Michiel van Dongen

PhD candidate

Project working title
Porphyry copper deposit formation

Supervisors
Dr. Roberto Weinberg
Dr Andy Tomkins

Collaborative researchers
Dr. Richard Armstrong (Australian National University)
Prof. Wim Spakman (Utrecht University)

Current research topics

Most of my research is focussed on the giant Ok Tedi Cu-Au deposit, Papua New Guinea. It includes:

• Reviewing characteristics of giant porphyry copper deposits
• Rare-earth and trace element remobilisation in magmatic-hydrothermal systems
• Host rock control on mineralisation style using 3D models and structural studies
• Timescales of giant ore deposit formation using zircon SHRIMP U-Pb
• Magma provenance of the deposit forming intrusions, using a variety of geochemical techniques but most importantly, zircon SHRIMP oxygen isotope analysis and zircon hafnium isotope analysis by LA-ICP-MS
• Geodynamic setting of giant ore deposits, integrating geochemistry and seismic tomography
• Magmatic processes in the formation of Northparkes (NSW) inferred from platinum group elements in sulfides.

Please contact me if you have any questions about my research or any ideas that you would like to discuss.