Carnegie Museum of Natural History

One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

Travis Olds, Ph.D.

Curator, Minerals

Travis Olds

Biography

Travis Olds is Curator of Minerals in the section of Minerals & Earth Sciences. Travis obtained his B.S. in chemistry from Michigan Technological University in 2012 and received his Ph.D from the University of Notre Dame in 2017, where he explored the mineralogy and crystallography of the radioactive elements uranium and neptunium. From 2017-2019 he conducted post-doctoral research at Washington State University, as a part of the U.S. Department of Energy-funded Actinide Ceramic Materials Laboratory, which investigates the materials science of nuclear fuel.

Olds’ research focuses on the structure-property relationships of minerals and materials, employing spectroscopic, diffraction and particle scattering techniques to study them at the atomic scale. He is collecting a deeper understanding of the interactions between minerals and humans by studying “secondary minerals,” or those formed by weathering and oxidation near the Earth’s surface. Utilizing knowledge of chemistry and crystal-structures (so called crystal-chemistry) he uses minerals as inspiration for finding better performing materials and environmental processes.

With the help of an international group of friends and mineralogists, Olds has discovered or been involved in the description of 21 new minerals recognized by the International Mineralogical Association’s Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification. Many of the new minerals contain uranium and provide researchers with a more complete outlook on certain aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, from the mining of uranium, to mine remediation, and disposal of used nuclear fuel.

One recent example from our new finds is the mineral hydroxylpyromorphite, Pb5(PO4)3(OH), a member of the apatite group of minerals, the same ones forming your teeth and bones. Hydroxylpyromorphite is essential to removing lead from drinking water and until a recent find of large crystals by colleagues, its crystal structure was unknown. With this new structural information we are looking for ways to tune important properties of Pb-bearing apatites, such as solubility and reactivity, to limit the mobility of Pb in natural systems

Publications

Click here for a downloadable csv file of all of Travis Old’s Publications

Bykov, S.V., K.H. Williford, A. Srivastava, A. Steele, L.C. Kah, T.A. Olds, S. Sharma, R.V. Morris, K.P. Sinclair, R.S. Jakubek, N.C. Haney, F.M. McCubbin, M.E. Schmidt, A.E. Murphy, S. Siljeström, E.L. Scheller, W. Abbey, S.A. Asher, K.P. Hand, K. Uckert, J.T. Osterhout, C. Lee, R. Bhartia, M.E. Minitti, J.V. Clark, P. Casbeer, and S.K. Sharma. 2026. In Situ Detection of Opal‐A in Jezero Crater, Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 131(5):e2025JE009375. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025je009375

Emproto, C., T.A. Olds, A.R. Kampf, J.B. Smith, C. Ma, and J.M. Hughes. 2026. New Minerals from the Redmond Mine, North Carolina, USA: XI. Sigogglinite, a New Sulfate with the Novel Pb6Zn(OH)8 Dimer. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology, 64(3):261-274. https://doi.org/10.3749/2500024

Emproto, C., and T.A. Olds. 2026. New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 111(7):1192-1197. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2026-nmn11179

Emproto, C., T.A. Olds, A.R. Kampf, C. Ma, and J. Marty. 2026. Magselite, [Mg(H2O)6](SeO3), a New Selenite Mineral from the Pickett Corral Mine, Colorado, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2026.10219

Barth, B.S., N.M. Kaitschuck, D.E. Felton, T.A. Olds, P.C. Burns, A. Miskowiec, and T.L. Spano. 2026. Optical Vibrational Spectroscopic Investigation of Natural and Synthetic Analogs of Uranyl oxyhydroxyhydrate Minerals. American Mineralogist. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2025-10112

Kampf, A.R., J. Plášil, T.A. Olds, C. Emproto, C. Ma, J. Sejkora, P.M. Adams, and J. Marty. 2026. Hubbardite, a new magnesium uranyl-sulfate mineral closely related to zippeite. Journal of Geosciences, 151-161. https://doi.org/10.3190/jgeosci.0040.25

Olds, T.A., C. Emproto, A.R. Kampf, C. Ma, and J. Marty. 2026. Szilagyiite, a new uranyl carbonate-selenite mineral related to schröckingerite from the Pickett Corral mine, Montrose County, Colorado, USA. Journal of Geosciences, 177-188. https://doi.org/10.3190/jgeosci.0049.25

