Dr Nicholas Gardiner

Lecturer in Applied Earth Resources

Researcher profile

Phone

+44 (0)1334 463911

Email

njg7@st-andrews.ac.uk

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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

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