Energy Resources and Sustainability
Economic Geology encompasses all areas in the
geological sciences that pertain to the extraction
or production of geologic materials for prof-
it. Natural resource utilization throughout the
world includes geologic materials such as met-
als, non-metals, fuels, and water. Here at IU we
have faculty and research scientists who are in-
volved in both field/analytical and experimental
studies of all of these natural resources. We have
an active group investigating the genesis of me-
tallic ore deposits that occur in magmatic, hydro-
thermal, and sedimentary environments. Sever-
al faculty and research staff are also involved in
studies that relate to the genesis and localization
of petroleum, coal, and natural gas.

Our mineralogy and petrology program involves
the study of rocks from all terrestrial and some
planetary environments. We have active projects
in sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks
funded by NSF and NASA and sited on all 7 conti-
nents and on Mars.

Sedimentary geology utilizes sedimentary rocks
to investigate the processes that shaped the sur-
face of the early Earth and understand the his-
tory of how those processes have interacted to
control the Earth system. In addition to tradition-
al techniques like facies analysis and provenance
analysis, cutting-edge application of techniques
ranging from stable isotope geochemistry to
detrital zircon geochronology are leading rapid
developments in what can be learned from the
sedimentary record.

Rainbow over the Stillwater Mining Company. This is a palladium
and platinum mining company with headquarters located at Billings,
Montana, United States. It is the only palladium and platinum pro-
ducer in the USA. Ed Ripley’s research area.

18 | hgr




mineralogy and petrology
Dave Bish, Jim Brophy, Chusi Li, Ed Ripley, Juergen Schieber, Bob Wintsch
DAVE BISH Professor and Haydn Murray Chair of Applied Clay Mineralogy
EAS Professor David Bish was awarded a Ful-
of ceramic production are represented, from un-
bright US Scholar Grant (Fellowship).

fired raw materials, to fired ceramics, to overfired
Bish awarded
a Fulbright
Fellowship During
the spring
of 2018, Dave will spend six
months in Napoli, Italy,
studying cultural artifacts
from Pompeii. Scientists
working there recently discovered a ceramic
workshop in ancient Pompeii where all stages
materials. Dave will use mineralogical analyses
such as X-ray diffraction, trace element analysis,
and thermal analysis to interpret the sources of
the raw materials and the firing conditions (tem-
peratures and times). The research will be done at
the University of Federico II in Napoli and the Uni-
versity of Sannio in Benevento, Italy.

JIM BROPHY Professor of Geological Sciences | Chair, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Jim’s primary research interests have centered
His goal is to have every faculty member thrive
around the chemical and physical processes
during these difficult times. Not surprisingly, he
involved in magmatic differentiation. He is cur-
has found little time to retreat to his lab and actu-
rently in his second year as departmental chair
ally get some research done, but there is always
and continues to work with the College and
hope for the future.

University to maintain the Department’s repu-
tation in research, teaching and service.

ED RIPLEY Professor of Geological Sciences | Geochemistry, Economic Geology
Ed’s research interests include the genesis of
He is also preparing for the 2020 International Ni-
metallic ore deposits and the application of sta-
Cu-PGE Symposium which will be held in Duluth,
ble isotopic geochemistry to petrologic prob-
MN. lems.

Current research continues to focus on process-
Ed is currently President of the Commission
es that control the genesis of Ni-Cu-PGE deposits.

on Ore Deposits in Mafic and Ultramafic Rocks
Studies are in progress at the Stillwater Complex
(CODMUR). (MT), the Duluth Complex (MN), The Eagle and East
He presented a short course on Ni-Cu-PGE de-
posits with Chusi Li at the September meeting
of the Society of Economic Geologists in Sep-
tember 2017 in Beijing.

Eagle deposits (MI), the Tamarack deposit (MN),
and several deposits in China. Our current NSF pro-
posal centers on the Cu isotope variability in rocks
and mineralization in the Midcontinent Rift System.

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