Ahmed Abd Elmola

Research Scientist (XRD Clay Mineralogist)
Environmental and Biochemical Sciences
E: Ahmed.AbdElmola@hutton.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)

Ahmed Abd Elmola joined the James Hutton Institute in 2023 as an XRD Clay Mineralogist. He brings extensive experience in the field of clay minerals and X-ray diffraction (XRD), with over five years of successful collaboration with prominent mining and oil companies. His expertise in clay minerals and XRD was first developed during his international master's degree specializing in Advanced Clay Science, which he obtained from renowned institutions in France and Greece.

Furthermore, Ahmed's doctoral research, conducted at the University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in France in collaboration with the University of Bern (Switzerland), focused on utilizing clay minerals as thermochronological tools for dating tectonic activities, estimating deformation conditions, and reconstructing fluid/rock interactions. Following the completion of his Ph.D. degree, Ahmed spent four years as a postdoctoral researcher working in academic-industrial settings at the University of Poitiers and Orano Mining Company (France).

At the James Hutton Institute, Ahmed actively contributes to both commercial and research projects, driven by his enthusiasm for advancing the characterization of clay minerals.

Research

Clay minerals are essential components of the Earth’s crust and play a pivotal role in various geological processes. Therefore, studying them contributes to a deeper understanding of geological systems. One of Ahmed’s key research endeavors is centered around advancing the characterization and quantification of clay minerals through XRD and SEM. Ahmed’s current research interests include:

  • Development of Clay Mineral Polytype Quantification using XRD.
  • Contribution to the advancement of Radiometric Dating using K-bearing clay minerals such as illite and muscovite.

Ahmed is enthusiastic about collaborating with researchers and scientists who share a passion for these research areas as well as other research ideas.

If you are interested in discussing potential collaborations, or research opportunities, or simply wish to connect and share insights with Ahmed, please feel free to contact him.

Past research

Ahmed has collaborated on previous research projects that involved various aspects, including estimating paleoenvironment and redox conditions in sandstone and carbonate rocks. He used clay minerals as proxies for source rock maturation, evaluated reservoir quality, reconstructed fluid/rock interaction, and applied radiometric dating techniques to date tectonic activities. Additionally, Ahmed has explored the role of clay minerals in fossil preservation.

Publications

Journals

Prior to appointment