Biography
Malena is a PhD researcher at iCRAG - University College Dublin, in the Raw Materials department. She graduated with a BSc in Geology in 2019 from the University of Barcelona (Spain). Later on, she moved to Geneva (Switzerland), where she did her master's degree in Geochemistry, Alpine Tectonics, and Ore Deposits at the University of Geneva. Before joining iCRAG, Malena's research projects focused mainly on critical metal distribution and fluid evolution in epithermal deposits in the Andean Cordillera (Bolivia and Peru).
Cobalt is used in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries for EV. It is considered a critical metal for the development of our society towards a carbon-free future. Improving our knowledge on the formation of cobalt deposits is necessary to enhance the exploration of cobalt deposits and secure its sustainable supply. My project aims to unravel the controls on cobalt deposits in one of the largest cobalt districts worldwide: the Tenke-Fungurume copper-cobalt district in the Democratic Republic of Congo. My objective is to characterize the geological and geochemical signatures of cobalt deposits, and ultimately develop a toolkit to aid on their discovery.
Role
- Postgraduate Researcher
Institution
- UCD
Research Area
- Earth Resources
Expertise
- Critical Materials
