A high-temperature gas-mixing furnace for experimental petrology

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Performing experiments in the lab at high-temperatures and pressures allows us to re-create the conditions that occur within the Earth. Comparison of the mineralogy, textures and compositions of natural igneous and metamorphic rocks with those produced in the lab allows us to determine the conditions under which rocks now at the surface formed. However, to achieve this we need reliable high-temperature furnaces that are capable of reproducing, and maintaining for extended periods, naturally occurring conditions. This proposal is for funds to purchase such a furnace. This furnace will facilitate research, and student training, across a broad range of topics. These include: (i) investigating the processes operating within the crust immediately before, and during volcanic eruptions; (ii) determining the conditions within Earth's mantle; (iii) tracking the formation of magmatic ore deposits; and (iv) determining the environmental impact of volcanic degassing.