Dr. Maria Kalashnikova

Dr. Maria Kalashnikova, D.Sc.

Doctor of Technical Sciences (D.Sc.) · Extractive Metallurgy
Independent Metallurgy Consultant  |  Subject Matter Expert in Base & Precious Metals Extraction
📍 Tel Aviv District, Israel  (Global / Remote) ✉ maria@mkalashnikova.com 📞 +972 55-284-2590 ⬇ Download PDF

Executive Summary

Independent Metallurgy Consultant available for global EPCM engagements, technical due diligence, and bankable feasibility review. Over 40 years of industrial-scale experience de-risking base and precious metals projects — from flowsheet selection and CAPEX optimisation to commissioning support and post-start-up debottlenecking of hydromet refineries and matte smelter integrations.

Trusted technical authority for mining operators, financiers, and EPCM firms requiring an independent reviewer on acid consumption, recovery, scaling, and process-risk assumptions. Operates at the depth required for NI 43-101 Qualified Person and JORC Competent Person sign-offs on metallurgical test-work, recovery projections, and process plant design. 10 issued patents, 3 industry textbooks — credibility grounded in delivered industrial outcomes, not theory.

Core Competencies & Areas of Expertise

Advanced LeachingHPAL (High-Pressure Acid Leaching), POX (pressure oxidation), atmospheric leaching, laterite leaching
Separation & RefiningCobalt SX/EW (Solvent Extraction / Electrowinning), nickel sulphide flotation, non-toxic sulfide precipitation
Matte ProcessingMatte conversion, copper-nickel matte leaching, treatment of magnetic fractions
Precious MetalsPGM recovery from sulfide copper-nickel raw materials and pyrrhotite-pentlandite concentrates
Project EvaluationNickel laterite scoping study evaluation, technical due diligence, flowsheet auditing, process bottleneck resolution
Specialty ChemistryThiosulphate precipitants, dissolution kinetics of nickel oxides, sulfide precipitation from dilute sulfate solutions

Selected Project Experience & Technical Achievements

Independent Technical Consultant / Subject Matter Expert
2014 – Present  ·  Global / Remote
Self-employed · Tel Aviv District, Israel
  • Fenix HPAL Technical Due Diligence (Guatemala / Global): Spearheaded an independent flowsheet audit of the Skye Resources / Hatch nickel-laterite scoping study, stress-testing acid-consumption, recovery, and scaling assumptions on behalf of the financing party — [insert $ CAPEX of project audited] CAPEX scope, surfacing [insert N] material risks before FID.
  • Process Optimization — NN Harjavalta (Finland): Diagnosed throughput bottlenecks across the integrated hydromet refinery and delivered targeted precipitation-circuit interventions, lifting base-metal precipitation efficiency by [insert % uplift] and adding [insert tpa or $ EBITDA] at zero new CAPEX.
  • Precipitation Advisory — BHP Billiton (Australia): Architected the technical case for adopting non-toxic Cu/Ni/Co sulfide precipitation from dilute sulfate streams, cutting reagent toxicity and tailings load while preserving [insert % recovery vs. baseline] metal recovery — patented method RU 2328537.
Head of Hydrometallurgy Laboratory
1986 – 2025  ·  St. Petersburg, Russia
Gipronickel Institute
  • Kola MMC Roasting-Leaching-Electrowinning Circuit: Spearheaded the 17-year R&D-to-industrial roll-out of the matte-separation flowsheet for the Kola MMC refinery; optimised downstream matte conversion, raising cathode nickel purity to [insert grade %] and processing [insert tpa nickel throughput].
  • Norilsk Nickel Pyrrhotite Treatment: Developed and patented a full POX (pressure-oxidation) flowsheet that converted low-grade sulfide pyrrhotite — previously a tailings stream — into a profitable feedstock, unlocking [insert tpa nickel-equivalent] of new annual production.
  • PGM Recovery Optimization: Architected and scaled the hydrometallurgical PGM-recovery circuit for complex pyrrhotite-pentlandite concentrates, lifting PGM recovery by [insert % uplift vs. prior route] — basis of patents RU 2444573 and RU 2573306.
  • Laterite & Polymetallic Ore Processing (Bulgaria & Kazakhstan): Engineered a custom laterite leach profile for Bulgarian deposits and delivered a bespoke atmospheric/pressure flowsheet for sub-standard Pb-Zn concentrates (Zhairem, Kazakhstan) — bypassing traditional smelter limitations and recovering [insert % Zn / Pb / Ag].
  • Magnetic Fraction Processing (Kola MMC): Designed a leaching-plus-nickel-sulphide-flotation methodology to liberate base metals trapped in the magnetic fraction of fine mattes, improving overall plant recovery by [insert % overall plant recovery uplift].

