Beyond Bulk Geochemistry: Cobalt, Nanoparticles, and Surface Processes with Owen Missen

About this episode

This episode discusses cobalt cycling and the importance of understanding elements in surface environments with guest Owen Missen.

This episode of GeOCHemISTea explores cobalt cycling, critical metals, and why geochemists need to think beyond bulk chemistry to understand how elements behave in surface environments. Sam is joined by Owen Missen, lecturer in environmental geology at the University of Tasmania and researcher with CODES, whose work focuses on the environmental geochemistry and mineralogy of elements like cobalt and tellurium. The conversation explores why cobalt matters in modern technology, how nanoscale particles are changing the way we think about metal mobility, and what this means for environmental risk around mine waste and legacy sites. Owen also shares insights from Tasmania’s mining legacy, including the Mount Lyell–Macquarie Harbour system, and reflects on why understanding metals at the right scale matters for better mining and environmental decisions. For this episode we read: Natural cobalt–manganese oxide nanoparticles: speciation, detection and implications for cobalt cycling (Missen et al., 2024)

People in this episode

Host: Sam Scher

Guest: Owen Missen

Topics covered

• cobalt cycling
• critical metals
• environmental geochemistry
• nanoparticles
• metal mobility
• mining legacy
• environmental risk

Keywords

• cobalt
• nanoparticles
• geochemistry
• environmental risk
• mining
• metal mobility
• Tasmania

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Tasmania, CODES

Books & works: Natural cobalt–manganese oxide nanoparticles: speciation, detection and implications for cobalt cycling

Places: Tasmania, Mount Lyell–Macquarie Harbour

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