Geology student, Joy Youngblood, to present groundbreaking lithium research at GSA Connects 2024

Due to its use in energy storage —think electric car batteries! — lithium is crucial for a carbon-free, sustainable future. But lithium resources are not easy to find. Joy Youngblood, a 2024 student of the 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 in Anaheim, California, this September. The GSA Connects is one of the largest and most influential global gatherings for geoscientists, showcasing cutting-edge research from around the world and a great opportunity for CMU’s Earth and Atmospheric Science faculty and students to present their findings.

Youngblood recently secured a highly 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 sponsor her participation in the conference, where she will present her findings.

Youngblood's 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, and 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 made a significant discovery of a new pegmatite on steep, vegetation-covered slopes in northeastern Wisconsin. Despite the initial appearance that the pegmatite lacked spodumene—the main lithium ore mineral—Youngblood's passion drove her to collect rock samples, which later revealed promising results. Supported by a SPAR grant, she returned to the site in May 2024, where further sampling confirmed that the host rocks contained significant lithium concentrations up to 10 meters away from the pegmatite. This finding suggests the presence of additional hidden lithium-rich pegmatite bodies.

Youngblood's field and lab work has led to the development of new prospecting practices for lithium pegmatites, which are now being prepared for publication.