Spano, T.L., T.A. Olds, A. Malone, B.S. Barth, N.M. Kaitschuck, J.N. Neu, D.E. Felton, and A. Miskowiec. 2026. Raman spectroscopic investigation of ianthinite [U24+(UO2)4O6(OH)4(H2O)4]·5H2O, a rare mixed-valence uranium oxide hydrate. American Mineralogist, 111(3):491-499. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2025-9759

Emproto, C., and T.A. Olds. 2026. New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 111(1):167-171. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2026-nmn111121

Emproto, C., and T.A. Olds. 2025. New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 110(9):1498-1502. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2025-nmn110915

Boothe-Lordon, T.J., R.C. Capo, B.W. Stewart, T.A. Olds, and C.E. Rosenfeld. 2025. Critical Metal Adsorption by Biotic and Abiotic Hydrous Manganese Oxides: Implications for Acid Mine Drainage Resource Recovery. ACS Omega, 10(37):42577-42588. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c04278

Emproto, C., T.A. Olds, A.R. Kampf, J.B. Smith, C. Ma, and J.M. Hughes. 2025. New Minerals from the Redmond Mine, North Carolina, USA: X. Blueridgeite, a New Example of the Lead Cubane Chain Topology. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology, 63(4):397-409. https://doi.org/10.3749/2500023

McCloy, J.S., E.P. Vicenzi, T. Lam, J. Esakoff, T.A. Olds, L.S. Haney, M. Sherif, J. Bussey, M.C. Dixon Wilkins, and S. Karcher. 2025. Assessment of process variability and color in synthesized and ancient Egyptian blue pigments. npj Heritage Science, 13(1):202. https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-025-01699-7

Kampf, A.R., T.A. Olds, J. Plášil, C. Ma, A.J. Celestian, and J. Marty. 2025. Svornostite-(NH4), (NH4)2Mg(UO2)2(SO4)4(H2O)8, a new mineral from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA, and the establishment of the svornostite mineral group. Mineralogical Magazine, 89(5):609-617. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2025.19

Kampf, A.R., T. Olds, C. Ma, and J. Marty. 2025. Yellowcatite, KNaFe3+2(Se4+O3)2(V5+2O7)·7H2O, the first selenite-vanadate. Mineralogical Magazine, 89(3):421-427. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2024.107

Kampf, A.R., T.A. Olds, C. Emproto, C. Ma, and J. Marty. 2025. Amurselite, A New Uranyl Selenite from the Burro Mine, San Miguel County, Colorado, USA. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology, 63(3):305-315. https://doi.org/10.3749/2500004

Francis, C.A., D.L. Wilson, and T.A. Olds. 2025. Signature Specimen: Hemimorphite Pseudomorph after Calcite, Joplin Ore Fields, Missouri, at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Rocks & Minerals, 100(4):392-397. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2025.2494481

Emproto, C., and T.A. Olds. 2024. New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 109(12):2173-2175. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2024-nmn1091216

Emproto, C., and T.A. Olds. 2024. New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 109(8):1478-1480. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2024-nmn109814

Olds, T.A., J. Plášil, A.R. Kampf, P.C. Burns, J. Marty, and J.S. McCloy. 2024. Bobfinchite, Na[(UO2)8O3(OH)11]·10H2O, a new Na-bearing member of the schoepite family. American Mineralogist, 109(7):1266-1274. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2023-9031

Olds, T.A., and C. Emproto. 2024. New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 109(4):799-802. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2024-nmn10949

Spano, T.L., T.A. Olds, M. McDonnell, R. Smith, and A.E. Shields. 2024. Raman spectroscopic investigation of selected natural uranyl sulfate minerals. American Mineralogist, 109(2):274-285. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2023-8932

Olds, T.A., A.R. Kampf, J.M. Hughes, P.M. Adams, and J. Marty. 2024. Trebiskyite, the First Titanium-Decavanadate Mineral. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology, 62(1):117-132. https://doi.org/10.3749/2300034

Olds, T.A., A.R. Kampf, S.L. Perry, X. Guo, J. Marty, T.P. Rose, and P.C. Burns. 2023. Navrotskyite, K2Na10(UO2)3(SO4)9·2H2O, a new sodium and potassium uranyl-sulfate mineral from the Blue Lizard mine, Red Canyon, White Canyon District, San Juan County, Utah. Journal of Geosciences, 249-259. https://doi.org/10.3190/jgeosci.378

