Dr. Matthew Lindsay
Matthew B. J. Lindsay, Ph.D., P.Geo. (SK)

Professor
NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Mine Closure Geochemistry
Department of Geological Sciences
Global Institute for Water Security

Dr. Lindsay leads the Environmental Geochemistry Group at the University of Saskatchewan. He earned a B.Sc in Environmental Science from the University of Guelph (2001) and a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the University of Waterloo (2010). After holding Postdoctoral Fellowships at the University of Waterloo (2010-2011) and the University of British Columbia (2011-2012), Dr. Lindsay joined the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan in September, 2012.

ardalan_photo2_cropped.jpg schoepfer_20210922.jpeg
Dr. Ardalan Hayatifar
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Valerie Schoepfer
Professional Research Associate
Education:
Ph.D., Oklahoma State University (Chemistry)
M.Sc., Iran University of Science and Technology (Chemistry)
B.Sc., Shahid Beheshti University (Chemistry)
Education:
Ph.D., Southern Cross University (Geosciences)
M.Sc., University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Natural Resources)
B.Sc., University of New Hampshire (Soil and Watershed Management)
Research:

Ardalan is studying metal-mineral interactions with particular emphasis on the molecular-scale dynamics of interfacial reactions. He is developing reactive molecular dynamics simulations and enhanced sampling methods coupled with advanced in situ spectroscopic techniques to elucidate complex reaction pathways. Ardalan is using this novel approach to examine thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of metal adsorption onto iron (oxyhyd)oxides.

Research:

Valerie is studying dynamics of metal-mineral interactions with implications for metal mobility in both modern environments and paleoenvironments. Valerie integrates synchrotron techniques, electron microscopy, and experimental approaches to address both fundamental and applied scientific questions with implications for environmental change through geologic time and for mine waste management and site remediation.

