James Brenan

Ph.D. (Geology) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, USA), 1990
B.Sc. (Geological Sciences, Honours), McGill University (Montreal, Canada), 1985

ERTH 3020: Metamorphic Petrology

"My research focuses on experimental studies related to the behaviour of trace elements during igneous and hydrothermal processes."

Current areas of study investigated  by his research group, High Pressure Laboratory,  include:

1.  the role of chromite and olivine in fractionating Re and platinum group elements in mafic igneous systems
2. diffusion of Re, Os and Pt in sulfides and oxides with implications for “closure” of the Re-Os and Pt-Os isotopic systems
3. constraints on Earth differentiation from siderophile element geochemistry
4. behaviour of siderophile and chalcophile elements during the solidification of massive sulfide ore
5. partitioning of redox-sensitive elements in mineral-melt systems
6. fluid/mineral partitioning with application to the origin of subduction zone magmas.

• Julian Boldy Award for Best Paper in Mineral Deposit Research, 2012
• Dean’s Outstanding Teaching Award, University of Toronto, 2004
• Hawley Medal, Best Paper Award, Mineralogical Association of Canada, 2003
• Young Scientist Medal, Mineralogical Association of Canada, 2002
• Premier’s Research Excellence Award, 2000
• Fellow and Life Member of the Mineralogical Society of America, 1998-present
• Mineralogical Society of America Award, 1998