TEOREM

PRIN2017: NATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECTS

Brief Description of the Research Project

With the project “Deciphering geological processes using Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial ORE Minerals” we want to stress the leading role of ore minerals in the improvement of the knowledge about processes relevant for Earth and planets with possible know-how transfer to environmental and material sciences. Ore minerals are indeed messengers about the way Earth works, from the mantle to the surficial environments and therefore a mineralogical and geochemical approach in studying them could help in deciphering the unusual geological processes related to their genesis. Owing to their common contents of environmentally-critical elements, the crystal-chemical and geochemical behaviour of the ore minerals, furthermore, has to be understood in depth to offer effective tools in developing remediation plans including the treatment of mining and waste material. Beside these aspects, it could be considered that in the present society a deep knowledge of the ore minerals is becoming increasingly important, not only because they are the source of several useful metals, but also for their interesting applications in high-tech fields. We could say, therefore, that increasing the knowledge of the ore minerals could increase the understanding of the past, present, and future of our planet.