Bolorchimeg Nanzad Tunnell, a Ph.D. student in geosciences and geological and petroleum engineering, published a paper in Ore Geology Reviews, the leading economic geology journal.

The article examines the formation of Missouri’s iron ore deposits – that may hold the key to unlocking Missouri’s rare earth element potential. Rare earth elements are used in a wide range of applications, such as electronics, and are classified by the U.S. government as “critical minerals.”

Critical materials are materials that, if their supply chains are interrupted, may pose a significant threat to the U.S. economy and national safety. The key to finding new deposits is to understand how they form – an issue that Tunnell addresses in her student.

Missouri is considered to be an important future exploration target for rare earth elements and the key to finding new deposits is to understand how they form – an issue addressed by Tunnell’s study.

Tunnell’s advisor is Dr. Marek Locmelis, assistant professor of geosciences and geological and petroleum engineering.