Pure and applied problems in metamorphic petrology

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The objective of this research proposal is to advance the theory and techniques of metamorphic petrology, and to apply these in concert with allied techniques to solve broader problems in Earth Science. Metamorphic petrology is a specialized branch of geology that is concerned with changes in the mineralogy and textures of rocks in response to burial and heating in the Earth's lithosphere. It provides unique and essential information for understanding Earth evolution and behavior. Reading the record of metamorphic rocks allows us to piece together the complex history of Earth's plate interactions through time, to account for geophysical features deep in the unexposed Earth, and to understand the environment in which ore deposits form. The proposed research takes a two-pronged approach: (1) improvement of the specialized 'tools of the trade' of metamorphic petrology, in particular the techniques and understanding of what controls metamorphic mineral development when subjected to the great depths and temperatures in the Earth; and (2) application of these tools to better understand the evolution and mineral endowment of Canada's vast and varied geology. The 'tools of the trade' aims include: (1-1) improving the match between thermodynamically predicted mineral assemblages and their occurrence in nature; and (1-2) investigating the interplay between equilibrium, kinetics and rock deformation in the development of metamorphic mineral assemblages and textures. The 'application' aims centre on using metamorphic petrology to decipher ancient mountain building events in Canada. These include: (2-1) discerning the character, timing and interface of metamorphic domains in southeastern British Columbia, with implications for the geological evolution of the world-renowned Canadian Cordillera and its ample mineral inventory; and (2-2) mapping out and characterizing the metamorphism of ancient, eroded Precambrian mountain belts in Canada, including the minerals-rich Flin Flon-Snow Lake belt in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and frontier areas of Arctic Canada that are largely unstudied, such as parts of mainland Nunavut and Baffin Island.