Harnessing Mafic and Ultramafic Rocks for a Sustainable Future with Dr Esti Ukar
At the Jackson School of Geosciences (JSG), researchers are pioneering approaches to use mafic and ultramafic rocks as natural solutions to some of the most pressing challenges for a sustainable future. These rocks, rich in magnesium, iron, and other key elements, hold promise not only as a source of critical minerals but also as a medium for secure carbon storage and as a generator of natural hydrogen, a clean, renewable fuel.
Critical minerals for clean energy technologies
Ultramafic complexes contain significant concentrations of metals essential for the clean energy economy, including nickel, cobalt, and platinum-group elements. As global demand for batteries, renewable energy infrastructure, and advanced technologies grows, the JSG is investigating how to sustainably harvest these rocks to contribute to secure, domestic supplies of these critical elements. Research efforts focus on resource characterization, environmentally responsible extraction methods, and integrating critical mineral recovery with other beneficial uses of ultramafic systems.
Carbon capture and mineralization
One of the most powerful properties of mafic and ultramafic rocks is their ability to react with CO₂ to form stable carbonate minerals. This natural process, known as carbon mineralization, offers a permanent and safe way to lock away atmospheric or industrial carbon dioxide. The JSG is leading pilot projects, including field injection tests at mine sites, that aim to scale up this process from laboratory experiments to industrial applications. By pairing ultramafic mining operations with carbon capture projects, researchers are working to turn active and legacy mines into net carbon sinks.
Geologic hydrogen as a renewable energy source
When iron-rich rocks, including mafic and ultramafic rocks, interact with water, they can generate hydrogen gas through reactions such as serpentinization. This natural geologic hydrogen, often referred to as “gold” or “orange hydrogen,” represents a potentially vast, renewable, and carbon-free energy resource. The JSG is mapping prospective sites, studying reaction kinetics, and developing catalysts to accelerate hydrogen generation under low-temperature conditions in the shallow crust.
Dr. Estibalitz (Esti) Ukar and her research team
This integrated effort is led by Dr. Esti Ukar and her research group. The Ukar team specializes in rock–fluid interactions and rock deformation. Their research combines rock characterization, field studies, laboratory experiments, geochemical and geomechanical modeling, and pilot-scale demonstrations to understand how these rocks react, deform, and evolve under a range of natural and engineered conditions.
By applying their expertise in diagenesis and metamorphism, deformation, and fluid–rock reactions, and through collaboration with universities, industry partners, and government agencies, the Ukar team ensures that fundamental science is directly translated into practical applications.
From subduction zones to sustainable innovation
Dr. Estibalitz Ukar earned her B.S. in Geology from the University of the Basque Country (Spain) and her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, where she specialized in the deformation and metamorphism of high-pressure/low-temperature rocks (blueschists) in subduction zones. She later shifted her focus to fractured sedimentary rocks, investigating their chemical-mechanical interactions and fluid-flow properties.
Her current work at the Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, brings these themes together, combining her expertise in hard rocks and fractures with a mission to advance sustainable, climate-focused geoscience. This convergence of experiences now forms the foundation of her research on mafic and ultramafic systems for critical mineral recovery, CO₂ mineralization, and natural hydrogen generation.
