Project code: PN-IV-P8-8.3-PM-RO-BE-2024-0001

Contract No.: 1BMBE/2024

Project type: Mobility project, concluded under the National Research, Development and Innovation Plan (PN III) – Programme 3 – European and International Cooperation, Sub-programme 3.1 – Bilateral/Multiannual.

Partners

  • Geological Institute of Romania – project director: CS I Dr. Eng. Ştefan Marincea; e-mail: marincea@igr.ro
  • Laboratoire de Minéralogie et de Crystallochimie, Université de Liège – project director: prof.dr. Frédéric Hatert; e-mail: fhatert@uliege.be

Implementation period: December 2024 – December 2025

Total budget value: 56,200 RON

 

Abstract

The proposed project aims to provide new data on the Budureasa thermometamorphic Mg deposit (Bihor Mountains, Romania). Research will focus on the crystal chemistry, polytypism, thermal behavior, and infrared and Raman spectroscopy of brucite [ideally Mg(OH)₂]—viewed as a magnesium source—as well as associated magnesium-bearing species (periclase, magnesite, huntite, hydromagnesite). The detailed mineralogical study proposed by this project will serve to develop best practices for the successful, “green” processing of Mg ore and for the complete separation and utilization of other magnesium phases found in the skarns and hornfels associated with the marbles (e.g., dolomite, spinel, magnesium silicates) as industrial minerals or raw materials. Structural refinements, along with thermal and spectroscopic analyses, will contribute to understanding the conditions required for the efficient processing of magnesium ore.

Main objectives

The project’s main objectives are: (1) characterizing the host deposit in terms of mineralogy, crystallography, and physical properties; (2) determining the crystallographic and physical properties of the target minerals and comparing them with their crystal chemistry to facilitate processing technologies; (3) comparing the characteristics of the Mg minerals with those of corresponding phases from collections; and (4) refining new mineral structures of significant academic interest.

Estimated results

The expected results of the project are: (1) the development of a database regarding the crystal chemistry, polytypism, and thermal, Raman, and infrared behavior of Mg-bearing minerals—such as brucite, periclase, hydromagnesite, huntite, forsterite, spinel, phlogopite, and serpentine group minerals—from the magnesian skarns, hornfels, and marbles of Budureasa; (2) the preparation of two ISI-indexed articles on the project’s subject matter; (3) the donation of a thematic collection—comprising the samples used for the study—to the National Geological Museum.