Geochemistry Research Lines

Surface Geology and Environmental

Geochemistry
Study of weathering processes on rocks and minerals. Urban
geochemistry. Environmental contamination and soil and water remediation. Mining
activity and contamination. Hydro-geochemistry of underground and surface water
resources. Biogeochemistry. Stable isotope geochemistry applied to solve
environmental problems. Glacio-chemistry applied to paleoclimatology.

Minerals and Rocks Geochemistry

Geochemical cycle of elements. Analytical geochemistry. Crystallochemistry of
minerals. Geochemical and petrogenetic characterization of minerals and rocks of
volcanic, plutonic, metamorphic, sedimentary and metallic associations in tectonic
environments. Investigation of evolutionary processes, magmatism sources,
metamorphism parameters, origins and diagenesis.

Geochemistry and Organic Petrology

Origin of organic matter, kerogen formation, coal and oil genesis, oil shales. Basins
types and organic facies. Coal basins classification. Oil migration and reservoirs
formation. Analytical and geochemical data methods on the origin, genesis,
composition and maturity of organic matter in oil and coal generating rocks.

Metallogeny
Study of hydrothermal alteration parameters of rocks and associated
mineralization. Mineral deposit generation controls, with emphasis
on radiogenic isotopes.

Geotectonics and Isotopic Geology

Analysis of tectonic and geodynamic evolution of orogenic belts and intra-plate
associations. Structural analysis of belts, with emphasis on the determination of their
kinematic pattern, geology and stratigraphy of pre-Cambrian volcanic, plutonic and
high-grade metamorphic terrains. Use of isotopic data
for petrological and metallogenetic studies, in the determination of rock ages and
geological events, through geochronological methods and the establishment of the
evolutionary history of Brazilian Shield, as well as volcanic and sedimentary plates.

Experimental Petrology and Geochemistry

Research line directed to experimental study under pressures compatible with the
interior of the planet or its surface, focusing on : a) development of phase diagrams ;
b) mineral stability ; c) determination of the partition coefficients of trace elements and
their isotopes in aqueous / silicate or carbonatitic / mineral fluids systems ; d)
endogenous cycle of volatile elements ; e) magma formation and fusion
on lithospheric and sub-lithospheric mantles. The experiments are conducted in
controlled CO, CO2, Ar or N2 atmosphere furnaces, which allow simulating temperatures
up to 1800°C ; and in toroidal profile chambers or with multi-anvil system (Walker)
coupled presses, which allow to simulate pressure conditions from 1GPa to 25GPa
(from 30km to about 900km deep) and temperatures up to 2500°C

Themes
 Material analysis. Ornamental and cladding rocks. Impedance
spectroscopy, ionic conduction, high pressure, ceramics, analytical
methods. Applied crystallochemistry ;
 Evaluation of distribution and quality of coals in Paraná Basin. Assessment
of potential natural gas (methane) in coal layers in Paraná Basin. Biomass-
coal co-combustion. Evaluation of petroleum generating rocks, by hydro-
pyrolysis experiments ;
 Petroleum geology and geochemistry. Rocks potentials to generate
petroleum hydrocarbons ;
 Geochemistry, tectonics and structural geology of metamorphic
rocks. Geothermal barometry. P-T-t trajectories in orogenic belts ;
 Surface geochemistry. Alteration of rocks. Mineralogy of clay
minerals. Analytical techniques of clay minerals study (XRD, SEM, LNLS) ;
 Sediment geochemistry. Origin and diagenesis of clay minerals in reservoir
rocks, tectonics of sedimentary basins ;
 Isotopic geochemistry. Stable and radiogenic isotopes applied to
geodynamic and environmental studies. Thermochronology by apatite
fission traces and (U – Th) / He. Dating by Laser Ablation and TIMS ;
 Polar and Andean Glaciology. Glacial sedimentology. Global environmental
changes. Quaternary Paleoclimatology ;
 Syntectonic magmatism, post-collisional magmatism and shear zones.
Petrological-structural integrated study on syntectonic intrusions. P-T-t
trajectories ;
 Metallogenesis, mineralogy and geochemistry of metallic mineral deposits.
Hydrothermal systems. Alteration and mineralization of areas. Isotope
geochemistry of mineralized areas. Mineralization of amethyst geodes and
hydrothermalism in Serra Geral Group ;
 Mineral chemistry. Petrology and geochemistry of volcanic associations.
Intrusive rock systems. Petrology and geochemistry of granitoid rocks.
Magmatic modeling. Experimental petrology. Mantle, xenoliths and
metasomatism studies. Magma rheology and structural geology of plutonic
rocks ;
 Pollution in sediments, soils and water. Heavy metals. Geochemical
barriers, geochemical landscapes. Geochemistry and health. Hydrogeology
and hydro geochemistry. Application of stable isotopes in water systems.