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Dr Sam Broom-Fendley

Proleptic Lecturer

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I am a lecturer in mining and exploration geology and a research fellow working on mineral deposits related to carbonatite volcanism. My work principally focuses on rare earth mineralisation, but I also have an active interest in processes leading to the enrichment of the high field strength elements, phosphate deposits, and using carbonatites to understand the wider geological history of southern Africa. My work typically combines field and petrographic observations with mineralogical and geochemical analyses. I specialise in cathodoluminescence imaging, mineralogical (EPMA and LA ICP MS) and stable isotope analyses (typically C and O). I am always interested in learning and applying new techniques to my work, and collaborating with new people. Please do not hesitate to email if you wish to discuss any ideas.

 

Published papers:

  • Velásquez Ruiz F, Reich M, Broom-Fendley S, et al., (2024). Origin of carbonatite-related niobium deposits: Insights from pyrochlore geochemistry. Geochim et Cosmochim Acta 366:1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2023.12.010
  • Vichi G, Perna MG, Ambrosio FA, Rosatelli G, Cirillo D, Broom-Fendley S, Vladykin N, Zaccaria D, Stoppa F (2023). La Queglia carbonatitic melnöite: a notable example of an ultra-alkaline rock variant in Italy. Mineralogy and Petrology 117:505–528. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00710-022-00792-0
  • Zhang F, Williamson BJ, Broom-Fendley S (2023). Apatite texture and composition in the Tonglushan porphyry-related skarn system, eastern China: Implications for mineral exploration. Ore Geol Rev 158:105493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2023.105493
  • Stoppa F, Cirilli S, Sorci A, Broom-Fendley S, Principe C, Perna MG, Rosatelli G (2023). Igneous and sedimentary 'limestones': the puzzling challenge of a converging classification. Journal of the Geological Society: Special Publications, 520. https://doi.org/10.1144/SP520-2021-120
  • Loidolt C, Zimmerman R, Tusa L, Lorenz S, Ebert D, Gloaguen R, Broom-Fendley S (2023). New Insights on the Rare Earth Element Mineralisation of the Storkwitz Carbonatite, Germany. Canadian Mineralogist 60:913–932. https://doi.org/10.3749/canmin.2100061
  • Goodenough K, Deady E, Beard C, Broom-Fendley S, Elliott HAL, van den Berg F, Ozturk H (2021). Carbonatites and alkaline igneous rocks in post-collisional settings: storehouses of rare earth elements. Journal of Earth Science 32:1332–1358. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-021-1500-5
  • Anenburg M, Broom-Fendley S, Chen W (2021). Formation of rare earth deposits in carbonatites. Elements 17:327–332. https://doi.org/10.2138/gselements.17.5.327
  • Broom-Fendley S, Elliott HAL, Beard CD, Wall F, Armitage PEB, Brady AE, Deady E, Dawes W (2021). Enrichment of heavy REE and Th in carbonatite-derived fenite breccia. Geological Magazine, 158:2025-2021. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756821000601
  • Broom-Fendley S, Siegfried PR, Wall F, O’Neill M, Brooker RA, Fallon EK, Pickles JR, Banks DA (2021). The origin and composition of carbonatite-derived carbonate-bearing fluorapatite deposits. Mineralium Deposita, 56:863–884. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-020-01010-7
  • Al-Ali, S, Wall, F, Fitzpatrick, R, Broom-Fendley, S, Rollinson, G, Brady AE, Pickles JR, Williams A, Dawes W (2020). Key process mineralogy parameters for rare earth fluorcarbonate-bearing carbonatite deposits: the example of Songwe Hill, Malawi. Minerals Engineering, 159:106617. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2020.106617
  • Deady E, Broom-Fendley S, (2020). Critical metal mineralogy and ore genesis revisited: thematic set arising from the Third International Critical Metals Meeting, Edinburgh. Mineralogical Magazine, 84:1-3. https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2020.6
  • Broom-Fendley S, Smith M, Andrade MB, Ray S, Banks DA, Loye E, Atencio D, Pickles JR, Wall F (2020). Sulfur-bearing monazite-(Ce) from the Eureka carbonatite, Namibia: oxidation state, substitution mechanism, and formation conditions. Mineralogical Magazine, 84:35-48 https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2019.79
  • Cangelosi D, Broom-Fendley S, Banks D, Morgan D, Yardley B, (2020). LREE redistribution during hydrothermal alteration at the Okorusu carbonatite complex, Namibia. Mineralogical Magazine, 84:49-64 https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2019.54.
  • Ullmann CV, Gale AS, Huggett J, Wray D, Frei R, Korte C, Broom-Fendley S, Littler K, Hesselbo SP (2018). The geochemistry of modern calcareous barnacle shells and applications for palaeoenvironmental studies. Geochemica et Cosmochemica Acta, 243:149–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2018.09.010
  • Broom-Fendley S, Wall F, Spiro B, Ullmann CV, (2017). Deducing the source and composition of rare earth mineralising fluids in carbonatites: insights from isotopic (C, O, 87Sr/86Sr) data from Kangankunde, Malawi. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 172:96 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-017-1412-7
  • Broom-Fendley S, Brady AE, Mtega J, Horstwood MSA, Woolley A, Wall F, Dawes W, Gunn AG, (2017). Geology, geochemistry and geochronology of the Songwe Hill carbonatite, Malawi. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 134:10–23 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2017.05.020
  • Broom-Fendley S, Brady AE, Wall F, Gunn AG, Dawes W, (2017). REE minerals at the Songwe Hill carbonatite, Malawi: HREE-enrichment in late-stage apatite. Ore Geology Reviews, 81:23–41 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.10.019
  • Broom-Fendley S, Heaton T, Wall F, Gunn G, (2016). Tracing the fluid source of heavy REE mineralisation in carbonatites using a novel method of oxygen-isotope analysis in apatite: the example of Songwe Hill, Malawi. Chemical Geology, 440:275-287 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2016.07.023
  • Neave DA, Black M, Riley TR, Gibson SA, Ferrier G, Wall F, Broom-Fendley S (2016). On the feasibility of imaging carbonatite-hosted rare earth element (REE) deposits using remote sensing, Economic Geology 111:641-665. https://doi.org/10.2113/econgeo.111.3.641
  • Broom-Fendley S, Styles MT, Appleton DA, Gunn AG, Wall F, (2016). Evidence for dissolution-reprecipitation of apatite and preferential LREE mobility in carbonatite-derived late-stage hydrothermal processes. American Mineralogist 101:596–611. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2016-5502CCBY
  • Broom-Fendley S, Wall F, Brady A, Gunn AG, Chenery SR, Dawes W, (2013). Carbonatite-hosted, late-stage apatite as a potential source of heavy rare earth elements? Mineral deposit research for a high-tech world. Proceedings of the 12th Biennial SGA Meeting, 12–15 August 2013, Uppsala, Sweden, ISBN 978-91-7403-207-9, 1450–1452.

