معرفی
Nicholas Gardiner is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews, where he has been employed since 2019. He serves as Director of the MSc in Geochemistry program and as Director of Postgraduate Teaching (DoPGT). He is Principal Investigator of the St Andrews Geochronology laboratory (StAGE) and was Theme Leader for the Geological Society's "Energy Transition" theme from 2021-2024.
Dr. Gardiner's educational background includes a DPhil in Isotope Geochemistry & Metamorphic Petrology, MA and BA (Hons) in Geology from the University of Oxford, and an MSc in Geochemistry from the University of Leeds.
His research focuses on the geological formation and discovery of battery metals, particularly tin and lithium. He investigates magmatic and metamorphic processes that shape Earth's lithosphere and metal resources from the Archaean to present. His work spans two primary areas: (1) Processes leading to magmatic-hydrothermal mineralization, with emphasis on Li-Sn-Ta deposits like LCT pegmatites and tin granites, using accessory mineral chemistry to understand magmatic system evolution; and (2) Archaean geodynamics and magmatism, applying geochemical and isotopic techniques to understand crust production and craton assembly. His fieldwork spans Zimbabwe, Namibia, Eswatini, South Africa, Myanmar, Rwanda, Western Australia, and West Greenland.
His recent publications reveal a strong focus on crustal evolution perspectives of tin and lithium systems, Neoarchaean cratonisation processes, zircon chemistry as indicators of mineralization, and critical assessments of lithium's role in the energy transition. His work connects fundamental geological research with practical applications for sustainable mineral resource development.
Dr. Gardiner actively supervises postgraduate research students and leads multiple research projects funded by NERC, including studies on Archean Li-bearing pegmatites, timing of LCT pegmatites in Namibia, and development of advanced analytical facilities like LA:TRACE for laser ablation chemical imaging.
He directs the St Andrews Geochronology laboratory (StAGE), which features a tandem LA-LIBS setup for high-precision chemical characterization at the micron scale, along with MC-ICP-MS and QQQ-ICP-MS capabilities for geochronological and tracing work focused on U-Pb, Hf in zircon, and trace elements in accessory minerals.
