Research in the high pressure laboratory is focused on several themes, including constraints on the geochemical behaviour of the highly siderophile elements (e.g., Re and the PGEs) during melting and solidification, processes that effect the mobility of fluids and melts in rock media, element diffusion in minerals, mass recycling at convergent margins and materials synthesis. The thread that connects all of this work is that we conduct our investigations by using a variety of apparatus to subject samples to the conditions of high pressure and temperature found within the Earth. This high P-T state can usually be quenched in, and samples are then thoroughly characterised texturally and chemically using a variety of techniques (i.e., SEM, electron microprobe, SIMS, LA-ICPMS). Current projects are: 1) olivine- and chromite-melt partitioning of Re and PGEs, 2)Solubility and oxidation state of PGEs in molten silicate and metallic melts, 3) Re and Os diffusion in sulfide minerals, 4) stability and mineral-melt partitioning behaviour of platinum group sulfides and alloys and 5) Partitioning of B, Li and N isotopes between muscovite and aqueous fluid.

Graduate Student Opportunities:
If you are interested in pursuing graduate studies in experimental petrology, funding is currently available to support either M.Sc. or Ph.D. candidates.

For further information contact: Professor James Brenan at:
Earth Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
22 Russell St., Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B1
Office: (416) 978-0281 Lab: (416) 946-4052
Fax: (416) 978-3938
E-mail: brenan@geology.utoronto.ca