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Prof Frances Wall

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Prof Frances Wall

Professor of Applied Mineralogy

Location: DuMaurier 3.092

Telephone: 01326 371831

Research interests include:

• Creating a circular economy for technology metals, including crtiical raw materials by considering the whole value system - raw materials from mining and recycling and all of the innovation, business models and regulation in between that create a true circular economy where metals have long and productive cycles of use.
• Formation of ore deposits, including rare earths, niobium, tantalum and phosphate deposits
• Carbonatites and alkaline rocks: fundamental controls on their petrogenesis, including mantle metasomatism, and rapidly erupted extrusive carbonatites.
• Responsible mining including ethical sourcing of metals, LCA, and public perception of mining.
• Regional development of georesources in Cornwall and SW England, including metals and minerals, geothermal energy and the associated service, education and research sectors.

**Fully funded EPSRC PhD studentship competition for UK and  overseas students is open until 27th February to start 2023/24 -  applicants can choose their topic. I would be pleased to discuss potential topics within the remit of EPSRC, see information: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/funding/award/?id=4659

Some relevant research links (see also research page for current PhD students):

UKRI Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre in Technology Metals
Circular Economy: A view from the front - Geoscientist article

Deep Digital Cornwall project 

Georesources Cornwall working paper

Check out our Technology Metals for Green Future MOOC on FutureLearn

News of new review of European cobalt deposits

UNESCO Lecture Series: Earth Materials for a Sustainable and Thriving Society

Academic qualifications:

• BSc Hons first class Geochemistry Queen Mary College, London 
• PhD Mineral chemistry and petrogenesis of rare earth rich carbonatites, University of London

Professional qualifications and service to learned societies and other organisations and awards

• Fellow of the Mineralogical Society (F.Min.Soc.)
• Fellow of the Geological Society (FGS)
   
• Chair of the British Geological Survey Science Advisory Committee
• Steering group member for the Cornwall Mining Alliance
• Member of the Camborne School of Mines Trust
• Member of the Geological Society Decarbonisation group
• President of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall 
• Past President of the Cornish Institute of Engineers

• former President of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland (2014, 2015)
• former General Secretary of the Mineralogical Society
• former Communication Officer of the International Mineralogical Association
• former member of Applied Mineralogy Group Committee and Women in Mining membership and education committee

• William Smith Medal, 2019, Geological Society of London
• Listed in100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining 2016, Women in Mining

Professional history

• 2015- Professor of Applied Mineralogy
• 2007- Associate Professor of Applied Mineralogy
• 2008-2014 Head of Camborne School of Mines
• 2007- Natural History Museum, London, UK - Scientific Associate
• 1984-2007 Various posts including research and petrology programme leader in the Department of Mineralogy, Natural History Museum, London, UK