Abraham J. Padilla, PhD

As a geoscientist, I am interested in the physical and chemical evolution of magmas and materials within the Earth  crust, and in particular how silicic magmas, which are responsible for the most explosive eruptions on Earth, are generated. To date, my research has focused on the use of mineral geochemistry, and especially that of zircon crystals, to investigate the generation, evolution, and emplacement of silicic magmas in composite magmatic-volcanic systems where magmas of significantly contrasting compositions meet, mingle, and mix. I use dispersed elements (those found in trace amounts such as HFSE and REE, among others) and radioactive (Lu-Hf, Pb-Pb, U-Pb) as well as stable (O) isotopes to shed light on how those interactions influence the evolution and behavior of magmas, and how these changes may in turn influence the behavior of any associated volcanic systems at the surface. My work has included NSF-funded research on magmatic-volcanic complexes in the Colorado River Extensional Corridor (southwestern USA), the Gobi Desert (southwestern Mongolia), and the Austurland and Suðurland regions of Iceland.

In my current role as a Minerals Intelligence Analyst with the USGS National Minerals Information Center I study the global supply chain and flow of non-fuel mineral commodities that are critical for society, the economy, and national defense. Using a variety of quantitative frameworks, such as geospatial analysis (GIS) and material flow analysis (MFA), I am better able to understand how critical materials flow across the global economy, from their origins as raw mineral resources extracted from the Earth (production), to their transformation into refined commodities and finished goods (processing), their use in the manufacturing of finished products, their end use by the consumer market, and finally their disposal as waste or recovery through recycling at the product's functional end of life (EOL). Recently, I also served as a Mineral Commodity Specialist analyzing the niobium and tantalum mineral industries. In that role, I analyzed data and information on global reserves, global production, international trade, domestic consumption, government and industry stocks, as well as important trends, events, and legislation related to the niobium and tantalum industries to better understand the global movement of niobium and tantalum materials.