Biography:
Lindsey is a Ph.D. candidate in geology with Professor Lee Groat at the University of British Columbia. Lindsey received her B.Sc. from the Earth Sciences Department at the University of Michigan where she worked with structural geology professor Ben van der Pluijm. Before pursuing a graduate degree, she worked as a research scientist with the US Geological Survey in the critical commodities group. Her current Ph.D. research at UBC involves a complete physical, mineralogical, and geochemical characterization and understanding of a rare extrusive carbonatite in BC’s Southeast Region. Based in Revelstoke, BC, Lindsey also enjoys the extensive heli-supported fieldwork for this project. Beyond her thesis project, Lindsey is also interested in pursuing exploration geology.
Project: The Cottonbelt Pb-Zn Deposit of Southeastern British Columbia: the World’s First Volcanogenic Deposit Associated with a Carbonatite
The Cottonbelt deposit is a large stratiform lead-zinc-magnetite layer that overlies carbonatites and syenites in southeastern British Columbia. The Cottonbelt deposit has been characterized as a sedimentary-exhalative (SEDEX) deposit. However, further investigation has demonstrated that, unlike typical SEDEX deposits with pyrite-sphalerite-galena ore mineralogy, high magnesium contents, and host rocks of reduced (sulphidic) nature, the Cottonbelt deposit has magnetite as the main ore-forming mineral, high manganese, fluorine, phosphorous, and rare earth element contents, and its host rocks consist of oxidized units. This research is testing the hypothesis that regional alkaline and carbonatitic magmatism played a role in generating the (Mn)-Pb-Zn enrichment of the Cottonbelt deposit, with the objective to establish the relationship of the Cottonbelt deposit with surrounding strata and develop a new deposit model. To study this, an analysis is being conducted on the original Pb isotopic ratios in galena from the Cottonbelt deposit and from feldspars in related rocks; this is anticipated to indicate the source, timing, and potential genetic relationship.
