Ionic liquids deal with rare earth elements, hybrid nanoparticle systems for mine waste management, enhanced fine coal flotation using novel polymer aids, recycling the fluorapatite from secondary sources using polymer-assisted flotation, biodegradable polymers application in sulfide mineral flotation

Surface mining; excavation modeling; sustainability in mining

Numerical geomechanics, buckle folding, high strain zones, salt tectonics, deformation bands, petroleum-related geomechanics

Computational mechanics/material science, additive manufacturing, phase-field modeling (crack propagation, solidification, oxidation, material microstructure), phase-field crystal modeling, finite element analysis, fracture mechanics, and ICME

Cyber-surface mining systems, excavation, heavy mining machinery and intelligent systems

Geophysical exploration of the Earth’s interior, earthquake seismology, crustal and mantle deformation

Energy of Dry vs. Saturate Rock Breaking, Space Mining, rock fragmentation technology, Extra-terrestrial mining and excavation, rock mechanics, mechanical rock cutting, near-Earth objects (NEOs), mine planning, mine equipment selection, planetary surface operations, space resources, space exploration, sustainability of mineral production, Moon, Mars, asteroids, comets

Geophysical subsurface imaging, seismic interpretation, subsurface imaging utilizing wave conversions

Development of geochemical exploration tools for critical element deposits; Fluid mobility of critical elements to constrain transport and deposition mechanisms; Investigation of Missouri’s Rare Earth Element and Cobalt Ore Potential

Petroleum geology, sedimentology, stratigraphy

Reservoir simulation, data mining, unconventional resources and enhanced oil recovery