Consultative & Advisory Roles

Patents & Intellectual Property  — 10 issued Russian Federation patents

  1. RU 2114195 Method of processing sulfide pyrrhotite-containing raw materials. (1998)
  2. RU 2167101 Method of producing thiosulphates. (2001)
  3. RU 2182183 Method of precipitating non-ferrous metals from solutions. (2002)
  4. RU 2328537 Method of selective precipitation of nickel, cobalt and copper from zinc in sulfate solutions in the form of sulfides. (2008)
  5. RU 2319754 Method of processing materials containing minerals in which nickel is in the oxide form. (2008)
  6. RU 2444573 Method for producing precious metals concentrate from sulfide copper-nickel raw materials. (2012)
  7. RU 2573306 Method of processing sulfide pyrrhotite-pentlandite concentrates containing precious metals. (2016)
  8. RU 2601722 Method of processing solutions containing non-ferrous metals. (2016)
  9. RU 2626257 Method of processing sulfide pyrrhotite-pentlandite concentrates containing precious metals. (2017)
  10. RU 2712160 Method of processing sulfide concentrate containing pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite, and precious metals. (2020)

Key Publications & Academic Leadership

Author of 3 fundamental textbooks and numerous international symposium papers on hydrometallurgy of non-ferrous metals.

Books
  1. S.S. Naboychenko, Ya.M. Shneerson, M.I. Kalashnikova, L.V. Chugaev. Pressure Hydrometallurgy of Non-Ferrous Metals, Vol. 1. UGTU-UPI, Yekaterinburg, 2008 (376 pp.)
  2. S.S. Naboychenko, Ya.M. Shneerson, M.I. Kalashnikova, L.V. Chugaev. Pressure Hydrometallurgy of Non-Ferrous Metals, Vol. 2. UGTU-UPI, Yekaterinburg, 2009 (612 pp.)
  3. M.I. Kalashnikova. Scientific Basics of Modern Nickel and Copper Hydrometallurgy. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2011 (368 pp.)
Selected International Symposium Papers
  1. Shneerson, Ryabko, Volkov, Muravin, Kalashnikova. Wasteless hydrometallurgical technology for matte treatment. Clean Technology for the Mining Industry, University of Concepción, Chile, 1996, pp. 323–331.
  2. Kalashnikova, Shneerson, Keskinova, Chetvertakov. Non-Toxic Method of Nickel/Cobalt/Copper Sulfides Precipitation as Rich Concentrates from Diluted Sulfate Solutions. Yazawa International Symposium, San Diego, USA, 2003.
  3. Kalashnikova, Shneerson, Keskinova. Interactions of ferriferous copper-nickel mattes with sulphuric acid: study of chemistry and kinetics. Pressure Hydrometallurgy 2004, Alberta, Canada, pp. 887–898.
  4. Kalashnikova, Shneerson, Keskinova, Chetvertakov. Non-Traditional Methods of Heavy Metals Precipitation from Solution in the Form of Sulfide. Sohn International Symposium, San Diego, USA, 2006, pp. 555–561.
  5. Kalashnikova, Shneerson, Lapin, Saltykov, Keskinova. Hydrometallurgical Treatment of Substandard Pb–Zn Concentrates with Production of Zinc, Lead and Silver. Sohn International Symposium, San Diego, USA, 2006, pp. 573–579.
  6. Volkov, Kalashnikova, Shneerson. The behaviour of copper during the dissolution of metallic nickel in CuSO₄ solutions. Copper / Cobre 2007, John E. Dutrizac Symposium on Copper Hydrometallurgy, Toronto, Canada, pp. 333–343.
  7. Volkov, Kalashnikova. Mechanism of nickel oxides dissolving by sulphuric acid solutions in acid environment. Non-Ferrous Metals, 2011, №2, pp. 68–71.