Faculty

Department of Geology
Adjunct Professor
Ph.D., Queen's University
Office: S012
Email: alan.anderson@smu.ca

 

 

 

Overview:

Honours BSc (Windsor), MSc (Manitoba), PhD (Queen’s)

After completing his Ph.D. at Queen’s University, Kingston, Alan worked as a research fellow in the fluids research laboratory at Virginia Tech. He was a Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at St. Francis Xavier University from 1989 to 2022 and a Senior Research Scientist at StFXU from 2022 to 2023. Alan is a fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America and the recipient of the Mineralogical Association of Canada Hawley medal for the best paper to appear in The Canadian Mineralogist in 1998 and in 2004. He was awarded the W.W. Hutchison medal from the Geological Association of Canada in 2005 for exceptional advances in Canadian earth science research, and was a visiting scientist at the GeoForschungsZentrum, Potsdam, Germany in 2003. Alan has served as an associate editor for the American Mineralogist and the Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology.

Research Interests:

Alan’s research is focused on understanding of the derivation and internal evolution of granite pegmatite systems and to use this knowledge to develop more effective methods for targeting critical element-rich (i.e., lithium, cesium, tantalum) pegmatites.  To this end, Alan integrates field studies, experimental investigations, and numerical models to determine the physical-chemical properties of pegmatite melts, identify the processes that concentrate critical elements, constrain the pressure-temperature conditions of pegmatite crystallization, and establish the timing and structural controls of pegmatite emplacement.   Mapping and sampling of different pegmatite fields is currently being done in Canada and the USA.  Alan’s laboratory studies include novel hydrothermal diamond anvil cell experiments of hydrous granitic systems, isotopic characterization of pegmatite minerals, and microchemical and geochronological analyses of pegmatite minerals and fluid inclusions.

Selected Publications:

Anderson, A.J., Ercit, T.S. and McCarron, T. (2023) Cesium fractionation in miarolitic pegmatites: A reevaluation of K-feldspar data. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology. 61, 733-747.

Mayanovic, R.A., Anderson, A.J., Romine, D. and Benmore, C. (2023) Insights on the dissolution of water in an albite melt a high pressures and temperatures from a direct structural analysis. Nature – Scientific Reports. 13: 4012.

Jacques, I.J., Anderson, A.J. and Nielsen, S.G. (2021) The geochemistry of thallium and its isotopes in rare-element pegmatites. Geological Survey of Canada Open File report.

Jacques, I.J. and Anderson, A.J. (2021) Modeling changes in internal pressure during the solidification of hydrous granitic intrusives: Implications for the crystallization of miarolitic pegmatites. The Canadian Mineralogist. 59, 455-466.

Anderson, A.J., Mayanovic, R.A. and Lee, T. (2019) The local structure of Ta (V) aqua ions in high temperature fluoride- and chloride-bearing solutions: Implications for Ta transport in granite-related post magmatic fluids. The Canadian Mineralogist. 57, 843-851.

Anderson, A.J. (2019) Microthermometric behavior of crystal-rich inclusions in spodumene under confining pressure. The Canadian Mineralogist. 57, 853-865.

Maneta, V. and Anderson, A.J. (2018) Monitoring the crystallization of water-saturated granitic melts in real time using the hydrothermal diamond anvil cell. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology. 173:83, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-018-1509-7.

Saha, P., Anderson, A.J., Lee, T. and Klemm, M. (2017) The solubility of tugarinovite (MoO₂) in H₂O at elevated temperatures and pressures. Geofluids. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/5459639

Anderson, A.J. and Mayanovic, R.A. (2016) X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies in supercritical aqueous solutions. High Pressure Research: An International Journal. 36, Issue 3, 458-470.

Anderson, A.J. (2016) Discreditation of diomignite and its petrologic implications. American Mineralogist, 101, 1700-1703.

Anderson, A.J., Yang, H. and Downs, R.T. (2015) Hydrothermal synthesis and crystal structure of AlSO₄(OH): A titanite-group member. American Mineralogist. 100, 330-333.

Anderson, A.J., Yan, H., Mayanovic, R.A., Solferino G. and Benmore, C.J. (2014) High-energy X-ray diffraction of a hydrous silicate liquid under conditions of high pressure and temperature in a modified hydrothermal diamond anvil cell. High Pressure Research: An International Journal. 34, 100-109.

Anderson, A.J. (2013) Are crystal-rich inclusions in spodumene crystallized aliquots of boundary-layer melt? Geofluids. 13, 460-466.

Mayanovic, R.A., Yan, H., Anderson, A.J. and Solferino, G. (2013) Investigation of the structural environment of Ta in a silicate glass and water system to high P-T conditions. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids. 368, 71-78.

Mayanovic, R.A., Anderson, A.J., Dharmagunawardhane, H.A.N., Pascarelli, S. and Aquilanti, G. (2012) Monitoring synchrotron x-ray-induced radiolysis effects on metal (Fe, W) ions in high-temperature aqueous fluids. Journal of Synchrotron Radiation. 19, 797-805.

Anderson, A.J. and McCarron, T. (2011) Three dimensional textural and chemical characterization of polyphase inclusions in spodumene using a dual focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM). Canadian Mineralogist, 49, 541-553

Anderson, A.J., Wirth, R. and Thomas, R. (2008) The alteration of metamict zircon and its role in the remobilization of high field strength elements in the Georgeville granite, Nova Scotia. Canadian Mineralogist, 46, 1-18.

Mayanovic, R.A., Jayanetti, S., Anderson, A.J., Bassett, W.A. and Chou, I-M. (2002) The structure of Yb³⁺ aquo ion and chloro complexes in aqueous solutions at up to 500 °C and 270 MPa.  Journal of Physical Chemistry A. 160, 6591-6599.

Anderson, A.J., Clark, A.H. and Gray, S. (2001) The occurrence and origin of zabuyelite (Li₂CO₃) in spodumene-hosted fluid inclusions: implications for the evolution of rare-element granitic pegmatites. Canadian Mineralogist, 39, 1493-1507.

Anderson, A.J., Mayanovic, R.A. and Bajt, S. (1998) A micro-XAFS study of aqueous chlorozinc complexing up to 430 ºC in saline fluid inclusions from the Knaumühle granitic pegmatite, Saxonian Granulite Massif, Germany. Canadian Mineralogist 36, 511 -524.

Anderson, A.J., Mayanovic, R.A. and Bajt, S. (1995) Determination of the local structure and speciation of zinc complexes in individual fluid inclusions by micro-XAFS. Canadian Mineralogist: 33, 499-508.

Anderson, A.J. and Bodnar, R.J. (1993) An adaptation of the spindle stage for geometric analysis of fluid inclusions: American Mineralogist, 78, 657-664.

Anderson, A.J., Clark, A.H., Ma, X.-P., Palmer, G.R., MacArthur, J.D. and Roedder, E. (1989) Proton-Induced X-ray and Gamma-ray Emission Analysis of Unopened Fluid Inclusions: Economic Geology, 84, 924-939.

Černý, P., Meintzer, R.E. and Anderson, A.J. (1985) Extreme fractionation in rare-element pegmatites: selected examples of data and mechanisms: Canadian Mineralogist, 23, 381-421.