Alireza Malehmir, hunting for the metals of the future

Geophysics rarely makes headlines, yet it influences many decisions around the energy transition (for example where to place wind farms and store CO2) and mineral supply to infrastructure, climate research and natural hazards. Much of the work happens underground and out of sight — but the discoveries made there shape the future above ground.

Professor of geophysics Alireza Malehmir works with one of Earth science’s most hidden landscapes — the world beneath the surface. Using seismic imaging, sensors and advanced data analysis, he and his colleagues build detailed images of the subsurface to locate critical minerals, understand rock structures and study processes that are normally invisible to us.

At the Department of Earth Sciences, he leads the Smart Exploration Research Center (SERC). The focus is not only to find minerals, but to rethink how they are discovered — making exploration more precise, more efficient and less disruptive to the environment.

This matters more than ever. As demand for critical minerals increases worldwide, geophysics is becoming a key science for the future — helping society locate resources more accurately and reduce environmental impact in the process.

But why would anyone devote their career to something that most people will never get to see? Why did Alireza Malehmir start exploring the hidden world beneath the earth’s surface?

What first sparked your interest in geophysics and Earth sciences?

- My interest really took shape during my PhD, when I saw that it was possible to image the subsurface using carefully placed recorders and controlled measurements. Before that, I understood the theory, but seeing the Earth “appear” through data was something completely different. It felt almost impossible until I experienced it myself. That moment made me realize how powerful geophysics can be.

How would you explain geophysics to someone who has never heard of it before?

- I often explain geophysics as a way of looking inside the Earth without digging it up. In the same way that MRI can help doctors detect features inside the human body, geophysical methods help us detect structures, resources, faults, cavities, water, and other features below the surface. We use physics, measurements, and imaging to understand what is hidden in the subsurface.

What is something people often misunderstand about geophysics?

- People sometimes think geophysics is an artificial mix of physics and geology, as if it is not fully one or the other. In reality, that combination is exactly its strength. Geophysics brings together physical principles, geological understanding, engineering, and data analysis to solve real problems beneath the surface. It is a field that connects disciplines rather than sitting between them.

What fascinates you most about geophysics and your research?

- What fascinates me most is how adaptable geophysics is. If we understand the target well enough, we can design or engineer the survey around it. That means choosing the right methods, instruments, geometry, and processing strategy for each problem. This makes geophysics a vibrant and versatile field, with the potential to address many societal challenges, from mineral exploration and infrastructure to groundwater, hazards, and the energy transition.

What brought you to Uppsala University, Sweden?

- Sweden has a long and important history in mining, mineral exploration, and mining technology. Many important geophysical and exploration solutions have strong roots here. Uppsala University offered the right environment for me to grow scientifically, build collaborations, and work close to both fundamental research and practical applications. It felt like a perfect place to develop ideas that can have real impact.

Why is geophysics important for today’s society and how do you see its role in the future?

- Geophysics is important because many of society’s major challenges are connected to the subsurface. We need critical minerals for the energy transition, safe infrastructure, clean groundwater, better understanding of geological risks, and more sustainable ways of using Earth’s resources. Geophysics helps us investigate the subsurface with less disturbance and more precision. We have done this for example for quick-clay landslides, great step in understanding these deposits and where possibly the risky areas are.

In the future, I see geophysics becoming even more integrated with geology, engineering, materials science, artificial intelligence, and advanced instrumentation. We will need more targeted, efficient, and responsible ways of understanding the subsurface, and geophysics will be central to that.

Your work has led to both scientific advances and practical innovations. Do you enjoy the applied side of research?

- Yes, very much. I enjoy research that creates new knowledge, but I am also strongly motivated when that knowledge can be tested, applied, and used in real situations. The applied side forces us to be creative and practical. It makes us ask whether our ideas can survive outside the laboratory or the computer screen. For me, the most rewarding research often happens when scientific advances lead to solutions that people can actually use. We have shown this is possible helping exploration companies, infrastructure projects and for water resource exploration.

Do you have a specific goal or vision with your research?

- My vision is to develop geophysical solutions that make complex deep targets more accessible and better understood. I am especially interested in larger mineral systems, deep targeting, and instrumentation that can be tailored to specific geological questions. The goal is not only to image the subsurface, but to do it in a smarter, more efficient, and more responsible way. I also want to help build strong research environments where geophysicists, geologists, engineers, tech providers, and materials scientists work together. Many of the questions we face today are too complex for one discipline alone.

If you had not become a geophysicist, what do you think you would have done instead?

- I think I would still have chosen something connected to observation, problem-solving, and understanding complex systems. Perhaps engineering, exploration, or another field where you need to combine data, intuition, and persistence. I like challenges where the answer is not immediately visible and where you have to work hard to reveal it. Data analytics or even building designs would have been my favorites.

What is on the horizon right now — what are you most excited about next?

• Right now, I am excited about the rapid growth around our research center and the increasing synergy between geophysics, geology, engineering, and materials science. We are moving toward more integrated ways of understanding larger and deeper mineral systems, with better instruments and more tailored survey designs. What excites me most is that the field is evolving quickly. Early-careers are motivated and show depth and breadth of solving complex problems. We are no longer just collecting data; we are designing complete solutions around difficult targets. That opens up many possibilities for both scientific discovery and practical impact.

Malin Eivergård