Dear colleagues,
We hope you will join a scientific session focusing on bonding at extreme conditions at the 2026 Goldschmidt Conference in Montreal, Canada, July 12-17, 2026.
Over the past few decades, observations of exotic bonding behaviors, complex stoichiometries, and low-symmetry arrangements in simple and binary systems—including noble-gas compounds—have progressively reshaped our picture of Earth’s structure and evolution, as well as processes such as volcanism and tectonics. Rather than a relatively simple, uniform deep Earth that can be described as consisting of a few high-symmetry phases, we now envision a more mineralogically differentiated and chemically intricate planet, where minor constituents can play major roles. This view aligns with the heterogeneities revealed by seismology. The exotic nature of bonding and crystal chemistry that governs Earth’s inner structure and dynamics is gradually being uncovered, yet remains far from fully understood and generalized.
This session brings together experimental and theoretical studies that advance our understanding of the chemistry, bonding, and resulting physical properties of matter in planetary deep interiors, as well as the extreme-condition static and dynamic processes that shape planetary compositions and structures. These include the identification of new compounds and phases, determinations of material properties at high pressure, and investigations of bonding mechanisms under extreme conditions. We also seek contributions that articulate open problems and challenges warranting further
investigation.

Keynote speaker: Thomas S. Duffy, Princeton University

Please consider submitting an abstract by February 26, 2026
We look forward to meet you in Montreal, Canada
Barbara Lavina (U. of Chicago & Argonne Natl. Lab.), Stefano Racioppi (University of Cambridge), Martin Rahm (Chalmers University of Technology)