Blog icon

Dr Ignacio Gonzalez-Alvarez

Principal Geochemist

https://people.csiro.au/G/I/Ignacio-Gonzalez-Alvarez

Contact

Please enter a valid first name

Please enter a valid last name

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter your message to send to the contact

Biography

Ignacio, a Principal Geochemist at CSIRO in Australia, was born in Spain. He completed his BSc and MSc, specialising in stratigraphy and sedimentary basin analysis. His PhD focused on the REE and HFSE geochemical characterisation of sedimentary packages.

He has conducted geological research and mineral exploration projects on six continents: Canada, the USA, Papua New Guinea, Australia, China, India, Korea, Spain, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Congo, and Brazil.

Ignacio’s work at CSIRO involves coordinating a diverse portfolio of multi-disciplinary and data integration projects in different regions within Australia. His leading research is focused on various aspects related to trace element mobility in the earth’s crust (especially REE and HFSE), surface processes, geochemistry of sedimentary systems and mineral exploration.

He is a panel member of several diverse non-profit organisations that promote Earth Sciences. He is an adjunct Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia and James Cook University. Ignacio has broad experience as an Associate Editor of several International Journals, such as Ore Geology Reviews and Frontiers for Earth Sciences and Minerals.

Current Roles

  • Project Leader, 2023-2024
    The Australian Government Critical Minerals Activity Ecosystem

  • Project Leader, 2021-present
    Detection of Distal Footprints in the South West of Western Australia: linking basement and cover

  • Project Leader, 2021-2022
    Mount Weld Rare Earth Elements understanding

  • Co-Researcher, 2020-2021
    Trusted Data Brokerage and Sharing for Mining Tenements

  • Project Leader, 2019-2020
    Landscape evolution in the Gawler Craton

  • Project Leader, 2019-2020
    Landscape Geochemistry and Gold Exploration in Forrestania

  • Project Leader, 2018-2019
    Gold Mineral Exploration in Forrestania, Western Australia

  • Project Leader
    Landscape Pattern recognition

  • Co-Reseracher, 2017-present
    Landscape geochemistry in the Coompana Region, Nullarbor Plain, South Australia,

  • Project Leader
    AEM geological interpretation in DeGrussa, Capricorn Orogen, Western Australia

  • Project Leader, 2015-2016
    Landscape Evolution and the DeGrussa Geochemical Footprint, Capricorn Orogen, Western Australia

  • Project Leader, 2014-2015
    Termitaria Geochemistry for Uranium Exploration in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia

  • Project Leader
    Greenfields Geochemical Mineral exploration in the Albany-Fraser, Western Australia

  • Project Leader, 2012
    Airborne electromagnetics and palaeochannel definition in the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia

  • Project Leader, 2012-2013
    Electromagnetics-regolith exploration in the Yilgarn Craton and Albany-Fraser

  • Project Leader
    The Doriri Creek Ni-PGE occurrence, Papua New Guinea

Academic Qualifications

  • BSc
    University of Oviedo, Spain "Stratigraphy and Structural Geology"

  • MSc
    University of Oviedo, Spain "Sedimentology and Stratigraphy"

  • PhD
    University of Saskatchewan, Canada, "Sedimentary Geochemistry"

Professional Experiences

  • 2017-present

    Principal Geochemist
    CSIRO

  • 2016-2019

    Sedimentary basins Team Leader
    CSIRO, Australia

  • 2012-2015

    Regolith Team Leader
    CSIRO, Australia

  • 2010-2012

    Research Scientist
    CSIRO, Australia

  • 2009-2010

    Senior Exploration Project Geologist
    ABM Resources NL

  • 2008-2009

    Assistant Professor
    Centre for Exploration Targeting, University Western Australia

  • 2006-2008

    Exploration Project Geologist
    MERCATOR Gold

Other highlights

  • 2024-present

    Principal Geochemist Adjuct at James Cook University, Queensland, Australia

  • 2024-present

    Leader of the Expression of Critical Metal Systems Through Cover Program, University of Western Australia Industrial Training Transformation on Critical Metals Centre

  • 2023-present

    Research Team member, Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub, Monash University, Australia

  • 2022-2022

    Highly Commended Science achievement for outstanding performance for three consecutive years, CSIRO, Australia

  • 2019-2022

    Member Editorial Board, Frontiers in Earth Sciences, Economic Geology

  • 2019-2021

    Member of the Advisory Panel of MDPI Science Open Journal

  • 2020-2021

    Manager Guest Editor, Special Issue, Carbonatites, Critical Metals, carbonatites and Mineral exploration, Ore Geology Reviews

  • 2019-2020

    Manager Guest Editor, Special Issue, Mineral Exploration Under Cover, Ore Geology Reviews

  • 2018-2019

    Co-Manager Guest Editor, Special Issue, Geologic Remote Sensing, Ore Geology Reviews

  • 2018-present

    Expert Panel Member, European Union Research and Innovation

  • 2012-present

    Associate Editor, Ore Geology Reviews (IF 5y: 3.499)

  • 2016-present

    Associate Editor, Minerals (IF: 2.06)

  • 2015-2016

    Manager Guest Editor, Special Issue, Mineral Exploration Undercover, Ore Geology Reviews

  • 2012-2013

    Manager Guest Editor, Special Issue, Hydrothermal Nickel, Ore Geology Reviews

  • 2010-present

    Adjunct Research Fellow, Centre for Exploration Targeting, University of Western Australia

Community and Corporate Citizenship

  • 2022-present

    Advisory Board member for the National Exploration Undercover School (NExUS), Australia

  • 2021-2023

    Chair, Australian Regolith Geoscientists Association (ARGA)

  • 2020-present

    CSIRO STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) representative

  • 2017-present

    Chair of the Geological Association of Australia (Western Australia Division)

  • 2018-present

    Committee Member, Geoconferences, Western Australia

  • 2018-present

    Committee Member of Australian Regolith Geoscientists Association (ARGA)

We have publications by Dr Ignacio Gonzalez-Alvarez