The German Mineralogical Society awards the Georg Agricola Medal to Professor Ekhard K. H. Salje FRS, FRSA in recognition of his innovative contributions to the field of Applied Mineralogy.
His research on the use of minerals for the immobilization of radioactive waste and on ferroelastic microstructures in minerals has had a significant impact on technologically important fields of applied research, including high-temperature superconductivity. In more than 30 publications, Professor Salje and his collaborators investigated the vitrification behavior of a range of mineral host phases, opening entirely new approaches for the encapsulation of plutonium and other radioactive elements.
In another major area of research, Professor Salje developed the use of minerals as model materials for studying the localized diffusion of atoms and small molecules. This work has important applications in electronic memory devices and in medical technologies for the controlled delivery of pharmaceutical compounds.
These technology-oriented research activities led to his appointment as Co-Director of a superconductivity research center at the University of Cambridge, a position he held from 1986 to 1996. Former students and researchers from Professor Salje's group now hold positions in leading international companies such as Samsung, Rolls-Royce, Rio Tinto, BP, Shell, and Siemens, and his research group has maintained numerous collaborative partnerships with industry.
