New Year New MIWATCH Member!
With 2024 set to be the ‘year of the critical mineral’ the MIWATCH are busier than ever! With a shift in focus from sample collection to waste analysis and delivery of results, it’s time to welcome a new team member – Francesco Colombi!
Francesco began his academic journey in 2012, earning his Bachelor of Sciences in Geological Sciences from La Sapienza University in Rome (Italy). During this time, he developed his skills in geological mapping applied to facies analysis of carbonate deposits located in the northern Majella region of Italy. Building upon his undergraduate studies, Francesco pursued a Master of Sciences in Exploration Geology, completing his degree in 2015 at La Sapienza University. During this degree, he explored the petrography, mineral chemistry and isotopic signatures of Miocene volcanic rocks from NE Algeria. Three years later, Francesco moved continent to Australia where he started his PhD in Environmental Geochemistry at La Trobe University. The focus of his doctoral research was on the legacy effects of historical gold mining on the floodplains of Victorian rivers, specifically investigating the geochemical changes in re-deposited mine tailings in the Loddon River catchment.
Francesco has actively engaged in international fieldwork and projects throughout his academic career. Noteworthy experiences include an internship at the Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources (ICG-CNR) in Pisa, Italy, where he conducted Sr-Nd-Pb isotope ratio measurements of volcanic rock samples. He has also participated in fieldwork in Italy, Spain, Africa and Iran.
In parallel with his academic pursuits, Francesco gained industry experience. In 2017, he worked as a field geophysics in Riom, France, contributing to ground investigation at GALLEGO TECHNIC GEOPHYSICS (noted to be one of the largest onshore applied geophysics companies in France). In 2021, Francesco worked as a geophysical consultant at GEOEXPLORER in San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy. In this role he performed various methods, including seismic refraction and reflection, gravimetry, geoelectric and GPR (ground penetrating radar) for environmental and applied surveys.
MIWATCH are excited to have Francesco join the team as a Research Officer (and once conferred, Postdoctoral Research Fellow) and to have him join the remaining QLD and SA Stream 1 fieldwork campaigns (hand augering is appropriate training for his upcoming Himalayan Climbing trip in 2025 right? (yes)). We are particularly keen for him to share his knowledge in geophysical data collection, particularly as the team have recently concluded two geophysical field campaigns in QLD (supported by GHD) with view to seeing these techniques applied more routinely as part of a mine waste site investigation.
Welcome Francesco!