Dr. Richard D. Hagni has taught and conducted research at Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly the University of Missouri--Rolla) since 1956. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Michigan State University in 1953 and 1954; the Ph.D. degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1962. He is an economic geologist with interests in a wide variety of ore deposits, both domestic and abroad. Although he is interested in all aspects of ore deposits, he especially emphasizes the application of ore microscopy and related techniques (SEM-EDS, EPMA, cathodoluminence microscopy, infrared microscopy, and fluid inclusion studies) to the study of ore deposits. He taught courses in ore microscopy: Ore Microscopy, Advanced Ore Microscopy, and Applied Ore Microscopy. His course on Ore Deposition involved the principles of how ore deposits are formed, but especially featured well-illustrated lectures on ore deposits that he has visited throughout the world. His Advanced Ore Microscopy course included the involvement with the ore microscopy of advanced ore suites, quantitative Vickers Hardness measurements, reflectance measurements to 0.1%, quantitative color determinations, fluid inclusion temperature and salinity measurements, cathodoluminescence microscopy, infrared microscopy, SEM-EDS, EPMA, Auger microprobe and ESCA.

The research interests of Dr. Hagni lie in two major areas: 1) economic geology and 2) applied mineralogy. As an economic geologist, he has an interest in all aspects regarding ore deposits, primarily metallic ore deposits, but also non-metallic ones, especially fluorspar deposits. He is especially active in the application of ore microscopic and related microscopic techniques to the study of ore deposits to determine their mineralogy, ore textures, paragenesis, and genesis. He has been especially involved in studies of the Cu-Pb-Zn ores in the Viburnum Trend in southeast Missouri (one hour’s drive from Rolla).

Dr. Hagni extends his ore microscopic studies to applications for the resolution of metallurgical, ceramic, and other important industrial problems. In this regard, he clearly has been more active than any other ore microscopist in the United States. Most of the case histories of applied ore microscopy dealt with in his Applied Ore Microscopy course have come from his personal industrial experiences. The application of ore microscopy to certain industrial problems commonly can serve to save millions of dollars for industrial firms. For 12 years, Dr. Hagni and students working with him served as the process mineralogy group in the Pyrometallurgical Research Center that was funded by the U.S. Bureau of Mines, headquartered at UMR, and conducted pyrometallurgical research throughout the United States.

Dr. Hagni held the Gulf Oil (Gulf Minerals) Chair at UMR from 1984 to 1992. He was named Curators’ Professor of Geology in 1993. He has served as the Chairman of the Department of Geology and Geophysic. Since 1986, he has served three terms as the Chairman of the Paragenesis Commission (PaC) of the International Association on the Genesis of Ore Deposits (IAGOD). He has served three terms as the Chairman of the Process Mineralogy Committee of AIME. Since 1990, he has served two terms as the Chairman of the Commission on Applied Mineralogy (CAM) of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA). He also has served in several offices, including Vice-president, of the International Council on Applied Mineralogy (ICAM). He is the author/editor of 22 books, published 200 papers and given over 250 abstracted professional presentations.