| PhD topic | Anotation | Supervisor | Study Form |
| Lateral and vertical fluid flow in porphyry and epithermal systems | Porphyry and epithermal deposits are a significant potential source of critical and strategic raw materials, such as Cu, Mo, W, and Au. Hydrothermal fluid flow in porphyry systems is usually vertical upwards from the heat/fluid source, but once the fluid reaches shallower areas and/or heterogeneities in permeability (faults, seals, reactive rocks) it can also migrate laterally causing the formation of various types of satellite or epithermal mineralisations. Fluid flow depends much on structural heterogeneities and fluid-rock reactions, that may actively change permeability. Paths of the fluids can be recognised based on the changes in composition of precipitated mineral assemblages and minerals, alteration patterns and properties of paleofluids that can be traced by fluid inclusion and stable isotope analyses, as well as mineral thermometry. This topic will be studied on Slovakian ore deposits and prospects that have recently been a subject to intensive exploration and research, with sufficient level of knowledge and availability of samples from different parts and levels of the systems. GIS programs will be used for the spatial visualisation interpretation of earlier and new analytical, geological and structural data. This project will aim to constrain the principal factors of hydrothermal fluid flow, resulting in hydrothermal enrichment and fractionation processes responsible for the formation of porphyry and epithermal deposits. | prof. Mgr. Peter Koděra, PhD. | full-time |
| The impact of individual oil sands properties on bitumen extraction | The Alberta oil sands represent an important source of bitumen on the planet. Although a number of factors are known to affect bitumen extraction, it is still unclear which factors are crucial and which are less important. The set of experiments will be performed using model oil sands mixtures with similar composition to that of natural oil sands. Knowledge of key factors will allow a better understanding of the impact of individual oil sands properties (mineralogy, chemistry, surface properties) on bitumen extraction. One of the outputs important for oil companies will be a better prediction of the amount of bitumen extracted from different types of oil sands. | doc. Mgr. Marek Osacký, PhD. | full-time |
| Clay raw materials as supplementary cementitious material | Cement-based products (30 billion tonnes per year of concrete, mortar, etc.) are the most consumed manufactured material in the world thanks to their outstanding properties, local availability of raw materials and price. The drawback of these materials is environmental impact. The production of 1 tonne of clinker emits about 875 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2), 60% of which originates from the limestone and the remaining 40% originates from the energy required for the process. Although the amount of emitted CO2 per unit mass is small in comparison with other manufactured materials, the enormous production causes the cement industry currently accounts for about 7% of the CO2 emissions globally and global demand will increase. The most effective and economical tool for decarbonization in the cement industry seems to be replace clinker or cement partially by supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). One of the most promising SCMs are clay raw materials, due to their vailability and suitable physical-mechanical properties based on the published works so far. The need for research on clay raw materials as SCM is essential for understanding the reactions between cement phases and aluminosilicate phases of clay raw materials. At the same time, each clay raw material deposit is specific. | doc. Mgr. Peter Uhlík, PhD. | full-time |
| Geochemistry of phyllosilicates as a tool for exploration in hydrothermal environments | Reactive and overpressured fluids cause veining, wall rock alteration and large-scale alteration in porphyry systems, forming phyllosilicates that react to changes in the chemistry of the environment and can be used as indicators of processes leading to ore deposition. Advanced analytical methods allow to use trace elements in alteration minerals for exploration vectoring. This project will study samples from well-defined porphyry and epithermal deposits in Slovakia with the possibility to compare the data with results from other independent methods. Localities, where current exploration is taking place, will be also included for comparison with other exploration tools. Simultaneously, the detailed geochemical study of clay minerals and other phyllosilicates can also provide insights on processes that causing enrichment in metals (e.g., rare earth element (REE) and other) in clay fraction. | doc. Mgr. Peter Uhlík, PhD. | full-time |
| Petrology and geochemistry of metamagmatites and metasediments in orogenic suture zones | Field study of suture zones. Petrographic description, mineral and whole rock chemistry using main and trace elements, Sr-Nd isotopic study, geochronology, modelling P-T-X conditions of magmatic and metamorphic stages in Perple_X and Melts software packages. Data evaluation in discrimination diagrams for determination of the rock origin, melting sources, and evolutional stages. | prof. RNDr. Marián Putiš, DrSc. | full-time |
| Mineralogical research of tourmaline-supergroup in pegmatites of Krušné Hory Mts. (Czech Republic) | Mineralogical research of minerals of the tourmaline supergroup will consist of crystal-chemical and genetic research of different types and compositions of tourmalines on the pegmatites of the Ore Mountains (e.g. the Smolné Pece site) through a diverse range of analytical methods (EMPA, LA-ICP-MS, PXRD, SREF, FTIR, Raman , OAS, Mössbauer). | doc. RNDr. Peter Bačík, PhD. | full-time |
| Use of bond topology for determining structural effects of substitutions in silicates | This research will attempt to use Bond Topological Model in predicting the structural stability of silicates, revealing and interpreting crystal-chemical processes occurring in real structures and proposing possible alterations of mineral structure and composition. | doc. RNDr. Peter Bačík, PhD. | full-time |
| Weathering of minerals of the tetrahedrite group: mobility of elements and supergene products | Detailed study of the chemical composition of the primary/unaltered minerals of the tetrahedrite group, identification and advanced crystal-chemical research of all supergene products of weathering and determination of geochemical behaviour and mobility of the toxic elements during weathering | Mgr. Martin Števko, PhD. | full-time |
