Ewch i’r prif gynnwys

Daeareg Economaidd

We apply fundamental geological knowledge and research to help tackle major problems in the exploration and development of mineral and hydrocarbon resources.

The Economic Geology Research Group brings together scientists with diverse expertise in the geology of natural resources.

Geological resources are critical in meeting the challenge that global climate change poses to society. We use our expertise in geochemistry, structural geology, and geophysics to address some of the most pressing scientific questions around natural resources and the consequences of their exploitation.

Amcanion

We aim to understand the processes that lead to the accumulation of economic resources in the Earth’s crust. Such understanding is an essential first step in the sustainable and responsible use of those natural resources that will enable the transition to a green economy.

We are also interested in the downstream interactions between the exploration and mining industry and society, at scales from artisanal to industrial mining, which will facilitate a low carbon future for the Earth.

Mineral deposits

We employ our state-of-the-art analytical facilities to investigate the magmatic, tectonic, and hydrothermal processes that have led to the formation of ore deposits in different geodynamic environments and throughout Earth history. We use this knowledge to enable responsible mining, including amelioration of the environmental consequences of exploration and mining.


Collaborative working with industry is key to delivering impact from our research. We work with mining and exploration companies to improve the exploration, mining, and processing of metals such as the Platinum-Group Elements (PGE), rare earth elements, selenium, tellurium, cobalt and lithium that are essential for renewable power generation and storage. We also apply geochemical and structural geology exploration methods, including prospectivity analysis, to precious metal, base metal, rare metal, and gemstone deposits.

Hydrocarbon systems

We investigate mass wasting, fault mechanics and salt tectonics and their relationship to flow and trapping of oil and gas in sedimentary basins. Our research also addresses the environmental impacts of hydrocarbon exploration and production, including the development of CO2 capture, oil spill modelling and mitigation.

Application of three dimensional (3D) seismic technology to our large archive of data donated through collaboration with the petroleum industry and governments allows us to analyse depositional and deformational processes.

Funding

(PI = Principal Investigator, Co-I = Co-Investigator)

McDonald, I. (PI) Northern Limb 4 Dimension (NL4D. Anglo American funded research project 516560, £364,164.

McDonald, I. (PI) and Lissenberg, J. (Co-I) FAMOS (From Arc Magma to Ore System). NERC Research Highlight Topic award. NE/P017312/1, £187,538

McDonald, I. (PI) Isotope record of the Great Oxidation Event recorded in South Africa and implications for contamination and mineralisation in the Bushveld Complex. NERC Isotope Geosciences Facilities Support award IP‐1677‐1116, £22,030

McDonald, I. (PI) TeaSe (Tellurium and Selenium Cycling and Supply). NERC Security of Supply of Minerals Programme. NE/M011615/1, £446,868 (https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/explore/find-a-project/view/202684-te-and-se-cycling-and-supply-tease)

McDonald, I. (PI) The Platreef magma event at the world-class Turfspruit PGE deposit: Implications for mineralization processes and Bushveld Complex stratigraphy. PhD studentship award, Ivanhoe Mines Ltd, £68,409

McDonald, I. (PI) Link between magmatism and the volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) hydrothermal system; evidence from the Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus. NERC Isotope Geosciences Facilities Support award IP-1766-1117, £28,000

Alves, T. (PI) HUSKY-Newfoundland Basins, comprising the analysis of the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of outer shelf-upper slope basins offshore the Grand Banks, £74,500

Alves, T. (PI) PETROBRAS Atlantic Margins course, with emphasis on offshore Brazil, £7,500

Alves, T. (PI) Sea4All project (Erasmus+) for the study and modelling of marine pollution in the European Seas, £36,000 (https://www.sea4all-project.eu/)

Alves, T. (PI) Husky-North Atlantic basins, aiming at understanding the evolution of North Atlantic Basins, £397,000

Alves, T. (Co-PI) PETROBRAS Santos Basin, focused on the study of structural features in pre-salt reservoirs in SE Brazil, £97,000

Alves, T. (PI) RAFTs Consortium (Total plus 5 other companies) – Raft and pre-salt geology offshore West Africa, £301,781

Alves, T. (PI) HUSKY-Paleostructural indicators of North Atlantic rifting, in which seismic and outcrop data were reviewed for this same purpose, £53,324

Alves, T. (PI) NEREIDs project (European Commission) for the study and modelling of oil spills in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, £46,000 (www.nereids.eu)

Alves, T. (PI) HUSKY-Newfoundland Basins, comprising the analysis of the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of outer shelf-upper slope basins offshore the Grand Banks, £74,500

Alves, T. (PI) PETROBRAS Equatorial Margins, focused on the study of the Pará-Maranhão Basin offshore North Brazil, £25,000

Maier, W. (PI) Geochronology of Monchepluton. NERC Isotope Geosciences Facilities Support award IP-1644-0516, £76,000

Alves, T. (PI) Husky – North Atlantic Evolution, reviewing the evolution of breakup sequences in the Mesozoic North Atlantic Ocean, £397,500

Alves, T. (PI) ERASMUS+ Sea4All project, in which education software is being developed to educate school children on how to tackle marine pollution, £43,680

Blenkinsop, T. G. Gold Prospectivity in Eastern Russia, Kupol and Dvoinoye Mines, Kinross, £10 000

