Photo of Dr Ben Williamson

Dr Ben Williamson

Senior Lecturer in Applied Minerology

Email:

Telephone: 01326 371856

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
BSc (Hons) Geology, 1988 (University of London)
PhD Geology (Granite petrology), 1991 (University of London)

 

AFFILIATIONS
Member of the Mineralogical Society
Member of the Mineral Deposits Studies Group
Expert Member of the International Volcanic Health Hazards Network

 

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

  • 2007 University of Exeter - Camborne School of Mines
    Senior Lecturer in Applied Mineralogy.
  • 2004 - 2007 The Natural History Museum, London
    Electron Microscopist/Researcher.
  • 2000 - 2004 The Natural History Museum, London
    Head of Environmental Assessment Programme of the EU-FP5 MinUrals Contract.
  • 1998 - 2000 University of Bristol
    Scientific Coordinator of the European Union Geochemical Facility.
  • 1994 - 1998 The Natural History Museum, London
    Researcher/IT Manager for the Department of Mineralogy.
  • 1991 - 1993 Geoservices Geologist for Amoco (Mauritania), Hunt (Yemen) and Agip/Elf (Congo).

 

RESEARCH

  • Eruption mechanisms in andesitic volcanoes
  • Mineralogical and chemical factors determining the toxicity of airborne particulate
  • Development of novel instrumental and biomonitoring methodologies
  • Granite petrology and the magmatic-hydrothermal transition

 

RECENT RESEARCH PROJECTS (2005 to date)

  • Cristobalite in dome rocks from the Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat: implications for respiratory health hazards.
  • Eruption mechanisms of the Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat.
  • Impact Monitoring of Mineral Resources Exploitation (ImpactMin) EU–FP7 project to develop new methods and a new toolset for impact monitoring of mining operations using Earth Observations and in-situ data (Commenced January 2010).
  • Production of deleterious respirable silica airborne particulate from the burning of siliceous biomass (NERC CASE studentship with Cambridge University and Natural History Museum).
  • Development of geochemical and mineralogical methods for targeting lower environmental impact secondary copper deposits in the Troodos Massif, Cyprus (NERC CASE studentship with Natural History Museum and British Geological Survey).

 

RESEARCH STUDENTS

  • Ben Snook – Geology and mineral chemistry of barren and rare metal pegmatites in the south Norwegian Bamble-Evje pegmatite cluster (co-funded by the CSM Trust and Norwegian Geological Survey; First supervisor, full-time, commenced October 2010).
  • Sam Hughes – Structural and paragenetic evolution of mineralisation in the St. Ives Mining District (Self funded; Second supervisor, part-time, commenced July 2009).
  • Daniel Parvaz - Development of geochemical and mineralogical methods for targeting lower environmental impact secondary copper deposits in the Troodos Massif, Cyprus. (NERC CASE studentship; First supervisor, full-time, commenced October 2009).
  • Liaqat Ali – Genetic models for gold and base metal mineralisation associated with the Shyok Suture Zone and Kohistan Arc, north Pakistan; based on mineralogical and geochemical studies of stream sediments (Funded by Higher Education Commission, Pakistan; First supervisor, full-time, commenced March 2008).
  • Alison Turner – Sustainable management of mine water pollution from headwaters to estuaries (2007). (Funded at Plymouth University by Great Western Research; Third supervisor, full-time, commenced October 2007).
  • Vicki Niku-Paavola - The geology, mineralogy and geochemical features of the primary HREE–enriched carbonatite complex at Lofdal, Namibia. (Funded by the Africa-America Foundation. Second supervisor, part-time, commenced 2008).
  • Jennifer Le Blond - the production and toxicity of respirable silica particles from biomass burning (NERC CASE studentship, commenced October 2006, completed 2010).

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