Robert O. Davies President | Central Michigan University
Robert O. Davies President | Central Michigan University
Joy Youngblood, a geology student and participant in the 2024 Summer Program in Applied Research (SPAR), is set to present her innovative research on lithium mineral occurrences in northern Wisconsin at the Geological Society of America (GSA) Connects conference. The event will take place in Anaheim, California, this September.
The GSA Connects conference is recognized as one of the largest and most influential global gatherings for geoscientists, providing a platform for showcasing cutting-edge research from around the world. It also offers an opportunity for faculty and students from Carnegie Mellon University's Earth and Atmospheric Science department to present their findings.
Youngblood recently secured a competitive travel grant from the Mineralogy-Geochemistry-Petrology-Volcanology (MGPV) Division of the GSA. This grant, awarded to only 20% of the 46 applicants nationwide, will support her participation in the conference.
Her paper, titled "Geochemical Dispersion Halos of Lithium Pegmatites as a Potential Exploration Tool: A Preliminary Comparative Study in Florence County, Northeastern Wisconsin, USA," is co-authored with M.-L.C. Sirbescu, J. Meldrum, T. Cox, and T.R. Benson. It will be published in the Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs (Vol 56).
Youngblood joined Dr. Sirbescu’s lithium exploration team in May 2023 as a field assistant. During this time, she discovered a new pegmatite on steep slopes covered with vegetation in northeastern Wisconsin. Despite initial appearances that the pegmatite lacked spodumene—the main lithium ore mineral—Youngblood's determination led her to collect rock samples that later revealed promising results.
Supported by a SPAR grant, she returned to the site in May 2024 for further sampling, which confirmed significant lithium concentrations up to 10 meters away from the pegmatite. This finding suggests additional hidden lithium-rich pegmatite bodies may be present.
Youngblood's field and lab work has resulted in new prospecting practices for lithium pegmatites that are now being prepared for publication.
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