Ph.D Scandium and rare metal mineralization associated Crater Lake deposit

Position: Ph.D. – Scandium and rare metal mineralization associated with the Crater Lake deposit

Ph.D. – Scandium and rare metal mineralization associated with the Crater Lake deposit - Research Affiliate Program

Natural Resources Canada - Geoscience & Earth Monitoring Sector - Geological Survey of Canada - GSC-Central

Closing date:
February 27, 2026 - 23:59, Pacific Time

Reference number
RSN
26J
- Selection process number
2026-RSN-EA-GEMS-666865 Location
Ottawa (Ontario)
Employment tenure
This Ph.D. Bursary will start on September 1st, 2026 and end on August 31st, 2029.
Salary
The student will receive a salary of $30,000 per year, payable in 3 equal installments each year. It is expected that the student will work approximately 10 to 15 hours per week for a three-year period (nine semesters) from September 2026 to August 2029.
Who can apply
Persons residing in Canada, and Canadian citizens and Permanent residents abroad.

To be considered for RAP work opportunities, students must be:
1. Recognized as having full-time student status by the post-secondary academic institution at which they are presently enrolled OR be a part-time student who is recognized by their academic institution as having a disability;
2. The minimum age to work in the province or territory where the job is located; and
3. Enrolled in an academic program that requires research as part of their curriculum.
Organization information
For further information on the organization, please visit .

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About the position

Duties
We are seeking a Ph.D. candidate with expertise in igneous petrology, geochemistry, mineralogy and geochronology to explore the processes that led to the formation of scandium and rare metal ore systems (e.g., REE, Y) associated with the Mistastin Batholith, including Scandium Canada Ltd.’s Crater Lake Sc-REE deposit, located in northern Quebec, Canada. As a key focus of NRCan’s Targeted Geoscience Initiative program, the Mistastin Batholith, the largest Mesoproterozoic intrusive complex in the region, is cut by olivine-bearing syenite of the Crater Lake intrusive complex that is associated with Sc and REE mineralization and is considered the first primarily Sc deposit discovered in Canada and the only known Sc-rich deposit within a syenite complex.

This project aims to address critical knowledge gaps in the mineralization processes at Crater Lake, with important implications for refining and processing strategies. The research will involve a detailed mineralogical and geochemical investigation, employing advanced geochemical and petrographic techniques (e.g. SEM-EDS, EMPA, LA-ICP-MS, TIMS, SHRIMP) on samples collected from drill cores and outcrops. The candidate will be based at Carleton University (Ottawa, Ontario) and will be expected to regularly attend group meetings with Scandium Canada Ltd.

and the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) in Ottawa, actively collaborate with the research team, present at national and international conferences, and publish results in GSC Open Files and peer-reviewed journals. The position will involve laboratory analyses at Carleton University and the GSC, as well as possible fieldwork based at Scandium Canada Ltd.’s Crater Lake exploration camp in the summers of 2027 and 2028.

This study is part of an ongoing TGI research program at the GSC focused on “REE mineralization in the eastern Canadian Shield”.
Work environment
At Natural Resources Canada, a federal government job means developing leadership skills, fostering teamwork, and supporting creativity and innovation. Canada’s governments depend on geoscience to inform policy, manage the country's landmass and develop its natural resources responsibly. The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) is the national organization for geoscientific information and research. Since 1842 the Geological Survey of Canada has produced cutting-edge, authoritative geoscience to support mineral exploration, climate change research, marine and coastal resilience, and natural hazards mapping.

Our work supports decision-making in the mining and energy sectors, as well as national sovereignty, hazards risk management and more. The GSC is proud to create a workplace that supports an accessible, equitable, inclusive, and diverse workforce at the ready to…