CoG3 cobalt project
A collaborative and multidisciplinary project exploring new techniques for cobalt extraction and recovery.
Critical elements research
Critical elements are crucial to the development of technology in modern society.
The Museum's extensive ore and mineral collections hold important information about the distribution of critical elements (CE) in Earth's rocks.
We are using Museum collections and a focused research programme to develop strategies for the sustainable use of Earth's natural resources.
Our studies include lithium, cobalt, scandium, gallium, indium, selenium, tellurium and rare earth elements.
Research projects and collaborations
From Arc Magmas to Ores
The Museum is working with industrial and academic partners to develop new exploration tools that will help locate metal resources in volcanic arcs by understanding the fundamental processes involved in cycling magmas, fluids and metals in these zones.
Li4UK
The Li4UK project is 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.
The Centre for Russian and Central EurAsian Mineral Studies
CERCAMS is a centre for research on the geodynamics and metallogenesis of the former Soviet Union and its neighbouring territories, including China and Mongolia.
Museum researchers
- Richard Herrington
Aspects of mineralogy and links to mineral processing.
- Reimar Seltmann
Rare-metal-bearing magmatic-hydrothermal systems.
- Robin Armstrong
Origin of the Jadar lithium-boron deposit.
- Alla Dolgopolova
Rare earth elements and gallium in laterites and bauxites of Kazakhstan.
- Chris Stanley
Mineralogy of selenium and tellurium deposits.
- Paul Schofield
Mineral spectroscopy.
- Jamie Wilkinson
Research leader in mineral deposits.
The Jadar deposit, Serbia
Investigating the natural mineral diversity and formation processes of jadarite.
The Serra Verde lateritic deposit
Exploring the potential for extraction of rare earth elements in the Goiás province of Brazil.
Selenium and tellurium
Identifying additional selenium and tellerium resources and developing sustainable extraction processes.
Scandium in geological systems
Studying the mineral residence and behaviour of scandium to understand how deposits form and to improve extraction practices.