Dr Jens Najorka

I am a mineralogist and lead the X-ray diffraction laboratory at NHM, established by F. A. Bannister around 1929. I train and support students, postdocs and researchers in mineral identification, quantification, and crystal structure analysis.

My area of research is crystal structure analysis of minerals and synthetic phases and their behaviour at high pressure and temperature. This research uses single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction and includes experiments using diamond anvil cells at high pressures.

Recently I have been studying the crystal structures of hydroxide perovskite relevant to processes in the Earth’s cold subduction zones (MgSi(OH)6) and minerals with potentially important technological topologies (vismirnovite-mushistonite solid solutions, claringbullite, jarosite).