Spano, T.L., T.A. Olds, M. McDonnell, R. Smith, J.L. Niedziela, A. Miskowiec, R. Kapsimalis, and A.E. Shields. 2023. CURIES: Compendium of uranium Raman and infrared experimental spectra. American Mineralogist, 108(12):2219-2233. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2022-8738

Kampf, A.R., T.A. Olds, J. Plášil, B.P. Nash, and J. Marty. 2023. Libbyite, (NH4)2(Na2□)[(UO2)2(SO4)3(H2O)]2⋅7H2O, a new mineral with uranyl–sulfate sheets from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 87(5):767-772. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2023.26

Olds, T.A., A.J. Lussier, V. PetŘíček, J. Plášil, A.R. Kampf, A.G. Oliver, P.C. Burns, M. Dembowski, and I.M. Steele. 2023. Shinkolobweite, from the Shinkolobwe Mine, Democratic Republic of Congo: A New Mineral Containing Uranium in the Rare Pentavalent Oxidation State. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology, 61(5):999-1020. https://doi.org/10.3749/2300003

Kampf, A.R., T.A. Olds, J. Plášil, and J. Marty. 2023. Zincorietveldite, Zn(UO2)(SO4)2(H2O)5, the zinc analogue of rietveldite from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 87(4):528-533. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2023.14

Kampf, A., J. Plášil, T. Olds, C. Ma, and J. Marty. 2022. Chenowethite, Mg(H2O)6[(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2]·5H2O, a New Mineral with Uranyl-Sulfate Sheets from Red Canyon, Utah, USA. Minerals, 12(12):1594. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12121594

Miyawaki, R., F. Hatert, M. Pasero, and S.J. Mills. 2022. IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) – Newsletter 70. European Journal of Mineralogy, 34(6):591-601. https://doi.org/10.5194/ejm-34-591-2022

Kampf, A.R., J. Plášil, T.A. Olds, C. Ma, and J. Marty. 2022. Scenicite, a new uranyl-sulfate mineral from the White Canyon district, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 86(5):743-748. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2022.53

Kampf, A.R., J. Plášil, T.A. Olds, C. Ma, and J. Marty. 2022. Shinarumpite, a new cobalt uranyl sulfate mineral from the Scenic mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA, structurally related to leydetite. Mineralogical Magazine, 87(3):348-355. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2022.128

Kampf, A.R., T.A. Olds, J. Plášil, B.P. Nash, and J. Marty. 2022. Nitscheite, (NH4)2[(UO2)2(SO4)3(H2O)2]·3H2O, a new mineral with an unusual uranyl-sulfate sheet. American Mineralogist, 107(6):1174-1180. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2022-7994

Kampf, A.R., T.A. Olds, J. Plášil, P.C. Burns, R. Škoda, and J. Marty. 2021. Paramarkeyite, a new calcium–uranyl–carbonate mineral from the Markey mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 86(1):27-36. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2021.100

Spano, T.L., T.A. Olds, S.M. Hall, B.S. Van Gosen, A.R. Kampf, P.C. Burns, and J. Marty. 2023. Finchite, Sr(UO2)2(V2O8)·5H2O, a new uranyl sorovanadate with the francevillite anion topology. American Mineralogist, 108(2):383-388. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2022-8365

Karcher, S., R. Mohun, T. Olds, M. Weber, K. Kriegsman, X. Zhao, X. Guo, C. Corkhill, D. Field, and J. McCloy. 2022. Benefits of using multiple Raman laser wavelengths for characterizing defects in a UO2 matrix. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 53(5):988-1002. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.6321

Kampf, A.R., T.A. Olds, J. Plášil, J. Marty, S.N. Perry, L. Corcoran, and P.C. Burns. 2021. Seaborgite, LiNa6K2(UO2)(SO4)5(SO3OH)(H2O), the First Uranyl Mineral Containing Lithium. American Mineralogist, 106(1):105-111. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2020-7540

Kampf, A.R., J.M. Hughes, M.A. Cooper, F.C. Hawthorne, B.P. Nash, T.A. Olds, P.M. Adams, and J. Marty. 2021. The pascoite family of minerals, including the redefinition of rakovanite. The Canadian Mineralogist, 59(4):771-779. https://doi.org/10.3749/canmin.2000082

Kampf, A.R., J. Plášil, T.A. Olds, B.P. Nash, and J. Marty. 2020. Uranoclite, a new uranyl chloride mineral from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3):438-443. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2021.33

