Natural Enrichments in E-tech Elements (Co, Ga, In, Te, Li, REE) [NEETE].

电子科技元素的集中是地球自然过程的直接结果，对技术先进和低碳社会至关重要。这些过程从地幔到近地表生物活动和风化的关键地带，涉及到岩浆、盐水、海水和地下水等地流体作为主要的运输媒介。这些地球过程一直是实质性研究的主题，但重点是形成广泛利用的碱金属，黑色金属和有色金属资源（如Cu， Fe, Zn, Al）。与此形成鲜明对比的是，我们对这些基本地球过程中电子技术元素的转移和集中的理解是有限的。这项NEETE催化剂资助带来了一个由国际公认的多学科研究人员组成的团队，他们来自英国领先的学术机构：罗伯茨（南安普顿）、阿姆斯特朗（NHM）、班克斯（利兹）、赫灵顿（NHM）、柯克（拉夫堡）、斯塔克豪斯（利兹）威尔金森（帝国）和亚德利（利兹）在地球系统中金属的运输和浓度方面拥有无与伦比的专业知识[见履历和简历]。该团队得到了英国主要矿业公司英美资源集团和里约热内卢Tinto以及来自世界各地领先研究机构的学术合作伙伴的支持，包括Arc矿床卓越中心- CODES - Tasmania和Helmholtz Institute Frieberg。这些战略合作伙伴将为可行的研究地点提供应用重点和建议，并支持科学计划和全面拨款提案的制定，从而使我们对选定的电子技术元素的来源、运输、集中和最终回收的理解发生重大变化。首先，研究小组将在三个不同的地质环境中调查6种e -tech （Co, Ga, In, Te, Li， REE）。考虑到e -tech的范围反映了它们在许多地质环境中的共同定位，例如红土中的Co， Ga，从而使催化剂能够确定优先领域和知识差距，从而实现最大的科学投资回报。所选择的地质环境也反映了潜在的地质过程和从地质到工业回收环境的“逆向工程”的机会。识别的关键地质环境包括：1)Co、Ga、REE关键带；地壳卤水（Li， V, Co, In, Ga， REE）： 3。岩浆与岩浆流体（Li， V, Co, In， REE）催化剂赠款将支持为期3天的Sandpit活动“E-techs from Ore to Door”，旨在启动一项合作研究项目，解决E-tech形成和回收的关键挑战。该沙坑将包括活跃的研究人员和研究成果的潜在用户的多学科组合，并将一个研究社区聚集在一起，大大超出了矿床地质学的正常范围。专业知识的组合将确保与支持合作伙伴一起扩大研究视野，这些合作伙伴也有卓越的研究记录和在接近行业环境中的产出。沙坑将在一个适合实地考察的地点举行，让所有参与者都能开始欣赏电子科技元素在给定环境中的形成、探索和利用。沙坑的目的是达成1)对关键科学挑战的共识，并推动横向思维和激进的方法来解决这些挑战。2)认识并建立跨学科团队来应对这些挑战。3)确定国际合作者的作用；4)确定协调者来完成完整研究计划的每个部分。在沙坑会议之后，将召开两次写作研讨会，每次为期两天，以起草一份完整的研究计划。

Concentrations of E-tech elements, essential for a technologically advanced and low carbon society, are the direct result of natural Earth processes. These processes operate from the Earth's Mantle to the near surface Critical Zone of biological activity and weathering, and involve geofluids such as magmas, brines, seawater, and groundwaters as the key agents of transport. These Earth processes have been the subject of substantive research, but with a focus on the formation of the widely utilised base, ferrous and non-ferrous metal resources (e.g. Cu, Fe, Zn, Al). In stark contrast, our understanding of the transport and concentration of E-tech elements during these fundamental Earth processes is limited. This NEETE catalyst grant brings forward a multidisciplinary team of internationally recognized researchers based in leading UK academic institutes: Roberts (Southampton), Armstrong (NHM), Banks (Leeds), Herrington (NHM), Kirk (Loughborough), Stackhouse (Leeds) Wilkinson (Imperial) and Yardley (Leeds) have unrivaled expertise on the transport and concentration of metals in the Earth System [see Track Record and CV's]. This team is supported by major UK based mining companies Anglo American & Rio Tinto and academic partners from leading research institutes from around the world including the Arc Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits - CODES - Tasmania and the Helmholtz Institute Frieberg. These strategic partners will provide an applied focus, advice on viable study sites, and support the development of a science plan and full grant proposal, that can deliver a step change in our understanding of the source, transport, concentration and ultimate recovery of a selection of E-tech elements. In the first instance the research team will investigate 6 E-techs ( Co, Ga, In, Te, Li, REE) in three contrasting geological environments. The range of E-techs considered reflects their co-location in many geological environments e.g. Co, Ga in laterites, thus enabling the catalyst grant the scope to identify priority areas and knowledge gaps where a maximum return on scientific investment can be achieved. The chosen geological environments also reflect the underlying geological processes and the opportunities for "reverse engineering" from the geological to industrial recovery environments. The key geological environments recognized include: 1) The Critical zone (Co, Ga, REE): 2. Crustal Brines (Li, V, Co, In, Ga, REE): 3. Magmas and Magmatic Fluids (Li, V, Co, In, REE). The catalyst grant will support a 3-day Sandpit event, "E-techs from Ore to Door" aimed at initiating a collaborative research project addressing the key challenges of E-tech formation and recovery. The sandpit will comprise a multidisciplinary mix of active researchers and potential users of research outcomes and bring together a research community, dramatically expanded beyond the normal, confines of ore deposit geology. The mix of expertise will ensure an expanded research vision with supporting partners who also have a track record of research excellence and outputs in a near industry environment. The Sandpit will be convened in a location suitable for a field excursion so that all participants can begin to appreciate the formation, exploration and exploitation of E-tech elements in a given environment. The aim of the sandpit will be to achieve 1) a consensus on the key scientific challenges and drive lateral thinking and radical approaches to addressing the challenges. 2) recognize and build cross disciplinary teams to address these challenges. 3) Identify the role of international collaborators; 4) identify co-ordinators to deliver each part of a full research proposal. Following the sandpit meeting a two writing workshops each of two days duration will be convened to draft a full research proposal.