Research Interests
A mineral system approach to ore deposits
Research Focus
My main research interests are in the areas of geochemistry, isotope geochemistry, economic geology, petrology, mineralogy and hyperspectral geology. In particular, my research aims to increase our understanding of the genesis and geodynamic setting of ore deposits using a multidisciplinary and multi-scale approach, supported by fieldwork and various high-precision analytical techniques. In addition to the immediate ore deposit environment, my research also focuses on weakly mineralised and barren alteration areas, as understanding these systems is key to understanding the processes leading to ore deposition, but also why some areas are not endowed with mineralization.
Long Term Research Plan
In addition to the research interest above, I am interested in expending my research related to environmental geology to include the mapping of metals and trace elements associated with the ore at the deposit scale (i.e., as native or mineralic inclusions or in the mineral structure). My long term goal is to understand the long-term localization, mobility and remediation of metals and trace elements associated with mine waste and tailings. I believe that a greater understanding of ore system mineralogy, genesis and geological setting will lead to greater efficiency during metal extraction as well as improved environmental models.
To Conclude ...
my long-term research plan involves a cradle to grave understanding of the mining cycle aimed at studying the whole exploration, mining and remediation cycles.