Shashi Rao

Laboratory Manager and Senior Metallurgical Engineer

Shashi Rao is the Laboratory Manager and a Senior Metallurgical Engineer at RDi, bringing over 15 years of global experience in minerals processing, extraction, and sustainable metallurgy. A specialist in both industrial and critical minerals, Shashi has a proven track record of developing resources from initial exploration through commissioning and production-ready operations. His technical innovations have redefined operational standards, notably doubling recovery rates for low-grade ores and designing advanced modular water treatment systems that meet the most stringent environmental standards for sulfate reduction.

Throughout his distinguished career, Shashi has led major technical initiatives focusing on decarbonization, green steelmaking, and the recovery of critical metals from industrial and electronic waste. He is a recognized expert in the extraction of high-purity titanium dioxide and vanadium and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and handbook chapters for the SME. Shashi holds a Master of Engineering Science in Metallurgy from Curtin University, Australia, and served as a Board Member for the Minnesota Section of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME).