Weiping Liu, currently an Associate Professor at Central South University in Changsha, China；Holds a Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Utah under the guidance of Professor Jan D. Miller；Worked as a metallurgist at the Metallurgy and Strategical Planning Department, Freeport-McMoRan Corporate Office in Arizona, US.

Currently worked as Principal Investigator on the following projects (total funding amount of 3.5 million RMB): one National Key Research and Development Program sub-project, two key research and development projects in Qinghai Province, one major science and technology project in Xining City, one open fund project from the National Key Laboratory of Rare Metal Separation and Comprehensive Utilization, one open fund project from the Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Development and Utilization in Guangdong Province, and one Central South University Startup Project. Previously led one International Precious Metals Association project and two projects at Freeport-McMoRan.

Serves as Member of the Third Expert Group of the Magnesium Compounds Branch of the China Inorganic Salt Industry Association；Youth Committee Member of the Scientific and Technological Committee of the China Magnesium Industry Association；Guest Editor of Minerals | Special Issue : Recent Advances in Extractive Metallurgy (mdpi.com). Published 18 first-authored or corresponding-author SCI papers and filed 6 patents. Received the International Precious Metals Association George Benvegno Memorial Student Award and the Outstanding Research Award from the Utah Chapter of the Chinese Association for Science and Technology.

Current research focuses on: 1) preparation of high-purity lithium and magnesium materials from bulk solid waste; 2) rare earth flotation chemistry; and 3) mining big data and artificial intelligence.