Research Conducted during Past 3 Years

• Dr. GVI Samaradivakara

• Applicability of Pre-heating Techniques for Recovery of Minerals from Rocks
• Seismic Surveying to Improve the Subsurface Characteristic Interpretations
• Identification of Soil/Rock Interface using GPR Technique for Soil Nail Wall Design
• Assessment of Environmental Impacts Resulting from Ground Vibrations due to Piling Activities and Railway Transport
• Noise and Vibration Control in Crusher Plant Activities to Enhance Health and Safety of Workers
• Analysis of Ground-Borne Vibrations due to Piling Operations and Risk Zonation
• Review of Impacts on Coastal Zone Due to Poor Riverine Flood Controlling Mechanism: A Case Study in Kalutara Coastal Zone, Sri Lanka
• Appraisal of Electrode Configuration Characteristics in Resistivity Surveying
• Analysis of Bulking Factor as a Basis for Royalty Calculation in Aggregate Quarrying in Sri Lanka

• Professor PGR Dharmaratne

• Ground vibrations due to rock blasting.
• Mitigation of dust and noise generated from mineral processing plants.
• Zero waste quartz mining and processing.
• Estimation of depletion of rocks in metal quarry mining.
• Sustainable rock mining and environment management.

• Professor NP Ratnayake

• Potential of Rare Earth Elements (REE) in Sri Lankan Onshore and Offshore Terrains and Development of Extraction Techniques.  Development Oriented Research (DOR) grants under Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) Operation.
• Millennial and sub-millennial-scale variability of northeast monsoon and its impact on terrestrial ecosystems in Sri Lanka. NSF partially funded.
• Development of a regional sea level curve in context with Sri Lankan coastal proxies and assesment of future sea level impact. Senate Research Grant.
• Investigations on the fertilizing capacity of bottom sediments in the Anuradapura region. Moratuwa University, Senate Research Grant.
• Economic feasibility of heavy minerals in the south western and north eastern offshore and onshore regions of Sri Lanka.  Moratuwa University, Senate Research Grant.
• Development of a performance forecasting model for beach nourishment        project at Uswetakeyyawa-Palliyawata, Sri Lanka. Moratuwa University, Senate Research Grant.
• Effects of tsunami to the long-term geomorphologic change with the collaboration of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Tohoku University and University of Moratuwa.

• Professor HMR Premasiri

• Development of Proxy for Paleo- Sea level changes around Sri Lanka (SRC grant)
• Assessment of REE potential of Sri Lankan Rocks ( DOR grant)
• Study on Seasonal changes of Heavy Mineral beach sand around Sri Lankan coast (Ministry Env. Grant)
• Study on unusual weathering of rocks used in Samanalawewa Dam, Sri Lanka
• Application of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) techniques for coastal sediment mapping

• Suitability of Mineralogical and Lithological characteristics of Sri Lankan rocks for M-Sand (on going MPhil research)

• Dr. DMDOK Dissanayake

• Recovery of Copper from Concentrated Seruwila Copper Magnetite Ore from Chloride Electrolyte in the Presence of Hydrochloric Acid
• Ecological Evaluation of Urban Heat Island Effect in Colombo City, Sri Lanka Based on Landsat 8 Satellite Data
• Extraction of Copper from Seruwila Copper Magnetite Deposit

• Dr. AMKB Abeysinghe

• Study of Rare Earth Minerals/Elements in Vein and Pegmatite Intrusive Rocks
• Study of Rare Earth Element (REE) potential in Sri Lankan terrains
• Identification of potential land subsidence areas due to the collapse of solution cavities of marble rock
• Study of land subsidence occurred in carbonate rock areas and Identification of cavities in bedrock using geophysical methods
• Study of recent movements at Kahegolla landslide and evaluation of potential failure mechanism

• Dr. LPS Rohitha

• Selective Precipitation of Lanthanum oxide (La₂O₃) and Neodymium oxides (Nd₂O₃) from Pulmoddai monazite
• Feasibility of extraction of Cerium Dioxide (CeO₂) from monazite at Pulmoddai
• Potential of Rare Earth Elements (REE) in Sri Lankan Onshore and Offshore Terrains and Development of Extraction Techniques.  Development Oriented Research (DOR) grants under Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) Operation