Selected Publications:
Hayatifar et al. (2021) Dalton Trans., 50: 490-4493.
Hayatifar et al. (2019) Chem. Comm., 55: 10852-10855.
Hayatifar et al. (2018) Organometallics, 37: 1852-1859.
Selected Publications:
Schoepfer and Lindsay (2022) Chem. Geol., 610: 121075.
Schoepfer and Burton (2021) Earth Sci. Rev., 221: 103811.
Schoepfer et al. (2020) ACS Earth Space Chem., 4: 1114-1126.
Support:
Support:
Current B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. students supervised or co-supervised by Dr. Lindsay.
Co-supervisors: Dr. E.K. Skierszkan
Student
Program
Research Topic
Started
M.Sc.
Geochemical evolution of oil sands froth treatment tailings 09/2024
Brian Greflund
M.Sc.
Metal-mineral associations in weathering sulfide mine tailings
09/2024
M.Sc.
Assessing groundwater quality in the Whitehorse Area
05/2024
M.Sc.
Metal(loid) mobilization during permafrost thaw
09/2021
M.Sc.
Metal mobility in oil sands petroleum coke deposits
05/2021
Ph.D.
Reactive mine materials for passive in situ water treatment
09/2020
Ph.D.
Geochemical response of sulfide tailings to reclamation soil covers
05/2020
M.Sc.
Biogeochemical processes in flocculated oil sands fluid tailings
09/2019
M.Sc.
Environmental mineralogy of oil sands froth treatment tailings
09/2019
M.Sc.
Environmental geochemistry of oil sands froth treatment tailings
09/2019
M.Sc.
Biogeochemical processes in treated oil sands fluid tailings
09/2019
Staff Member Role Started
Stuart Ferry Research Assistant & Research Laboratory Manager 09/2024
Dr. Jing Chen Research Scientist & Analytical Laboratory Manager 01/2017
Brenda Bews Research Engineer & Research Manager 05/2013
Past trainees supervised or co-supervised by Dr. Lindsay. 
Co-supervisors: Dr. S.L. Barbour; Dr. R. Pérez López; Dr. J.M. NietoDr. J.M. McBeth; Dr. G.A.G. Ferguson; Dr. V.A. Schoepfer
Graduate Students
Student Degree (Year) Thesis Link
*International Ph.D. program, Departmento de Geología, Universidad de Huelva (Spain).
Stuart Ferry M.Sc. (2024) Acid neutralization and metal mobilization in oil sands froth treatment tailings HARVEST
Philip Adene Ph.D. (2024) Biogeochemical implications of sulfate-based coagulants in treated oil sands fluid fine tailings HARVEST
Jake Marchi M.Sc. (2024) Influence of microbial sulfate reduction on pore-water chemistry in oil sands froth treatment tailings HARVEST
Aidan Mowat 5 M.Sc. (2023) Hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwaters in the Williston Basin, Canada HARVEST
Mattea Cowell M.Sc. (2021) Geochemical implications of gypsum addition to oil sands fluid fine tailings: Laboratory batch and column experiments. HARVEST
Mojtaba Abdolahnezhad M.Sc. (2020) Metal leaching from oil sands fluid petroleum coke under different geochemical conditions. HARVEST
Daniel Francis 1 M.Sc. (2020) Examining controls on chemical mass transport across the tailings-water interface of an oil sands end pit lake. HARVEST
Colton Vessey M.Sc. (2019) Impacts of mineral surface reactions on aqueous vanadate attenuation. HARVEST
Sarah Rudderham 4 M.Sc. (2019) Geomicrobiology and geochemistry of fluid fine tailings in an oil sands end pit lake. HARVEST
Lawrence Swerhone M.Sc. (2018) Trace element mobility in layered oil sands mine wastes. HARVEST
Danielle Veikle M.Sc. (2018) Geochemical controls on arsenic, uranium, and molybdenum mobility in a low-level radioactive waste management area in Ontario, Canada. HARVEST
Carlo Cilia 1 M.Sc. (2017) Characterizing the physical and chemical transport of dissolved salts in layered oil sands mine wastes undergoing reclamation. HARVEST
Pablo Cruz Hernández 2,3,* Ph.D. (2017) Trace elements mobility during the early diagenesis of iron precipitates in acid drainage systems. Arias Montano
Kathryn Dompierre 1 Ph.D. (2016) Controls on mass and thermal loading to an oil sands end pit lake from underlying fluid fine tailings. HARVEST
Kaixuan Qin M.Sc. (2016) Impact of iron(II) induced transformation of iron(III) (hydr)oxides on molybdenum mobility in groundwater. HARVEST
Jake Nesbitt M.Sc. (2016) Geochemical investigation of fluid petroleum coke deposits at an oil sands mine in northern Alberta, Canada. HARVEST
Kaitlyn Heaton M.Sc. (2015) Biogeochemical Investigation of Centrifuged Fine Tailings Deposits and an Oil Sands Mine in Northern Alberta, Canada. HARVEST
Undergraduate Students
Student Degree (Year) B.Sc. Honours Project
Scott Churchill B.Sc. (2024) Sulfide mineral oxidation in historic waste materials from the Western Nuclear mine, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Ariel Ponzo Cabrera B.Sc. (2024) Metal(loid) release during thawing of permafrost sediments from Yukon, Canada.
Simon Friesen2,6 B.Sc. (2023) Stability of iron(III)-arsenate phases under changing geochemical conditions.
Matthew Fellwock B.Sc. (2021) Laboratory assessment of acid generation and metal leaching during oxidative  weathering of oil sands froth treatment tailings.
Lyndsay Hauber B.Sc. (2019) Passive treatment of dissolved metals from petroleum coke leachate using zero-valent iron.
Kagan Meier B.Sc. (2019) Controls on arsenic mobility in oil sands froth treatment tailings.
Drake Meili B.Sc. (2019) Geochemical implications of redox transitions on oil sands froth treatment tailings.
Josh Paulsen B.Sc. (2019) Passive treatment of coal spoil leachates using zero-valent iron and magnetite.
Mattea Cowell B.Sc. (2016) Biogeochemical Implications of flocculent and coagulant additions to oil sands fluid fine tailings.
Aidan Mowat B.Sc. (2016) Impacts of contaminated groundwater discharge on urban stream water quality: Statistical analysis of eight stream catchments in eastern Canada. 
Colton Vessey B.Sc. (2016) Ion exchange reactions in a constructed watershed for oil sands mine closure.
Postdoctoral Fellows (PDFs) & Professional Research Associates (PRAs)
Researcher Role (Tenure) Research
Dr. Elliott Skierszkan PDF (2020-2023) Metal(loid) mobilization during permafrost thaw
Dr. Jullieta Lum 4 PDF (2019-2021) Mineralogy of arsenic trioxide roaster waste from the former Giant Mine (Yellowknife, Canada).
Dr. Mohamed Edahbi PDF (2019-2020) Geochemistry and mineralogy of coagulated-flocculated oil sands mature fine tailings.
Dr. Jared Robertson PDF (2017-2018) Geochemistry and mineralogy of oil sands mine tailings and upgrading byproducts.
Dr. Soumya Das PRA (2016-2018) Passive treatment of selenium in simulated coal spoil drainage.
Dr. Rebecca North 1 PRA (2014-2015) Internal mass loading in an oil sands pit lake.