FACE TO FACE WITH

Josep Maria Mata i Perelló, geologist

Josep Maria Mata: ” The public administration does not know how to assess public works and their geological disasters”

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David Rabadà

This May, the Government of Catalonia will award the Creu de Sant Jordi to Josep Maria Mata. An internationally respected geologist, he was born in Lleida on 25 February 1942, though he has long lived in Manresa. The son of schoolteachers, Mata may well have been destined for a life of scientific outreach. Holder of a degree in Geology from the University of Barcelona in 1969, he later completed a doctoral thesis on the minerals of Catalonia in 1981. In the meantime, he had already spent several years teaching at secondary schools in Manresa and Vic. But his major contribution to the popularisation of science came through over three decades of teaching at the University School in Manresa, which eventually became part of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC).

During that time, he directed the Valentí Masachs Geology Museum from 1980 to 2003 and was also Head of the Department of Mining Engineering and Natural Resources at the UPC from 2006 until his retirement in 2012. Yet this restless spirit—speaking from personal experience—never stopped. He continued to foster public engagement with geology through adult education courses, social action, and the promotion of geoparks both here and abroad. He has also remained active in geological research, compiling mineralogical catalogues across Spain and founding organisations to protect the Iberian Peninsula’s natural and historical heritage. Notably, he was among the founders of the Spanish Society for the Defence of Geological and Mining Heritage (SEDPGYM), where he served as the first president after its creation in 1995.

But Mata is not only a scientist—his literary work ranges from scientific essays to lyrical poetry, as evidenced by numerous publications and readings, some of which have crossed the Atlantic. In recognition of his wide-ranging activity, UNESCO appointed him technical adviser for the protection of the Cerro Rico in Potosí, Bolivia. He continues to collaborate with UNESCO as an adviser to five geoparks, all of which were set in motion through his initiative. In the case of the Central Catalonia Geopark, he chairs the Scientific Committee; he advises the others, including the mining region of Hidalgo in Mexico. A twenty-first-century Renaissance man, he has also been active in the Catalan Institute of Natural History, the Geological Society of Spain, and NGOs such as Geólogos del Mundo y Minería para el Desarrollo (Geologists Without Borders and Mining for Development). For such a profile, the Creu de Sant Jordi may be well deserved—and perhaps still fall short.

Josep Maria, why do you think you’ve been awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi?
I really don’t know—perhaps in recognition of the years of work and the small steps forward taken along the way. In the end, one becomes the result of the choices one makes.

How do you think Geology is perceived in society?
By the public administration, it’s barely acknowledged. Among the people who come to my courses, though, I’d say it’s highly appreciated.

Why do you say that the administration doesn’t value Geology?
Because it simply doesn’t know how to assess public works or the geological problems they may cause.

“The hope of finding rare earths on the Iberian Peninsula may be more of a fantasy than a genuinely viable prospect”

You often speak about the connection between geology and natural resources—minerals, groundwater, energy. How should the media inform and raise public awareness? Are they doing it well?
No, not really. What we need is good journalism in this field—people who are well trained and who explain things properly. For example, the current talk about rare earth elements supposedly found on the Iberian Peninsula is probably more illusion than viable fact. The strategic minerals required for modern technologies are unlikely to exist here in commercially useful quantities, and yet the media keep announcing that a discovery is just around the corner. But there’s no serious evidence to support that. Over thirty years ago, in Ulldemolins, I published research noting the presence of rare earths—but not in concentrations that would allow for exploitation. Or take the example of my colleague Dr Joan Carles Melgarejo, who years ago identified platinum in the Priorat. If that happened now, the press would go wild announcing the discovery without acknowledging that the concentrations are far too low for viable extraction.

You’ve been involved in politics too. Could you tell us about your latest professional focus?
These days, I lead geology field trips aimed at what I call “social geology”.

Sorry—what exactly do you mean by social geology?
It’s about explaining to people how the geology of their land affects their everyday lives. It’s not the same to live in a mountainous area, with steep slopes and the risk of landslides on the roads, as it is to live in the flatlands of the Ebro depression. It also makes a difference whether the subsoil contains something that can be mined—or nothing at all.

That points to something we’re clearly missing as a society: a basic geological culture. As someone committed to scientific communication, you’ve published several books. In your view, what makes a good scientific essay?
The ultimate goal of a good scientific essay is to contribute to a better world through truth, education, and a more harmonious relationship between humans and the natural world.

“The key to writing is to apply the scientific method, using logical arguments and verifiable data”

In your view, should scientific publications be critical of dominant authorities? And if so, does that limit where you can publish?
Yes, one should be critical—and also prepared to respond with stronger arguments. Whether that gets published or not depends on where you’re submitting. A local magazine isn’t the same as a national one. What matters most is to write with scientific rigour, using logic and data that can be verified.

Have you ever experienced censorship from any institution, in your role as a communicator?
No, not censorship as such. Just once, someone changed something I had written, without asking me first.

You’re still very active in geology. Looking back, how do your current projects relate to what you studied?
What I studied at the time wasn’t directly related to where I ended up. But without that broad foundation, I wouldn’t have found my path later on.

Could you give an example?
I attended lectures by the great palaeontologist Dr Miquel Crusafont. I didn’t learn a lot of practical palaeontology relevant to geology, but I did learn a great deal about the theory of evolution.

Given your experience, what changes would you make to the current education system?
Change has to come from below—starting with early childhood education and going all the way through to university—so that every teacher is valued for what they do, no matter the level. What really matters is the transmission of solid, well-grounded knowledge—from nursery school to university. That’s what enables real social progress.

“What really matters is the transmission of solid, well-grounded knowledge—from nursery school to university”

Geology, once one of the four pillars of science—alongside Physics, Chemistry, and Biology—has virtually disappeared from secondary school curricula. What would you say to the Minister of Education?
That she should stop criticising those who designed and built the house she lives in—because one day it might collapse, for lack of geological understanding.

To finish, do you have any social hopes you’d like to share?
Yes: that we learn to live with the people of each place, respecting the link that every culture has with its land. We need to recover a good part of our folk culture—and reconnect with our roots.

Source: educational EVIDENCE

Rights: Creative Commons