ore geochemistry, with particular regard to bauxites, phosphorites and laterites, sedimentary geochemistry, paleoenvironmental restorations, water-rock interaction, environmental geochemistry.

petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry of silicate rocks and applied petrography to georesources.

crystal chemistry of minerals in geologic context, studies of modified and unmodified sorbent materials for industrial and environmental applications; characterization of solid state materials for industrial and environmental applications.

crystal chemical characterization of rock forming minerals; structure evolution at variable temperature; structure and solid state transformation of natural and synthetic phases

crystal chemical characterization of silicate minerals; structure and disorder of rare mineral phases; structure and solid state transformation of natural and synthetic phases.

study of innovative eco-friendly materials for applications in the field of constructions and waste-water treatment; study of industrial and anthropic waste finalized to the reuse and valorization of their mineral content into innovative and sustainable solutions for the creation of new “supply chains”.

mineral physics and characterization of geomaterials from macro to nanoscale with particular attention to those minerals and materials of petrogenetic, gemological and economic, technological and environmental interest.

leaching and SPE extraction procedures on red muds and bauxites.

genesis and characterization of supergenic ores (bauxite, ironstones and Mn- ores); mineral and geochemical proxies in palaeoenvironmental and geodynamic restorations. Mineralogical and technological characterization of georesources.

valorization of industrial minerals and industrial wastes in the ceramic and construction fields. Use of zeolites in biomedical applications and environmental protection. Characterization of pharmaceutical formulations in drug delivery studies.

OPIGEO develops new inorganic materials from industrial waste recycling supporting new solutions for mining waste.

Maurizio Bellotto, OPIGEO s.r.l., University of Padua Spin-off.

Research interests: structural and ore geology.

Marcello Merli, University of Palermo.

Research interests: quantum-mechanical modeling, uptake-release phenomena during solid phase extraction processes.

Abdelhamid Oulad Mansour, University of Bari.

Research interests: Machine Learning techniques, reservoir characterization, mineralogy, geochemistry.

Alfredo Idini, University of Cagliari.

Research interests: Georesources and applied mineralogy.