Swastik Shinde

I completed my bachelor’s and master's at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Tirupati, India majoring in Earth and Climate Science. During this venture, I gained an expertise in igneous petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry. During my master’s, I worked on alkaline silicate rocks associated with intrusive carbonatite complexes. Through them, I got introduced to the economic aspects of geology.  

Economic geology, especially in relation to the geochemical aspects, has always captivated me. My interests include examining these economic deposits, studying how they form, and exploring the processes that concentrate economically important elements like rare earth elements (REEs) in such deposits. This passion drives my research. 

My current research focuses on using a wide range of geochemical techniques to decipher the processes and various fluids involved in the formation of the iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) and iron sulphide copper gold (ISCG) deposits. These deposits, characterized by high content of iron oxide/sulphide minerals, are a crucial source of copper and gold. Recent studies have also recognised their importance as a significant source for rare earth elements. Despite their economic importance, debates continue around the formation mechanisms of IOCG deposits and the source of REE enrichment. Using geochemical and geochronological tools, the aim of my research is to decipher the processes and fluids involved in the formation of these deposits and figure out the source for REE.