Joseph Benson

I am a geologist and geochemist focusing on how metamorphic and magmatic processes generate the rare metal enrichment required to form ore deposits.

My PhD project specifically focuses on developing a petrogenetic model for the lithium-tin-tantalum pegmatites near the Uis Tin Mine in the Northern Damara Orogen, Namibia. My project includes:

• Fieldwork in conjunction with Andrada Mining.
• Analytical work including U-Pb geochronology and trace element analysis in zircon, cassiterite, and apatite using LA-ICP-MS at the University of St Andrews and the British Geological Survey (BGS).
• Integrating trace element geochemistry and thermodynamic modelling to simulate the melting processes and magmatic evolution responsible for LCT-pegmatite formation.