Two Memorial University professors are conducting research to advance critical mineral research and training through MUN’s department of Earth Sciences.
Critical minerals, essential in the development of the green economy, include aluminum, cobalt, fluorspar, nickel, zinc, and lithium.
The provincial government is poised to build on the opportunities presented by increased demand in critical minerals with the recent development of a provincial Critical Mineral Plan.
Dr. Michael Babechuk’s research is focused on determining where critical minerals can be found.
(Photo Credit: Rich Blenkinsopp/Memorial University)
That involves ways to identify “fingerprints” of critical minerals through the analysis of sediments and waters to find where the deposits may be located upstream. His research group is also developing new analytical methods to refine their measurements, and how to gather information more effectively.
Dr. Steve Denyszyn is exploring the geological formation of critical minerals in relation to how they were formed in other parts of the world.
He says the geology of Newfoundland and Labrador covers over one billion years of the Earth’s natural history “and a lot has happened to the Earth over this time.” His research tracks the province’s geological evolution, ‘it used to be part of a supercontinent” he says ” there used to be differing volcanic activity and maybe that’s related to the development of ore deposits too.”
