Project:
My project focuses on the tectonic controls on emplacement of the Aley Carbonatite Complex, Northeastern BC Rocky Mountains, and its implications for niobium (Nb) and Rare Earth Element (REE) mineralization within complex as well as broader tectonic implications for the evolution of the Canadian Cordillera. Many carbonatite occurrences within the Cordillera are well-known for their Nb and REE mineral potential; however, the tectonic and petrogenetic controls on their evolution are poorly understood in part due to their mineralogical and structural complexity. My project aims to address this fundamental knowledge gap by conducting detail field mapping, geochronological, and petrological investigations on the Aley Carbonatite Complex, one of the best exposed and preserved examples of a carbonatite in BC. As global economic interest in Nb and REEs continues to grow at a rapid pace, largely due to their use in industrial and personal high-tech electronic devices such as, lithium-ion batteries, magnets, and liquid crystal displays (LCDs), a better understanding of carbonatites in the Canadian Cordillera is poised to advance exploration and development of these important commodities in BC.