Laxman (Lucky) M. Amaratunga graduated in physical science from the University of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1969. In 1971, he proceeded to the Camborne School of Mine (U.K.) and graduated in 1974 with a first class Honors degree in Mining Engineering. In 1978, he obtained a PhD in mineral processing from the University of Birmingham (U.K.) He received the Stanley Elmore Fellowship for excellence in postgraduate research from the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy (UK).
In 1980 he immigrated to Canada and joined U of Toronto as a Research Associate. In 1981, he took up a position as a Process Engineering at the Carol Lake Pelletization Plant of the Iron Ore Company of Canada Ltd.
In 1984, he joined Laurentian University, School of Engineering as Assistant Professor in mineral processing and process control. In 1989, he was appointed as an Associate Professor and became a Full Professor in 1993.
His research activities are in the areas of: environmental aspects of mineral industry, waste processing and utilization and mineral processing. He has numerous international publications in these areas of research.
Dr. Amaratunga is an active member of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), the CIM Education Committee. He is also an Editor of the international journal, Canadian Metallurgy Quarterly (CMQ). He co-chaired, organized and edited proceedings of several MetSoc Symposia in the past, in particular the international symposia on “Waste Processing and Recycling in the Mining Metallurgical Industries” (1992, 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2004). He was the guest editor of the CMQ Special Issue No. 3 on Waste Processing and Recycling. In 1997, CIM awarded him a prestigious CIM Fellowship for his outstanding contributions to the CIM and Canadian mineral industry.
In 1997, he co-chaired the 36th Annual Conference of Metallurgists, Professor Amaratunga was awarded the CIM Distinguished Lecturer for 1999-2000.
In 2003, Professor Amaratunga was honored by his own University as the recipient of the LU Teaching Excellence Award.
In 2007, CIM MetSoc awarded him the prestigious Teck-Cominco Environmental Award citing “In recognition of his significant contribution over 20 years to the field of mine waste utilization and management…”
During the CIM Metallurgical Society’s 50th anniversary celebration they dedicated their 6th International Symposium on “Waste Processing and Recycling in the Metallurgical Industries” in name of Dr. Amaratunga, in October 2011. They organized a luncheon in honor of Dr. Amaratunga to celebrate his lifetime accomplishments at this conference.
In January 2012, the Canadian Mineral Processors Society awarded Dr. Amaratunga their most prestigious "Lifetime Achievement Award" and a gold medallion at their annual conference held in Ottawa. He is the 6th recipient to have received this award in Canada during the past 44 years. The citation for this award reads "In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Canadian mining, metallurgical and processing industries in the areas of education, research in management of mine wastes, environmental technology transfer and the CMP and MetSoc Societies of CIM".
He also continues to be an active member of the Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (IMM-UK), the Society of Mining Engineering (senior member of SME-USA), Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) and a Charted Engineer in the UK (C.Eng).
His latest research involves development of a novel gold extraction process using nanotechnology.
Updated: March 30, 2012