Bruna Borges Carvalho’s project, “IncePtion of lithium AND OtheR critical metal deposits: deciphering signals from source to sink” (PANDOR), will receive €1.3 million in funding for a three-year period: after being evaluated as fully eligible within the Italian Science Fund (FIS 2) call, it has recently received funding following the official completion of the ranking list. The project will investigate the behaviour and mobility of critical metals during high-temperature crustal processes, such as partial melting and magma crystallisation.

PANDOR aims to reconstruct the pathways of critical metals from their source to the formation of mineral deposits, providing new insights into the future potential of strategic mineral resources, both in Italy and internationally. The funding will enable the establishment of a dedicated research group and the activation of new PhD and postdoctoral positions at the University of Padua.

As Bruna Borges states: “I am deeply honoured and excited by this funding and by the opportunity to lead my own research group. The project builds on a topic that has been at the core of my work throughout my career, but which will now be approached from a new perspective, with the aim of improving our understanding of the behaviour of critical metals, which are essential to modern societies.”

Congratulations to Bruna Borges Carvalho for this important recognition, which adds to the recent FIS 3 funding awards received by Katinka Bellomo and Francesco Marra.

A new major achievement for the Department of Geosciences, confirming the outstanding quality of research conducted and the excellence in talent recruitment.