A specimen of the mineral cobalite (cobalt iron arsenic sulphide), named after the German word kobald, meaning underground spirit © The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London
Our scientists are supporting the sustainable development of resources, using our collections of soils, clays, ores and microfossils.
News from the group
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Science newsWe need more scarce metals and elements to reach the UK's greenhouse gas goals
To meet UK electric car targets for 2050, we would need just under twice the current annual world cobalt production.
6 June 2019 -
AnthropoceneYour mobile phone is powered by precious metals and minerals
The world's rarest mineral resources are in your hands.
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Press releaseLeading scientists set out resource challenge of meeting net zero emissions in the UK by 2050
A letter has today been delivered to the Committee on Climate Change.
5 June 2019 -
AnthropoceneWhat is e-waste and what can we do about it?
The UK is one of the largest producers of household e-waste in the world.
Ores research
We are interpreting the formation processes of ore deposits and investigating best practice for their sustainable exploration, mining and processing.
The Centre for Russian and Central EurAsian Mineral Studies (CERCAMS)
A centre for research on the geodynamics and metallogenesis of the former Soviet Union and its neighbouring territories, including China and Mongolia.
Serra Verde lateritic REE deposit
We are developing a formation model for the Serra Verde deposit in the Goiás province of central Brazil, to investigate its potential for rare earth elements (REE) extraction.
CoG3 Consortium
Investigating the recovery of cobalt
London Centre for Ore Deposits and Exploration (LODE)
Focusing on developing a world-class mineral analytical facility to deliver important solutions to industry problems.
Scandium in geological systems
We are studying the mineral residence and behaviour of scandium (Sc) to understand how deposits form and to improve extraction practices.
The Jadar Li-B deposit, Serbia
Studying the genesis of the Jadar lithium-boron (Li-B) deposit in Serbia
Li4UK: Securing a domestic lithium supply chain for the UK
Demonstrating the feasibility of producing battery-quality lithium compounds from lithium found in UK rocks and geothermal waters.
LiFT (Lithium for Future Technology)
Identifying sustainable lithium resources for a low carbon economy.
Soils and clays research
Current investigations include clays in mangrove forests, mineral-microbe interactions in soil, and ancient clays from Mars.
Brazilian mangrove forests
Our scientists are studying the rapid clay mineral transformations taking place in these dynamic environments.
The Hydro-Mars project
We are studying iron- and magnesium-rich clays from hydrothermal sea floor environments around the world to better understand the nature of ancient clays on Mars.
Opportunities
Undertake professional and postgraduate training in economic and environmental earth sciences.
Core research labs
Our research lab teams are available for complex on-site imaging and analysis of biological and geological samples.
Ore mineralogy laboratory
Learn more about our reflected light microscopy and microscope spectrophotometry laboratory.
Micropalaeontology collection
Find foraminifera, ostracods, conodonts, radiolarians and palynomorphs.
Ores collection
Our collection of more than 15,000 specimens is a valuable resource for the field of economic geology.