Dr. Joseph Michael Magnall
Building
B,
Room
125 (Büro)
Telegrafenberg
14473
Potsdam
Research Interests:
Some of our highest-grade ore deposits are located in sedimentary basins, which up to this point have largely been the focus of hydrocarbon exploitation; looking forwards, non-carbon-based (mineral) resources in sedimentary basins will provide the material framework for the energy transition. Within this broad context we face the problem that many of the easiest discoveries located in the uppermost 1 km of the earth’s crust have now been made, yet we still do not fully understand fundamental aspects of sediment-hosted mineral systems across a range of scales.
My research interests are focused towards improving mineral systems models so that we can:
- Understand the temporal and spatial distribution of sediment hosted ore deposits within the geological record, including where the major (Zn, Pb, Cu) and minor (In, Ge, Ag etc.) metals are ultimately sourced from.
- Determine the parameters that control the formation of the high-grade systems.
This involves integrating a wide range of petrographic and geochemical datasets to help reconstruct the diagenetic and hydrothermal evolution of sediment hosted mineral systems, including:
- Petrographic techniques (transmitted & reflected light microscopy, cathodoluminescence, scanning electron microscopy)
- Fluid inclusion analysis (microthermometry & LA-ICP-MS)
- Whole rock lithogeochemistry & XRD
- Stable (S, C, O, Mo) and radiogenic (Sr) isotopes
- Mineral chemistry (EPMA, LA-ICP-MS)
- Fe speciation
Education:
2015-present – Postdoctoral Researcher, GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany
2011-2015 – PhD, Economic Geology, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
2011-2015 – PhD, Economic Geology, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
2010-11 – MSc, Geochemistry, School of Earth and Environment, Leeds University, England
2006-2009 – BSc, Environmental Geology, School of Earth and Environment, Leeds University, England
Projects:
My working group is focussed on developing mineral systems models for Zn and Cu deposits in sedimentary basins. The research mainly contributes to Topic 8 (Georessources).
I am currently involved in two third party funded projects:
1) EU research project VECTOR: co-leading work package 2 on ‘Geoscience Vectors’ towards hidden ore deposits in sedimentary rocks in the Irish Midlands and the Kupferschiefer (Spremberg, eastern Germany).
2) The DFG-Priority Program DOME (Dynamics of Ore Metal Enrichment): research project (PhD) focused on reconstructing metal trap systematics in Zn CD-type deposits using multiple sulfur isotopes.
Awards:
2023 - Society of Economic Geologists Waldemar Lindgren Award