Hydrothermal Geochemistry Group

Prof. A.E. Williams-Jones

A.E. (Willy) Williams-Jones
Supervisor
anthony.williams-jones@mcgill.ca

My research is devoted mainly to understanding the genesis of hydrothermal mineral deposits through a combination of field-based, experimental and theoretical methods. Many such deposits form as a result of metal transport by hydrothermal fluids and subsequent precipitation in response to changes in physico-chemical conditions. Important objectives are thus to determine the nature of these fluids, to identify factors that control their ability to dissolve metals, and to establish mechanisms which cause deposition.

Research Associates, Post-docs and Visiting Scientists

Jim Clark
Research Associate
james.r.clark@mcgill.ca

My current research interests include the mineralogy, geochemistry and genesis of Archean gold deposits, epithermal and porphyry-related mineralization, and active geothermal systems.  I’m also involved the development of exploration tools such as alteration zoning pattern recognition and indicator minerals for hydrothermal ore deposits.  Outside McGill, I hold the position of Geologist (Research Services) with Aurum Exploration (Canada) Ltd.

Duncan McLeish
Post-Doc
duncan.mcleish@mail.mcgill.ca

The Brucejack property in the Stewart-Eskay Creek district of NW British Columbia is host to one of the highest grade and best exposed intermediate sulphidation epithermal gold deposits in the world. My research is focused on: (1) elucidating the origin of high-grade gold mineralisation at Brucejack by characterising the ore and associated hydrothermal alteration; (2) determining the composition of the mineralising fluids; and (3) reconstructing the physicochemical conditions that controlled mineralisation through thermodynamic analysis and testing plausible models of ore formation.

My research concerns the experimental geochemistry of metal transport and speciation in aqueous and organic ore fluids, and the metal partitioning between coexisting aqueous and organic fluids. Other interests include metal transport in colloidal or nanoparticulate forms, as well as the thermodynamic modelling of metal transport and ore deposition.

Olga Vasyukova
Research Associate
olga.vasyukova@mcgill.ca

I focus on the mechanisms that favour enrichment of HFSE (mostly REE) in melts and fluids associated with granites and pegmatites, particularly through the use of melt and fluid inclusions, which are the only direct source of physical and chemical conditions at the time of entrapment. The other tools include high temperature hydrothermal experiments and thermodynamic modelling.

My interests focus on the chemical and physical processes affecting metal transport during hydrothermal processes and their implication for mineralization by combining experimental study with field work. My current research focuses on the geochemical behavior of REE, Sc, Ge and Sn in aqueous liquids.

Wei Zheng
Post-Doc
wei.zheng3@mail.mcgill.ca

My research focuses on understanding the ore-forming processes and enrichment mechanisms of porphyry-epithermal copper, polymetallic and lode gold deposits through mineralogical and geochemical methods, and high-precision dating of hydrothermal minerals. I am also interested in the formation of rare metal deposits.

Ph.D. Students

Sarah Bodeving
Ph.D. Student
sarah.bodeving@mail.mcgill.ca

Kiera Broda
Ph.D. Student
kiera.broda@mail.mcgill.ca

My thesis research focuses on the role of hydrothermal alteration in the formation of Alaskan-type ultramafic-hosted Ni-Co sulfide mineralization at the Turnagain deposit in northern British Columbia. This will be accomplished by thorough optical and scanning electron microscope examinations to identify sulfide textures and types, which will be followed by quantitative microprobe and isotopic analyses.

My research focuses on understanding the hydrothermal processes that concentrate cobalt in the crust to form ore deposits.  In particular, I’m interested in the nebulous five-element vein-type deposits, best represented by those at Bou Azzer, Morocco, as well as sediment-hosted stratiform Cu-Co deposits, such as those in the Central African Copperbelt of Zambia and the DRC.  To investigate the processes that form such deposits, I am collecting thermodynamic data for Co-bearing mineral phases, with the goal of constructing geochemical models for the genesis of these deposits.

Kyle Henderson
Ph.D. Student
kyle.henderson@mail.mcgill.ca

I am investigating the origin of extreme metal enrichment in black shales. Several localities of such rocks host metal concentrations several orders of magnitude greater than average shales, including the Late Devonian Bakken Formation with up to 2.3 wt% Zn, the Middle Devonian Canol Formation with up to 8 wt% Ni, and the Early Cambrian Niutitang Formation with up to 10 wt% Mo. The goal of my project is to unravel the relative roles of hydrothermal fluids, global seawater composition and local basinal processes (sedimentation rate, hydrographic restriction, redox, diagenesis) in generating such spectacular metal grades.

David Martineau
Ph.D. Student
david.martineau@mail.mcgill.ca

My research interests revolve around rare earth element (REE) mineralization in iron-oxide-apatite (IOA)- and iron-oxide-copper-gold (IOCG)-type deposits. Specifically, I study the Kwyjibo deposit, a REE-enriched IOA system located in the Grenville Province, NE of Sept-îles, Québec. My research aims to understand the REE enrichment and history of mineralization of the deposit and to compare it to other IOA districts around the world. The potential for economically important REE concentrations combined with the enigmatic origin of these deposits makes this an exciting field of research.

Kevin Ng
Ph.D. Student
man.h.ng@mail.mcgill.ca

My current research focuses on geochemical and related studies of the epithermal Au-Ag Brucejack deposit in northern British Columbia, Canada. I am also interested in the investigation of REE sorption mechanisms and ore-forming controls in the genesis of regolith-hosted HREE deposits in South China

Evan Slater

M.Sc. Students

Kira Fuller
M.Sc. Student
kira.fuller@mail.mcgill.ca

My research is based primarily on lab-based experiments.  I study the solubility of uranium with fluoride-bearing solutions under acidic conditions, and plan to compare the experimental data to theoretical models to determine the accuracy of prior models as well as use the data to better understand how uranium is transported.

Gary Fung
M.Sc. Student
sze.y.fung@mail.mcgill.ca

My work focuses on the genesis of rare earth elements (REE) in iron-oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits.  I aim to understand the mechanism of REE mineralisation to facilitate exploration and development of these resources.  My current research is on the Kwyjibo deposit, in the Grenville Province of Quebec. My studies will mainly involve petrographic and fluid inclusion analyses.

Mélanie King
M.Sc. Student
melanie.king@mail.mcgill.ca

My research focuses on gold mineralization at Fenelon, Quebec.  The goal is to understand the geochemical processes that lead to the formation of this deposit by looking at alteration, petrogenesis and fluid inclusion data.  I am generally very interested in how metal deposits form.

Shanshan Li
M.Sc. Student
shanshan.li2@mail.mcgill.ca

B.Sc. Students

Graduates and Former Group Members