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

电子技术元素的集中，对技术先进和低碳社会至关重要，是自然地球过程的直接结果。这些过程从地球地幔到近地表生物活动和风化的临界区，并涉及地质流体，如岩浆，盐水，海水和地下水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，但重点是广泛使用的基础，黑色和有色金属资源（如铜，铁，锌，铝）的形成。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运输和集中的理解是有限的。这NEETE催化剂赠款带来了国际公认的研究人员在英国领先的学术机构为基础的多学科团队：罗伯茨（南安普顿），阿姆斯特朗（NHM），银行（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）在地球系统中的金属运输和浓度方面拥有无与伦比的专业知识[见跟踪记录和简历]。该团队得到了英国主要矿业公司英美资源集团和力拓集团的支持，以及来自世界各地领先研究机构的学术合作伙伴，包括Arc矿床卓越中心- CODES -塔斯马尼亚和亥姆霍兹研究所Frieberg。这些战略合作伙伴将提供一个应用的重点，建议可行的研究地点，并支持科学计划的发展和充分的赠款建议，这可以提供一个步骤的变化，我们的理解的来源，运输，浓度和最终回收的选择电子技术元素。首先，研究小组将在三种对比地质环境中研究6种E-techs（Co，Ga，In，Te，Li，REE）。所考虑的电子技术的范围反映了它们在许多地质环境中的共同位置，例如红土中的钴、镓，从而使催化剂赠款能够确定优先领域和知识差距，从而实现科学投资的最大回报。选定的地质环境还反映了潜在的地质过程和从地质环境到工业恢复环境的“逆向工程”机会。识别出的关键地质环境包括：1）关键带（Co、Ga、REE）;壳卤水（Li，V，Co，In，Ga，REE）：3.岩浆和岩浆流体（Li，V，Co，In，REE）催化剂赠款将支持为期3天的沙坑活动，“电子技术从矿石到门”，旨在启动一个合作研究项目，解决电子技术形成和恢复的关键挑战。砂矿将由活跃的研究人员和研究成果的潜在用户组成的多学科组合，并汇集一个研究社区，大大超出了正常的矿石存款地质学的范围。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，这些合作伙伴也在近行业环境中拥有卓越的研究和产出记录。沙坑将在一个适合实地考察的地点举行，以便所有参与者可以开始欣赏特定环境中电子技术元素的形成、探索和利用。沙坑的目的是实现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应对挑战。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）确定协调员，以提供完整的研究提案的每个部分。在沙坑会议之后，将召开两个为期两天的写作研讨会，以起草一份完整的研究提案。

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.