Mineralogy and petrology is considered to be the cornerstone of understanding petrological problems ranging from surface to deep mantle conditions and our research focuses on understanding the chemistry, structure and occurrence of minerals, rocks and melts. Mineralogical and petrological studies are critically important for mineral exploration studies (e.g., location and characterization of VMS, Au, and porphyry style deposits) as well as understanding the evolution of our planet. Research topics in our unit range from the application of mineralogy and crystal chemistry to understanding the evolution of alkaline rocks, exploring for Au and rare metals (e.g., Ta, Nb), understanding how the atomic structures of minerals relate to their observed physical and optical properties, application of thermodynamic calculations in petrological studies of ore deposits and anatexis of the crust, and experimental petrology studies aimed at replicating various geologic processes (e.g. mantle differentiation, chemical sequestration of metals in melts). Many of these studies are conducted in the context of understanding the formation of and exploration for a wide range of ore deposit types, understanding crustal evolution, as well as understanding environmental issues in the mining industry.
Pedro Jugo has been a professor at Laurentian University since July 2006. His expertise is in igneous and experimental petrology. Pedro’s main interest is to understand the processes involved in the genesis of ore deposits and use that knowledge to develop tools that assist in finding new ore deposits.
My research program aims to fully characterize a variety of magmatic and hydrothermal ore systems using both traditional and novel approaches. This work incorporates field studies supported by a large range of follow-up geochronologic (Re-Os, Ar-Ar, TIMS and LA U-Pb), petrologic and mineral-fluid chemical work that utilizes state-of-the-art analytical facilities at Laurentian and collaborating institutions.
University Research Chair in Mineral Exploration, Professor of Economic Geology Economic geology professor at Laurentian University since 1997, I am currently Principal Investigator and Director of the $13M NSERC-CMIC funded pan-Canadian "Integrated Multi-Parameter Footprints of Ore Systems" project, and Co-Principal Investigator of the $104M CFREF-FedNor-NOHFC funded "Metal Earth" project.
My research is directed at using mineralogy as a tool in the geosciences. Although I still conduct investigations/characterizations of new mineral species, I am also interested in applying mineralogy and crystal chemistry as a means of understanding the evolution of alkaline rocks, exploring for Au and rare metals (e.g. Ta, Nb) and understanding how the atomic structures of minerals relate to their observed physical and optical properties.
The fate of heavy elements in the environment is controlled by their transport properties, the dissolution and growth of minerals containing these elements, their uptake by minerals and their adsorption on mineral surfaces. Processes such as dissolution, growth, adsorption and uptake occur at or near the mineral-water interface.
Dr. Tinkham arrived at Laurentian in 2005. His research is in the broad field of metamorphic geology, where he specializes in the application of thermodynamic calculations to investigate metamorphic processes and the pressure-temperature-composition evolution of rocks during metamorphism.
FROM: Antigonish, Nova Scotia GRADUATED FROM: St. Francis Xavier University (BSc), Simon Fraser University (MSc) SPECIALITIES: Economic Geology, Structural Geology CURRENT RESEARCH: Geological and Geochemical Characterization of the Granite-hosted East Kemptville Sn-Cu-Zn-Ag(-In) deposit, Nova Scotia SUPERVISOR: Dr. Daniel Kontak
FROM: Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England GRADUATED FROM: University of Leicester (MGeol) SPECIALITIES: Magmatic Ore Deposits CURRENT RESEARCH: Stratigraphy, Geochemistry, and Petrogenesis of the Black Thor Intrusive Complex and Associated Cr and Ni-Cu-PGE Mineralization, McFaulds Greenstone Belt, Ontario FUNDED BY: NSERC-CRD, Cliffs Natural Resources, Noront Resources SUPERVISORS: Dr. Michael Lesher and Dr. Michel Houlé
Carol-Anne graduated from McGill University in 2010 with a B.Sc. degree. She was then employed for five years in industry before coming to Laurentian University to start her Ph.D. degree. While in industry, she worked for three year on the world-class Red Lake gold deposit, as a production and then a mine exploration geologist with Goldcorp.
FROM: Hanover, Ontario GRADUATED FROM: University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario (BSc and MSc) CURRENT RESEARCH: Gold Metallogeny of the Southern Swayze Greenstone Belt, Abitibi Subprovince SUPERVISORS: Dr. Bruno Lafrance / Dr. Daniel Kontak
FROM: Brampton, ON GRADUATED FROM: University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON (H.B.Sc) Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NS (M.Sc.App) SPECIALITIES: Fluid geochemistry Economic geology CURRENT RESEARCH: Fluid geochemistry associated with gold mineralization in the Hope Bay Greenstone Belt, Nunavut, and Meguma Terrane, Nova Scotia: Fluid origin and application to gold exploration
PhD candidate from Limpopo, South Africa. Completed my undergraduate degree at University of Limpopo. Started research at Laurentian University in the Fall of 2015 working on chromitite layer-hosted PGE-Ni-Cu mineralization in the Northern Limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa.
FROM: Sudbury, Ontario. GRADUATED FROM: Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario. CURRENT RESEARCH: Tourmaline as an indicator of mineralized porphyry systems. SUPERVISORS: Dr. Andrew McDonald and Dr. Matthew Leybourne
FROM: Tehran, Iran GRADUATED FROM: Univ Sci Tech, Tehran (BMinEng) CURRENT RESEARCH: Mineralogy, Geochemistry, and Genesis of Ni-Cu-PGE Mineralization in Black Thor Igneous Complex, McFaulds Greenstone Belt, Ontario FUNDED BY: NSERC-CRD, Cliffs Natural Resources, Noront Resources SUPERVISORS: Dr. Michael Lesher and Dr. Michel Houlé
I completed my B.Sc. (Hons.) in geology at Laurentian University in 2017, with my thesis being the characterization of two new minerals from Mont St. Hilaire, under the supervision of Dr. Andy McDonald. My current research is focused on factors that influence mineral morphology. Specifically, the crystal-chemical controls on the morphology of millerite.
My research is on the Northern Limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, specifically looking at the impact of footwall assimilation. My supervisors are Matthew Leybourne and Pedro Jugo.
FROM: Ottawa, Ontario GRADUATED FROM: Carleton University, Ottawa, ON CURRENT RESEARCH: Reaction History and Cu-Pb-Ag-Au-Zn Mobility at the Lalor deposit, Snow Lake, Manitoba SUPERVISOR: Dr. Doug Tinkham and Dr. Harold Gibson
FROM: Tehran, Iran GRADUATED FROM: Univ Sci Tech, Tehran (BMinEng) CURRENT RESEARCH: Stratigraphy, Geochemistry, and Petrogenesis of the Black Label Chromite Horizon, Black Thor Igneous Complex, McFaulds Greenstone Belt, Ontario FUNDED BY: NSERC-CRD, Cliffs Natural Resources, Noront Resources SUPERVISORS: Dr. Michael Lesher and Dr. Michel Houlé
Current Research: Characterising Base Metal Sulfides and Platinum Group Metals of the Platreef in Turfspruit Farm, Northern Limb of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Supervisor: Dr. Pedro Jugo