Kampf, A.R., T.A. Olds, J. Plášil, P.C. Burns, and J. Marty. 2020. Natromarkeyite and pseudomarkeyite, two new calcium uranyl carbonate minerals from the Markey mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 84(5):753-765. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2020.59

Plášil, J., A.R. Kampf, T.A. Olds, J. Sejkora, R. Škoda, P.C. Burns, and J. Čejka. 2020. The new K, Pb-bearing uranyl-oxide mineral kroupaite: Crystal-chemical implications for the structures of uranyl-oxide hydroxy-hydrates. American Mineralogist, 105(4):561-568. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2020-7311

Olds, T.A., A.R. Kampf, J.F. Rakovan, P.C. Burns, O.P. Mills, and C. Laughlin-Yurs. 2021. Hydroxylpyromorphite, a mineral important to lead remediation: Modern description and characterization. American Mineralogist, 106(6):922-929. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2021-7516

Olds, T.A., A.R. Kampf, F. Dal Bo, P.C. Burns, X. Guo, and J.S. McCloy. 2020. Jeankempite, Ca5(AsO4)2(AsO3OH)2(H2O)7, a new arsenate mineral from the Mohawk Mine, Keweenaw County, Michigan, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 84(6):959-969. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2020.92

Kampf, A.R., T.A. Olds, J. Plášil, B.P. Nash, and J. Marty. 2020. Pseudomeisserite-(NH4), a new mineral with a novel uranyl-sulfate linkage from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 84(3):435-443. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2020.17

Konevnik, Y.V., E.V. Zakharova, A.A. Shiryaev, T.A. Olds, and P.C. Burns. 2020. Mineral-specific heterogeneous neptunium sorption onto geological repository rocks in oxic and anoxic conditions and various temperatures. Chemical Geology, 545:119654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2020.119654

Zhang, L., S.M. Aksenov, A.M. Kokot, S.N. Perry, T.A. Olds, and P.C. Burns. 2020. Crystal Chemistry and Structural Complexity of Uranium(IV) Sulfates: Synthesis of U3H2(SO4)7(H2O)5·3H2O and U3(UO2)0.2(SO4)6(OH)0.4·2.3H2O with Framework Structures by the Photochemical Reduction of Uranyl. Inorganic Chemistry, 59(9):5813-5817. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c00385

Olds, T.A., J. Plášil, A.R. Kampf, F. Dal Bo, and P.C. Burns. 2018. Paddlewheelite, a New Uranyl Carbonate from the Jáchymov District, Bohemia, Czech Republic. Minerals, 8(11):511. https://doi.org/10.3390/min8110511

Ahmadzadeh, M., T.A. Olds, A. Scrimshire, P.A. Bingham, and J.S. McCloy. 2018. Structure and properties of Na5FeSi4O12 crystallized from 5Na2O–Fe2O3–8SiO2 glass. Acta Crystallographica Section C Structural Chemistry, 74(12):1595-1602. https://doi.org/10.1107/s2053229618014353

Kampf, A.R., J. Plášil, T.A. Olds, B.P. Nash, J. Marty, and H.E. Belkin. 2019. Meyrowitzite, Ca(UO2)(CO3)2·5H2O, a new mineral with a novel uranyl-carbonate sheet. American Mineralogist, 104(4):603-610. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2019-6814

Kampf, A.R., J. Plášil, T.A. Olds, B.P. Nash, and J. Marty. 2018. Ammoniozippeite, a New Uranyl Sulfate Mineral from the Blue Lizard Mine, San Juan County, Utah, and the Burro Mine, San Miguel County, Colorado, USA. The Canadian Mineralogist, 56(3):235-245. https://doi.org/10.3749/canmin.1800002

Kampf, A.R., T.A. Olds, J. Plášil, J. Marty, and S.N. Perry. 2018. Feynmanite, a new sodium uranyl sulfate mineral from Red Canyon, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 83(2):153-160. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2018.117

Olds, T.A., J. Plášil, A.R. Kampf, P.C. Burns, B.P. Nash, J. Marty, T.P. Rose, and S.M. Carlson. 2018. Redcanyonite, (NH4)2Mn[(UO2)4O4(SO4)2](H2O)4, a new zippeite-group mineral from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 82(6):1261-1275. https://doi.org/10.1180/minmag.2017.081.094

