Tactical exporation of African mineral systems – THEIA

The understanding of metallogenic processes and sustainable mining for critical and strategic metals represent major issues to face the socio-economic challenges for our modern society marked by the major climate, energy, digital and environmental transitions. More specifically, the growing challenge on raw material supply, while the environmental impacts of exploitation have to be reduced, are sources of geopolitical, industrial and economic tensions. The latter require constant innovation from the mining industry, as well as from national research agencies and academic hubs. This complementary approach between industry and academia requires the deployment of adapted tools and the acquisition of valuable data during the exploration and exploitation phases hence promoting a better control on their respective environmental impacts.
LabCom Theia aims to create a French centre of excellence in mineral resources. Its research axes and scientific goals will help developing new competitiveness, within the two following issues:
(1) the genesis and evolution of the Precambrian metallogenic provinces and
(2) the development of new strategies and mineral exploration tools.

Geoscientific and technological advances acquired through the LabCom Theia will allow a better understanding of the geological phenomena leading to the formation of mineral deposits. The development of new exploration strategies will promote the generation of exploration projects within under-explored metallogenic provinces.

LabCom Theia is designed to guarantee the sustainability of collaborative research between industry and academia through the creation of a new consortium. The latter will strengthen common competitiveness and promote French expertise in mineral deposits to contribute in critical metals supply.

The implementation of the Theia LabCom relies on human, material and diverse resources to implement collaborative research and knowledge transfer that will be supported by students at various levels such as MSc students, PhD candidates (CIFRE program), post-doctoral fellows, supervised by dedicated geoscientific experts and researchers in both institutions.