Dr Sowerby has made major contributions to the mineral industry in applying very advanced nuclear physics to analysis of coal and metalliferous ores. The innovative methods he has developed for the on-line determination of ash, moisture and specific energy of coal have wide-spread implication
for improving the efficiency of operation of power stations and coal preparation plants. His work is playing an important part in the development of an industrial nucleonics industry in Australia.
The Coalscan ash monitor, based on Dr Sowerby's work, won the prestigious US IR-100 award in 1984.