Blenkinsop T.G. (PI) Structural Geology in Drill core, Newmont, £2452

Blenkinsop, T,.G. (PI) Mining Governance Project, World Bank, Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Malawi

Blenkinsop, T.G. (PI) Formation of the world class copper deposit at Mount Isa, Australia MOUNT ISA MINES, NERC PhD CASE award, £71,878

Blenkinsop T. G. (PI) Mapping and prospectivity analysis of the Tommy Creek Block, Mount Isa, and short courses. MOUNT ISA MINES, £30659

Blenkinsop T. G. (PI) Prospectivity analysis of the Eastern Fold Belt, Mount Isa. NEWMONT ASIA PACIFIC, £11,000

Blenkinsop T. G. (PI) Prospectivity analysis of Geita gold mine tenements, Tanzania. ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI Ltd, £10585

Blenkinsop T. G. (PI) Structural Geology of Ngezi Platinum Mine. ZIMPLATS, £9,742.

Lambert-Smith J. S. (PI) Characterising the mineralization, alteration and temporal evolution of the auriferous Neoarchean Gokona deposit, Tanzania. SEG Student Research Grant Award, £3,965.

Lambert-Smith J. S. (PI) Petrographic study of the Dandoko Au Project, Mali, West Africa (consultancy), OKLO RESOURCES LTD., £8,252.

Lambert-Smith J. S. (PI) Petrographic study of the Diamba Sud Au project, Senegal. CHESSER RESOURCES, £4,999.

Maier W. D. (PI) Establishing the Battery Mineral Potential of Wales, KESS studentship of Welsh government, £80,000.

Maier W. D. (PI) Geochronology of Flatreef, NERC Isotope Geoscience Facility, £35,000.

Cyhoeddiadau dethol

Staff academaidd

Dr Iain McDonald

Dr Iain McDonald

Senior Lecturer

Email
mcdonaldi1@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 4295
Yr Athro Tiago Alves

Yr Athro Tiago Alves

Darlithydd Gwyddorau'r Ddaear

Email
alvest@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 6754
Yr Athro Wolfgang Maier

Yr Athro Wolfgang Maier

Professor, Deputy Head of School

Email
maierw@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 5382
Yr Athro Thomas Blenkinsop

Yr Athro Thomas Blenkinsop

Professor in Earth Science

Email
blenkinsopt@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 0232
Dr C. Johan Lissenberg

Dr C. Johan Lissenberg

Lecturer

Email
lissenbergcj@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 4327
Dr James Lambert-Smith

Dr James Lambert-Smith

Lecturer in Exploration and Resource Geology

Email
lambert-smithj@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 4323
Yr Athro Chris MacLeod

Yr Athro Chris MacLeod

Professor

Email
macleod@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 4332

Myfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig

Marco Azevedo

Marco Azevedo

Research student

Email
azevedomc@caerdydd.ac.uk
No profile image

Suame Ampana

Research student

Email
ampanas@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 5874
No profile image

Charles Routleff

Research student

Email
routleffco@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 5874
No profile image

Levent Tosun

Research student

Email
tosunl@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 5874

ELEMENT Facility for Geochemical Fingerprinting of Earth Materials

The facility was originally set up under NERC award NER/H/S/2000/00862 (£546k) and has recently been upgraded by a new award from Cardiff University Research Infrastructure Fund.

The suite of instruments comprises: two Thermo iCAP RQ quadropole ICP-MS spectrometers, a Thermo iCAP ICP-OES spectrometer, a New Wave Research 213nm laser ablation system, a micromill and microbalance, and an Olympus Delta Pro portable XRF spectrometer.

Find out more about the ELEMENT analysis facility.

Dedicated fire assay laboratory

The laboratory supports analysis of precious metals in rocks, ores and other environmental samples using a dedicated fire assay facility. There is also a wet geochemistry laboratory for preparation of samples in liquid form for ICP analysis.

Zeiss Sigma HD Field Emission Gun Analytical SEM

This facility specialises in high-resolution imaging and X-ray element mapping as well as quantitative analysis of major, minor and trace elements. FEI XL30 Field Emission Gun Environmental SEM for high-resolution imaging and semi-quantitative X-ray element analysis of samples. Philips PW1710 Automated Powder X-ray diffractometer.

Find out more about the ZEISS facility.

3D Seismic Lab

The development of new quantitative methods in seismic interpretation is a key research topic within the 3D Seismic Lab. The Lab comprises a state-of-the-art seismic interpretation and visualisation facility that supports research into diverse aspects of sedimentary basins, with an emphasis on continental margins.

The key emphasis of the 3D Seismic Lab is on the development of 3D seismic methods and technology to the analysis of depositional and deformational processes. Research students base their research on the large archive of data in the 3D Seismic Lab donated through collaborations with the petroleum industry and governments.

Software licensing and support to the lab is commercially costed as >£10M. The value of grants and PhD scholarships (some funded by industry) awarded to the 3D seismic lab since 2008 totals more than £2.04M.

Recent developments include seismic analyses of diagenesis and fluid flow on a basin scale, studies on the distribution of gas hydrates on continental margins, fluid-flow modelling through faults and structures, and the investigation of main geological controls on submarine landslides and channels.

Find out more about the 3D Seismic Lab.