Diego Teuber Gijon

About

Currently PhD fellow (2026-) at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) researching electrohydrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy. Master’s in Science with a focus on biohydrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy at the University of São Paulo, Brazil (2023 - 2025). Chemical Engineer by the Oswaldo Cruz College (2017 – 2022).

Research

Currently researching electrohydrometallurgical processes to recover Li from Norwegian brines. Experience in bioleaching of rare earth elements (REE) from ion-adsorption clays, biosorption of niobium (Nb), yttrium (Y) and dysprosium (Dy). Addtional research on purification techniques - complexation, solvent extraction, precipitation chemical leacing (NMC batteries).

PHASE Group

Publications

Selected published articles:

Gijon, D.T.; Gimenes, L.J.; Baltazar, M.P.G. The circularity of turning wastes into valuable resources: Rare earth elements recovery from phosphogypsum – A short review – Hydrometallurgy, 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2025.106609
Gijon, D.T.; Gimenes, L.J.; Tenório, J.A.S.; Baltazar, M.P.G. A review on bioprocesses for the recovery of rare earth elements and its challenges – World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-025-04761-5
Gijon, D.T.; Amaral, P.H.S.; Oshiro, E.H.; Gracioso, L.H.; Espinosa, D.C.R.; Baltazar, M.P.G. Novel niobium biosorption through Pseudomonas aeruginosa dead dry biomass – Bioresource Technology Reports, 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2026.102748.
Pereira, B.R.; Gijon, D.T.; Garjulli, F.; Espinosa, D.C.R.; Tenório, J.A.S. Hydrometallurgical recovery of heavy rare earth elements (HREE) from columbite leachate via aqueous complexation solvent extraction and precipitation route – Minerals Engineering, 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2025.110043

Selected congress works:

Gijon, D.T., et al. An analysis on niobium extraction with dead biomass from synthetic solutions and acidic conditions – An introduction, 2025. Proceedings of EMC-GDMB 2025.
Gijon, D.T., et al. Analyzing the use of pseudomonas aeruginosa to biosorb niobium from synthetic solutions at acidic conditions, 2024. I Brazilian Congress of Industrial Biotechnology 2024.

Teaching

Supervision

MENTORSHIPS
Undergraduate students
1. Vitor Cusinato Santos – Niobium recovery through Citrobacter freundii biosorption. Polytechnic School,
University of São Paulo. Materials and Metallurgical Engineering undergraduate. Mentorship. Concluded in
July 2025.
2. Pedro Henrique Soares do Amaral – Study on biosorption of Yttrium with gram negative bacteria. Polytechnic
School, University of São Paulo. Materials and Metallurgical Engineering undergraduate. Co-supervisor/Mentorship. Concluded in September 2025.
3. Lucas Bruneli Cavalcanti Santo André – Column biosorption of rare earth elements with Pseudomonas aeruginosa biomass. Polytechnic School, University of São Paulo. Mechanical Engineering. Co-supervisor/Mentorship. Conclusion in September 2026.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Graduate course:
2024 - 2025 (PQI 5886/5891) Analytical Techniques applied to Chemical and Environmental Engineering I and
II, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Open to MSc and PhD (International and
national) students at the university.

Undergraduate courses:
2023 - 2025 (PQI 3101) Phenomenon of Chemical Transformations, Department of Chemical Engineering,
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
2020 - 2022 Mass and Energy Conservation, Department of Chemical Engineering, Oswaldo Cruz College, Brazil.
Open to all undergraduate students.
2020 - 2022 Physical-chemical Interactions, Department of Chemical Engineering, Oswaldo Cruz College, Brazil.
Open to all undergraduate students.

Språkvelger

Diego Teuber Gijon