Dr Nicholas Gardiner
Lecturer in Applied Earth Resources
Biography
2019: Lecturer, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews
2018-19: Research Fellow, School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne
2015-18: Research Fellow, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth
2013-15: Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford
2011-13: Vice President, JP Morgan Commodities, London
2010-11: Vice President, Deutsche Bank Commodities, London
2005-09: Vice President, Merrill Lynch Commodities, London
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DPhil Isotope Geochemistry & Metamorphic Petrology, University of Oxford
MSc Geochemistry, University of Leeds
BA (Hons) Geology, MA, University of Oxford
Teaching
MSc in Mineral Resources coordinator
Research areas
I am a petrologist whose research focuses on the magmatic and metamorphic processes that have shaped the evolution of Earth?s lithosphere, and the development of its metal resources, from the Archaean to the present day. My current research focus broadly divides into two areas:
- Archaean geodynamics and magmatism. With colleagues, I apply geochemical and isotopic techniques to mafic and evolved rocks to understand (a) settings of crust production on the early Earth; and (b) the nature and timescales of craton assembly and stabilization. I have worked in Western Australia, West Greenland and South Africa. I have also investigated linking isotopic and trace element modelling to phase equilibria modelling, to understand the nature of isotopic evolution during partial melting processes.
- Processes leading to the development of magmatic-hydrothermal mineralization, with an emphasis on lithophile deposits. I am particularly interested in the use of accessory mineral chemistry to understand the evolution of magmatic systems before and during vapour saturation, and to trace the mobility of metals of interest.
Selected publications
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North Atlantic Craton architecture revealed by kimberlite-hosted crustal zircons
Gardiner, N. J., Kirkland, C. L., Hollis, J. A., Cawood, P. A., Nebel, O., Szilas, K. & Yakymchuk, C., 15 Mar 2020, In : Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 534, 116091.Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article
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Modelling the hafnium-neodymium evolution of early Earth: a study from West Greenland
Gardiner, N. J., Johnson, T. E., Kirkland, C. L. & Szilas, K., Jan 2019, In : Journal of Petrology. 60, 1, p. 177-197 21 p.Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article
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Building Mesoarchaean crust upon Eoarchaean roots: the Akia Terrane, West Greenland
Gardiner, N. J., Kirkland, C. L., Hollis, J., Szilas, K., Steenfelt, A., Yakymchuk, C. & Heide-Jørgensen, H., Mar 2019, In : Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology. 174, 20.Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article
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An impact melt origin for Earth?s oldest known evolved rocks
Johnson, T. E., Gardiner, N. J., Miljkovi?, K., Spencer, C. J., Kirkland, C. L., Bland, P. A. & Smithies, H., Oct 2018, In : Nature Geoscience. 11, 10, p. 795-799 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article
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Melting controls on the lutetium?hafnium evolution of Archaean crust
Gardiner, N. J., Johnson, T. E., Kirkland, C. L. & Smithies, R. H., Feb 2018, In : Precambrian Research. 305, p. 479-488 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article
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Processes of crust formation in the early Earth imaged through Hf isotopes from the East Pilbara Terrane
Gardiner, N. J., Hickman, A. H., Kirkland, C. L., Lu, Y., Johnson, T. & Zhao, J. X., Aug 2017, In : Precambrian Research. 297, p. 56-76 21 p.Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article
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Earth's first stable continents did not form by subduction
Johnson, T. E., Brown, M., Gardiner, N. J., Kirkland, C. L. & Smithies, R. H., 9 Mar 2017, In : Nature. 543, 7644, p. 239-242 4 p.Research output: Contribution to journal ? Article