.  For supply chains of iron, steel, copper and battery materials, graph analytics help us to identify critical nodes that impact the supply chain resiliency.  Hence students who are engaged with this project will  learn about the supply chain and grapgh analytics while helping our team.

More Information:

Grand Challenge: Engineer the tools of scientific discovery.

Primary Contacts:

Sebnem Duzgun, duzgun@mines.edu

Student Preparation

Qualifications

students who have some background in python are preferable but if you have no background this is an opportunity to learn.  We are seeking for motivated students who have the ambition to learn

TIME COMMITMENT (HRS/WK)

4-6

SKILLS/TECHNIQUES GAINED

Data analytics Graph analytics Python

MENTORING PLAN

Students will work with PhD students and have weekly meetings with them.  They will meet with the faculty biweekly or as needed.

PREFERRED STUDENT STATUS

Sophomore
Junior
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