From 6 to 12 July, Dr Gražina Skridlaitė from NRC Laboratory of Bedrock Geology participated in the International Goldschmidt Conference, which is organized annually by the Geochemical Society and the European Association of Geochemistry (EAG). This year, it took place in beautiful Prague.
About 4,400 participants gathered at the Prague Congress Centre to present the latest research findings on geological and geochemical processes in all internal and external spheres of the Earth and far beyond. Much attention was paid to experiments on geochemical processes, which confirm or deny the truths that existed for many years. Many studies were devoted to fluids involved in the key geological processes forming, changing or dissolving rocks, as well as mobilising and precipitating useful minerals, especially strategically important raw materials. A poster presentation prepared by doctoral student Olga Demina, Dr Gražina Skridlaitė and Dr Laurynas Šiliauskas from Laboratory of Bedrock Ecology, as well as Marcin Lacki from the University of Warsaw and Tomas Narea from Lund University was specifically dedicated to the study of fluid-induced changes and rusting in Kabeliai granites in southern Lithuania.
Dr Laurynas Šiliauskas was also a co-author of an oral presentation on determining the age of mafic silo in South Africa. There, he collected material together with his supervisor Ashley Gumsley during his postdoctoral fellowship.
Many new research methods were presented, suitable not only for past but also for present geological and natural processes. Ever-improving equipment and methodologies allow even very small amounts of material in various forms to be studied. The exhibition held during the conference provided an opportunity to learn about modern equipment, sample preparation technologies, modelling programs, information systems, and scientific literature.
