Roberto Villas-Boas (1943 - 2016) Home | Recipients: Distinguished Service Award | Roberto Villas-Boas (1943 - 2016)

Professor Roberto Cerrini Villa-Boas

Emerit Researcher from CETEM (1943-2016)

The Mineral Technology Center has the sad obligation of informing their Friends, colleagues and community of the V&T&Mineral of the passing away, this morning (15 june), of Professor Roberto Villas-Boas, Emeritus Researcher of the CETEM/MCTIC, having been its first director, from the begining of the activities of CETEM in 1978 for almost 20 years.

The passing away was caused by an illness discovered two month ago from which nobody can survive. He was hospitalized on 16 May, while he was actively involved with the organization of the Workshop “Uranium Exploration Strategy, Resource Assessment and Feasibility Studies” that was to be held at CETEM at the begining of June.

His professional story is presented below, from his own CV. Villas-Boas was secretary of New Materials (MCT) during the management of Renato Archer, and Professor of the Engineering School as well as COPPE/UFRJ.

The most recent international recognition of his talent, competence and inspiring personality was to be announced in this  September: the“Distinguished Service Award“, offered by the International Mineral Processing Council, by secret ballot of the councilors. The words of the president of the Council, Dr. Cyril O’Connor:

“… I am delighted to inform you that, having been duly nominated by two members of Council, the members of Council, in an electronic confidential ballot, have voted in favour of your receiving this Award. It goes without saying that it is a fitting and worthy tribute to the many outstanding contributions you have made to Mineral Processing and the activities of the Council and its Congresses. You are a most worthy recipient!”

Roberto Villas-Boas will be honoured by CETEM by giving his name to the Main Auditorium of the Institution.

The direction and personnel from CETEM express their solidarity to his family, his son and daugther, Manoel de CastroVillas-Boas Neto and Hariessa Cristina Villas-Boasa at this sad time.

The ceremony (liturgy) will be carried out on Friday (17 june), at the Caju cementery, Chapel 4, from 9h and 11:30h.

CV of Professor Roberto Villas-Boas

Roberto Villas Boas graduated in Mining Engineering from the Polytechnic School of USP (1968), Master of Science in Metallurgical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines (1971), United States, and Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Engineering and Materials Science from COPPE, UFRJ (1977).

He was Titular Researcher at the Center of Mineral Technology CETEM, from the foundation of the Center up to october 2013, when he got a compulsory retirement and the title of Emerit Researcher was awarded to him by grace.

At present he was councellor of CYTED, the Iberoamerican Program of Sciences and Technology for Development and he was in 2013, IBEROEKA Gestor from CYTED.

It researcher of the Center for Mineral Technology – CETEM. He was Assistant Professor IV, gazetted, retired in 1998, then School of Engineering, Polytechnic School today at UFRJ and COPPE Program Assistant Professor of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials, 1971-1998. Visiting Professor at several universities. Universities such as São Paulo, Brazil; Universita degli Studi La Sapienza, Rome, Italy; Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Argentina, Universidad de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia; Institute of Earth moving y Metallurgy, Moa, Cuba; Henry Krumb School of Mines, Columbia University, New York, USA; Washington & Lee University, Lexington, USA, “Director of Mastery” of UNIARA, Universidad Internacional de Andalucia, La Rabida, Spain, and others.

Superintendent and Director of CETEM, between 1978-1998, with a break from 1987 to 1990, having served in this period, the positions of Vice President Paulo Abib Engenharia Mineral in São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, Brazil (1987 to early de1989), and Secretary for New Materials of the Ministry of Science and Technology, management Renato Archer (1989-1990).

It was the International Coordinator Subprogram Mineral Technology, CYTED / XIII, between 1998 to 2005 and Chairman of IMAAC / UNIDO. Was Vice President of OLAMI, the Latin American Mining, 2002-2008.

Since 2009, International Area Manager is “Promoción al Desarrollo Industrial” Program CYTED. Conducted post-doctoral, by the Academy of Natural Sciences of China in Beijing in 1991.

As student at USP he has been a representative to the Universitary Council. He was Vicepresident of the Central Directory of students DCE/UCP, 1966-1967, Councellor of FINEP as representative of CNPq, 91/92. He was president of ABIPTI, Brasilian Association of Industrial researchers.

He was Director of the Pan American Union of Engineers – UPADI-. He has extensive experience in consulting, research, counseling and teaching in the area of Mining Engineering, Mineral and Materials, with an emphasis on the Mining-Metallurgical Processes and Sustainable been working on the issues of mining, the environment, sustainable development indicators sustainability, materials technology and planning of experiments statistician.

Participated as a consultant and participates in several projects of UNEP, Paris, related to Mercury in biota and TransApell, IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, on environmental recovery of areas degraded by mining uranium, and UDEPO ThDEPO, UNIDO, Vienna on mercury in gold mining areas and clean technologies, GEF / UNDP / UNIDO, has been Coordinator in Brazil’s Global Mercury Project.

He is the author and editor of 27 books about books, all available on the Web, and hundreds of scientific articles, guiding several MSc and PhD theses. He was awarded the Order of Merit of the Mineral and Military Engineer, and is Chairman of the Sustainability Committee of the International Mineral Processing Council (IMPC) as well as Director of the same Council. He is also member of the group of specialists of UNFC/UNECE at Geneva.