Mineralogy & Petrology

In research and teaching, our department deals with processes that lead to the formation, alteration and transformation of minerals and rocks in nature and in technical systems. A number of modern analytical methods are used to determine the chemical-structural structure, physical properties and age of minerals and rocks. These data form the basis for elucidating physicochemical conditions during the formation of the earth in general and during deposit formation processes in particular. They also form an important basis for characterising geological bodies for geothermal energy, gas storage and final disposal and for making them technically usable. Field-related research focuses currently deal with the formation of chromium-platinum deposits in South Africa, silicate-carbonate manganese deposits in Brazil, carbonatitic rare earth element deposits and Fe-Ti-Apatite ores in Namibia, as well as with the formation of magmatic and metamorphic rocks of the Black Forest. The focus of our experimental-petrological work is on fluid-rock interactions. There are also cooperation projects with archaeology and application-oriented material sciences.