Lecture: Mechanistic insights into the formation of rare earth carbonates

Lecture by Dr. Juan Diego Rodriguez-Blanco, 2021 EAG Distinguished Lecturer

Rare earth elements are a set of 17 chemical elements in the periodic table: 15 lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium. These are considered to be strategic metals because they are indispensable for green and high technology industries. Most rare earths are exploited as carbonates in carbonatite deposits, but the genesis of these ores are still under debate due to their complicated mineralogy, element composition and geologic history. In this talk we will explore the latest findings in rare earth carbonate crystallisation and the key factors that affect the crystal chemistry of these minerals.

Dr. Juan Diego Rodriguez-Blanco is based in the Department of Geology (School of Natural Sciences), Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. His fields of research are environmental mineralogy and crystallisation. His research focuses on mineral genesis and the interaction of aqueous species with mineral surfaces. In particular, he studies the mechanisms of mineral nucleation and growth and the interaction of common seawater ions, pollutants and organics with mineral surfaces and their relevance to global-scale processes like biomineralisation, biogeochemical element cycling and the evolution of the global chemistry of the oceans.