Biography
Anna Bidgood is a postdoctoral researcher in the iCRAG raw materials spoke. Anna graduated with a PhD in environmental science from the University of Oxford in 2020, before joining iCRAG under the supervision of Murray Hitzman.
My research focusses on metamorphism and mineral growth in the Central African Copperbelt, a large sedimentary basin which contains economic concentrations of critical elements required in the transition from hydrocarbon to renewable energy-based technology. My research aims to describe the relationship between mineralisation, fluid chemistry and mineral growth by analysing the textures and chemistry of rocks and combining these observations with thermodynamic modelling to understand how and when these minerals grew. The research will add to scientific understanding of mineral growth and metal mobility in salty systems such as in the Central African Copperbelt and assist industry with exploration strategies.
Technical description
The research project will explore the distribution of kyanite, a high-pressure mineral, in the Central African Copperbelt. Metamorphic and vein kyanite has been observed in multiple regions in the Copperbelt, often associated with metal-bearing sulphides with potential economic interest. The pressure-temperature history of the Copperbelt is often dependent on the presence of kyanite as a high-pressure phase, however, the distribution and occurrence of kyanite does not suggest that it grew due to widespread regional metamorphism.
The distribution of kyanite on a regional and deposit scale, its mineral associations and geochemistry will be studied using a combination of core logging, petrography, mineral mapping, fluid inclusion analysis and thermodynamic modelling.
Understanding the genesis of kyanite-bearing assemblages will aid our understanding of hydrothermal and metamorphic systems and the effect of fluid compositions on mineral stability. This study also has implications for metal mobility and the timing of mineralisation.
Role
- Postdoctoral Researcher
Institution
- UCD
Research Area
- Earth Resources
Expertise
- Mineral Exploration