• Dr. SP Chaminda

• Slope Stability Analysis and Design of Open Pit Mine Slopes for Limestone Mine at Aruwakkalu. Puttalum, Sri Lanka (Funded by Siam Cement (Pvt) Ltd, Completed in 2016)
• Effect of Physical and Mineralogical Properties of Aggregates on Quality of Asphalt Concrete (Funded by Access Engineering (Pvt) Ltd, Completed in 2016)
• Study on Royalty for Sri Lankan Quarry Mining of Industrial Mineral using Photogrammetric 3D Modelling (Funded by Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, Completed in 2019)
• Improving Industrial Waste and Wastewater Management in Gampaha District, Colombo, Sri Lanka (Funded by WEPA, Completed in 2019)
• Analyzing the ground water characteristics in Attanagalu Oya basin
• Analyze bulking factor in quarrying for aggregates production in Sri Lanka
• Fragmentation optimization in aggregate quarrying in Sri Lanka
• Quantitative Analysis of the Gain and Loss Relationship between Rivers and Aquifers using Groundwater and Surface Water Numerical Modelling

• Dr. CL Jayawardena

• Problems associated with the Sri Lankan Mining Industry
• Improving accuracy of geo-physical subsurface measurements
• Comparison of geo-physical methods for water level monitoring

• Dr. ABN Dassanayake

• Durability of rocks
• Identification of stable quarry slope parameters to mitigate potential hazards in Aruwakkalu Limestone mine
• Analyzing the ground water characteristics in Attanagalu Oya basin
• Formation Mechanism of Beach rocks in Southern coastal region with a focus on cement
• Formation Mechanism of Beach in Uswetakeiyawa, Sri Lanka with a focus on Developing a Sustainable Ground Improvement Method
• Land Rehabilitation Design after Quarrying Activities below the Ground Level in conformity with the Environmental safeguards
• Designing an ANFO mixing and loading machine for Aruwakkalu Limestone Quarry
• Optimization of distance between twin tunnels by stress distribution analysis using BEM simulation
• Effective Stress Coefficient for Strength in rock
• Use of the block punch and point load tests to predict the compressive strength of gneissic rocks; with particular reference to the size effect
• Developing a hydrogeological model for Aruwakkalu open pit limestone mine
• Groundwater Flow Modeling and Slope Stability Analysis for  Deepening of Mae Moh Open Pit  Lignite Mine

• Eng. MADMG Wickrama

• Seismic Survey Results to Improve the Understanding of Subsurface Characteristics
• Analysis of The Sri Lankan Petroleum Fiscal System
• Study on Royalty for Sri Lankan Quarry Mining of Industrial Minerals using Photogrammetric 3D Modeling
• Developing a Casing Program for the extraction of petroleum in Mannar Basin, Sri Lanka
• Stability Analysis of Slopes in Aruwakkalu Limestone Mine During Rainfall: A Finite Element Approach

• Dr. IMTN Illankoon

• Mining Zoning – Conserving Mineral Resources for Future Generations

The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau established Mining Zoning Unit under the supervision of Mine Safety division. Functions of the Mining Zoning Unit comprise identification and conservation of natural resources lands. This includes designating mineral resource lands that are not already characterized by urban growth and that have long-term significance for the extraction of minerals. Further, identification of mines that are currently operating and assessing their resource availability, environment impact (ground vibration, Air-blast over pressure, noise of operation) etc. are done by the unit for the development of Mining zone operating guidelines.

Working as the Assistant Director in the Mine Safety division create the opportunity to research on the effect of ground vibration, Air-blast over pressure, noise and fly rocks when determining the buffer for the safe operation of mine. Mining Zone maps for Homagama and Seethawaka Divisions were already created based on above mentioned methodology and in final discussion stage.

• Eng. AVP Vijitha

• Use of Cement Sand Admixtures to Produce High Strength Soil Bricks for Low Cost Housing Projects
• Identification of Soil Property Impacts on Manufacturing of High Strength Soil Bricks in Selected Areas of Hambanthota and Ratnapura Districts
• Heavy mineral sands in kirinda area, deposit characteristics and extraction potential

• Eng. S Thiruchittampalam

• Noise and vibration control in crusher plant activities to enhance the Health and Safety of Workers
• Land rehabilitation after quarrying activities below the ground level

• Eng. MML Lasantha

• Increasing the Thermal Conductivity of Rubber by Using Natural Graphite as an Additive
• Evaluation of Extraneous Iron Contaminant Removal Process of Quartz Processing Plants in Sri Lanka
• Critical Evaluation of Current Environmental Comfort Conditions of Bogala Underground