Although Australia has significant reserves there is very limited production. By improving our understanding of the geochemical behaviour of the rare earths we aim to develop new reverse-engineering methods for their extraction, which will improve the security of supply of these elements and enhance Australia's role in high-tech industries.

This research program explores the geodynamic history recorded by sedimentary basins and its influence on lithospheric architecture, geological processes, and critical mineral systems.

This PhD project will investigate how rare earth elements (REEs) and critical metals (CMs) partition between crystals, melts, and fluids within evolving carbonatite systems. The research will utilise high-pressure experimental petrology and synchrotron-based techniques, including in situ X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS), to understand the transport mechanisms of these metals.

The project aims to determine how the critical metal niobium is concentrated in the Earth's crust to levels sufficient for economically viable mining.