Environmental and Resource Geochemistry (ERG)

The curriculum of the Specialization in Environmental and Resource Geochemistry spans the realm of fundamental and applied mineral-fluid interaction and mineralogy, in particular the implication of (hydro-)geochemical processes for resource generation, use, and their environmental impacts. This specialization provides students with the knowledge and practical skills required to tackle the many challenges facing professional geoscientists today. For example, geoscientists have an important role to play in supporting a sustainable energy transition and climate change mitigation approaches, as well as development of more sustainable resource cycles (e.g., use of secondary mineral resources); these are the types of issues we train our students to help address. Topics covered in course and thesis work include applications such CO₂ storage, geothermal energy, remediation of polluted sites, hydrothermal mineral deposits, recycling of secondary mineral resources, nuclear waste storage, and hydrogen storage and hydrogen production in natural systems, and fundamental science such as mechanisms of fluid-mineral interaction, aspects of climate change impacts and mitigation, hydrogeology of mountainous terrains, lithosphere-hydrosphere interaction and geochemical cycles, isotope fractionation processes, and paleo-proxy development and interpretation.

Environmental and resource geochemistry is a large sector of professional activity for geoscience graduates; virtually any exploitation of geological resources impacts the environment. Industry, government authorities, and research institutes around the world require geoscientists who are trained to deal simultaneously with multiple dimensions of resource identification, use, and environmental impacts. Experts are sought in fields such as (hydro-)geochemical assessment and protection of groundwater resources, geological disposal of toxic or radioactive wastes, remediation of polluted sites, mineral deposit formation and evaluation of mineral and energy resources, recycling of secondary resources from waste products, development of geothermal energy, storage of CO₂, and alternative low-carbon energy sources such as natural H₂. Many graduates of the Universities of Fribourg and Bern are currently working in one of these fields in the private, public, or academic sectors in Switzerland and abroad, and will be equipped for PhD studies and advanced academic careers at universities or research institutions.