Mineralized Magmatic Hydrothermal Alteration Systems

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This research application focusses on examining the conditions of formation of a variety of mineral resources including iron, gold, copper, as well as many rare metals in relation to magmatic fluids reacting at very high temperatures with limestones and marbles; these variety of deposits typically form some of the richest deposits in the world. Specialized subalkaline to peralkaline granites and pegmatites, related skarns (reacted limestones and marbles), and their associated carbonatites are very important for a variety of specialty rare-metals, including lithium and tantalum, molybdenum, niobium, and rare-earth elements, including yttrium, which are used in various energy efficiency industrial sectors, as strong magnets for hybrid cars and windmills, car batteries, and catalysts, just to name a few. For some of these rare elements, the western world is in critically short supply such that their is considerable interest in the exploration industry, reflected by record prices for these metals. This research project will help to advance our understanding of the genesis of these specific resources and enhance the geological, geochemical, and geophysical methods that exploration company's can use to find more of these non-renewable resources for our future needs.