My research focuses on the geochemistry and resource potential of saline geofluids, including geothermal brines, oilfield-produced waters and other subsurface fluids. I investigates how fluid provenance, water–rock interaction, reservoir lithology, temperature and hydrological processes control the mobilisation and distribution of critical and trace elements in natural brines.
A central theme of my DPhil is evaluating whether these fluids can be treated as multi-commodity mineral resources alongside their conventional use for energy production or disposal. This combines field sampling and trace-element geochemistry with global geochemical data synthesis, resource and elemental-flux assessment, and investigation of selective mineral recovery technologies. More broadly, my research lies at the intersection of economic geology, aqueous geochemistry, geothermal systems and critical-mineral supply, with particular interest in developing geological frameworks for identifying and evaluating unconventional mineral resources.
I am supervised by Prof Jon Blundy from Earth Sciences, Prof Nick Hankins from Engineering Science and Prof Rick van der Ploeg from Economics.
