Geospex (Geo-Spectral Exploration) is an international research group within Section 1.4 dedicated to raw material exploration using spectral remote sensing technologies. Starting in June 2026, this five-year initiative focuses on advancing raw material exploration using multi-scale, multi-platform, and multi-wavelength imaging spectroscopy, ranging from EnMAP hyperspectral data to lightweight UAV-mounted sensors, as well as laboratory-based imaging and handheld non-imaging systems spanning the visible–near infrared (VNIR), shortwave infrared (SWIR), and longwave infrared (LWIR) spectral ranges. By integrating these spectral datasets with detailed geochemical analyses and state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, the project aims to quantitatively characterize the mineralogical and geochemical properties of ore systems at different scales, from surface to sub-surface levels, thereby making the exploration of critical raw materials more efficient, successful, and sustainable.
Research will be conducted across five study sites in Australia, Chile, Canada, Namibia, and Brazil, targeting key deposit types such as pegmatites, carbonatites, alkaline igneous complexes, porphyry copper systems, and nickel laterites. These mineral systems host a diverse range of critical minerals, including Li–Cs–Ta–Rb, rare earth elements (REEs), Zr–Nb, Cu–Mo–Au and Ni.
The project is carried out in collaboration with four junior and mid-tier exploration companies based in Chile (Hot Chili Limited), Namibia (Ondoto Rare Earth), Australia (Everest Metals Corporation), and Canada (Eagle Plains Resources), as well as academic and governmental partners, including the University of Chile (Chile), the University of Campinas (Brazil), TU Berlin (Germany), the Geological Survey of Namibia, and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR).
The project includes extensive spectral data collection campaigns and systematic collection of hand samples from the exploration sites for detailed laboratory analyses using methods such as ICP-MS, XRF, XRD, SEM, EPMA, and other analytical tools available at Section 3.1. in GFZ.
Geospex will recruit four PhD researchers and two Master’s students to contribute to this research initiative. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) under the EGARoh_Junior funding program.