Dr. Zhenhao Zhou Research Talk - TEAMS - 11:30am
Dr. Zhenhao Zhou Research Talk - TEAMS ----> click here to join.
'Exploring Metamorphism, the Global Carbon Cycle and Critical Mineral Deposits Through Magmatic Fluid-Rock Interactions’
11:30am-12:30pm
Fluids migrating through the crust drive mass and chemical transfer across different Earth spheres. These processes affect metamorphism, geochemical cycling, and critical mineralization to varying degrees across different spatial scales. In the upcoming research talk, I will first share a series of interconnected stories about fluid-rock interactions in metacarbonate rocks. The journey begins with phase equilibria, a framework where specific mineral assemblages offer clues about formation temperature and fluid composition in skarn systems. From there, we move to southern Tibet, where a case study shows how magmatic fluid infiltration into carbonate rocks may influence the global carbon cycle and Earth’s long-term climate. The story then shifts to the Sierra Nevada Batholith, where I examine how factors like rock rheology and depth influence fluid migration dynamics and their broader impact on carbon cycling.
Fluids also transport strategic metals and form chemically zoned accessory minerals (e.g., apatite) in some mineral deposits. If these zoning patterns correspond to multi-episode ore-forming events, petrologic tools like diffusion speedometry and geochronology can help constrain the duration of these events. I will discuss future work on how this idea can be tested using IOA deposits in the Great Bear magmatic zone of the Canadian Shield. Finally, I will discuss how wetting properties of fluid might affect the spatial distribution of mineral deposits.
Together, these stories reveal how fluid-related patterns preserved in rocks hold valuable insights across multiple fields, connecting petrologic processes to planetary habitability and resource formation.