Elochukwu Emmanuel Okoye

Biography

Elochukwu E. Okoye is a Chemical Engineering professional with extensive expertise in hydrometallurgy, process optimization, life cycle assessment (LCA), and sustainable process development. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng) in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), graduating with distinction, and holds a Master of Science (M.Sc) in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University, USA, with distinction.

Elochukwu has contributed significantly to research and industry, authoring and co-authoring peer-reviewed publications in areas such as sustainable mining, electronic waste recycling, renewable fuel production, and metal recovery from industrial waste. His work includes notable studies such as the Life Cycle Assessment of Resource Recovery Technologies in Electronic Waste Recycling in the United States, Environmental and Economic Impacts of Sustainable E-Waste Management, and The Regeneration of Metal Components from the Cathode of Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Food Wastes: A Review. His master’s thesis focused on the Life Cycle Assessment of the Cool Gas-to-Liquid (Cool GTL) Process for Jet Fuel Production from Biogas and CO₂, aligning with global decarbonization and energy transition goals.

In industry, Elochukwu has held impactful roles, including serving as a Leaching Metallurgist Intern at Freeport-McMoRan (Arizona, USA), where he led a pilot-scale copper recovery project that generated over $78,000 in net profit during its test phase, and as a Process Engineer at PNG Gas Limited (Nigeria), where he optimized LPG column operations and molecular sieve dehydration processes. His professional background also includes metallurgical roles at Newmont Gold Mines (Ghana) and process engineering at PZ Cussons Nigeria Limited. Elochukwu is a certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow and White Belt professional, with additional credentials in mine safety, health and environment, analytical thinking, and creative problem-solving. He is a member of professional bodies including the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME), the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), where he served as Public Relations Officer for the Michigan Tech chapter (2024-2025 academic session).

His research and professional interests center on sustainable metals extraction, process intensification, renewable energy integration in process industries, and circular economy approaches for resource recovery. Through both academic and industrial engagements, Elochukwu has demonstrated a commitment to solving pressing environmental and process efficiency challenges in the mining, metallurgical, and chemical sectors.