Olds, T.A., J. Plášil, A.R. Kampf, A. Simonetti, L.R. Sadergaski, Y.-S. Chen, and P.C. Burns. 2017. Ewingite: Earth’s most complex mineral. Geology, 45(11):1007-1010. https://doi.org/10.1130/g39433.1

Olds, T.A., M. Dembowski, X. Wang, C. Hoffman, T.M. Alam, S. Hickam, K.L. Pellegrini, J. He, and P.C. Burns. 2017. Single-Crystal Time-of-Flight Neutron Diffraction and Magic-Angle-Spinning NMR Spectroscopy Resolve the Structure and 1H and 7Li Dynamics of the Uranyl Peroxide Nanocluster U60. Inorganic Chemistry, 56(16):9676-9683. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.7b01174

Olds, T.A., J. Plášil, A.R. Kampf, T. Spano, P. Haynes, S.M. Carlson, P.C. Burns, A. Simonetti, and O.P. Mills. 2018. Leesite, K(H2O)2[(UO2)4O2(OH)5]·3H2O, a new K-bearing schoepite-family mineral from the Jomac mine, San Juan County, Utah, U.S.A. American Mineralogist, 103(1):143-150. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2018-6083

Olds, T.A., L.R. Sadergaski, J. Plášil, A.R. Kampf, P.C. Burns, I.M. Steele, J. Marty, S.M. Carlson, and O.P. Mills. 2017. Leószilárdite, the first Na,Mg-containing uranyl carbonate from the Markey Mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine, 81(5):1039-1050. https://doi.org/10.1180/minmag.2016.080.149

Olds, T.A., J. Plášil, A.R. Kampf, R. Škoda, P.C. Burns, J. Čejka, V. Bourgoin, and J.-C. Boulliard. 2017. Gauthierite, KPb[(UO2)7 O5 (OH)7]· 8H2 O, a new uranyl-oxide hydroxy-hydrate mineral from Shinkolobwe with a novel uranyl-anion sheet-topology. European Journal of Mineralogy, 29(1):129-141. https://doi.org/10.1127/ejm/2017/0029-2586

Dembowski, M., T.A. Olds, K.L. Pellegrini, C. Hoffmann, X. Wang, S. Hickam, J. He, A.G. Oliver, and P.C. Burns. 2016. Solution 31P NMR Study of the Acid-Catalyzed Formation of a Highly Charged {U24Pp12} Nanocluster, [(UO2)24(O2)24(P2O7)12]48–, and Its Structural Characterization in the Solid State Using Single-Crystal Neutron Diffraction. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 138(27):8547-8553. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.6b04028

Odoh, S.O., J. Shamblin, C.A. Colla, S. Hickam, H.L. Lobeck, R.A.K. Lopez, T. Olds, J.E.S. Szymanowski, G.E. Sigmon, J. Neuefeind, W.H. Casey, M. Lang, L. Gagliardi, and P.C. Burns. 2016. Structure and Reactivity of X-ray Amorphous Uranyl Peroxide, U2O7. Inorganic Chemistry, 55(7):3541-3546. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.6b00017

Weng, Z., Z.-H. Zhang, T. Olds, M. Sterniczuk, and P.C. Burns. 2014. Copper(I) and Copper(II) Uranyl Heterometallic Hybrid Materials. Inorganic Chemistry, 53(15):7993-7998. https://doi.org/10.1021/ic5007814

Olds, T.A., S.M. Carlson, D. Behnke, and O.P. Mills. 2014. Collector’s Note: A New Find of Manganese-rich Pumpellyite from the Manganese Mine, Copper Harbor, Keweenaw County, Michigan. Rocks & Minerals, 89(6):548-553. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2014.949177

Carlson, S.M., Oravec, T., Olds, T.A. An Arsenate in an Iron Mine-The Discovery of Conichalcite from the Norway Mine Dickinson County, Michigan, USA. Mineral News, 2014, 30(4).

Luck, R.L., T.A. Olds, and M. Zeller. 2013. Bis{μ-2,2′-[(butane-2,3-diylidene)bis(azanylylidene)]dibenzenethiolato}dizinc(II)–dimethyl sulfoxide–methanol (2/0.18/0.82). Acta Crystallographica Section C Crystal Structure Communications, 69(10):1116-1119. https://doi.org/10.1107/s0108270113023524

Olds, T.A. 2012. Mercury Minerals of the Huron River Uranium Prospect, Baraga County, Michigan. Rocks & Minerals, 87(2):134-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/00357529.2011.618775