Katharina Pfaff

Katharina Pfaff is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. Her research focuses on mineral chemistry, geochemistry of hydrothermal ore deposits, and economic geology. She holds a Ph.D. in Economic Geology from the University of Tübingen, Germany (2010), and an M.Sc. in Mineralogy (2007).

Her research interests include thermodynamic modeling of element solubility and fluid-rock interaction, igneous petrology in peralkaline systems, rare earth element systematics, and radiogenic/stable isotope geochemistry. She leads the Katharina's Research Group, advancing studies in automated mineralogy and its applications in resource exploration and environmental assessment.

Notable contributions include work on the Schwarzwald ore district in Germany, mineralogical controls on acid mine drainage, and hydrothermal processes in porphyry systems. Her recent studies emphasize the use of advanced analytical techniques like SEM-based automated mineralogy and hyperspectral imaging for geological exploration and environmental monitoring.