 

Conference proceedings:

  • Goldschmidt, 2020 (video): "The origin and composition of carbonatite-derived carbonate-bearing fluorapatite deposits"
  • Goldschmidt, 2019 (oral): "Using O isotopes to determine the source & temperature of REE mineralising fluids in carbonatites"
  • High-Tech Alk-Carb workshop on deposit-scale geomodels, 2019 (oral): "What is the source and temperature of fluids altering burbankite in carbonatites?"
  • Critical Metals Meeting, 2019 (oral): "Sulphate-bearing monazite-(Ce) from silicified dolomite carbonatite, Eureka, Namibia"
  • Organiser and convener for the Mineral Deposits Studies Group (MDSG) Winter Meeting 2019.
  • MDSG Winter Meeting, 2018 (poster): “Epithermal(?) HREE, Zr, Nb, Ti, Th, and Mo mineralisation, related to carbonatites”
  • Convener for Goldschmidt (2017) session: “Carbonatites, Alkaline Magmatism and Associated Mineral Resources”
  • Goldschmidt, 2017, (poster): “REE distribution of carbonate-fluorapatite from the Kovdor and Sokli carbonatites (Russia and Finland)”
  • ERES (European Rare Earth Resources) meeting, 2017, (poster): “REE distribution of carbonate-fluorapatite from the Kovdor and Sokli carbonatites”
  • High-Tech Alk-Carb Geomodels and Sustainability meeting, 2017, (poster): “Carbonatite roof-zone rare-earth pegmatites and volatiles”
  • High-Tech Alk-Carb Fenites and Geophysics meeting, 2016, (oral): “Geology of Songwe Hill” and “Heavy REE mineralisation in ‘fenite’ breccia, peripheral to the Songwe Hill carbonatite”
  • International Geological Congress, 2016 (oral): “The composition and source of REE mineralising fluids in carbonatites”
  • Critical Materials Workshop 2015 (oral): “Silicified Apatite Carbonatite at Tundulu, Malawi: Evidence for preferential LREE mobility”
  • Joint Critical Metals Conference and 32nd Alkaline Magmatism Conference, 2015 (Oral): “HREE-enrichment in late-stage apatite from carbonatites; comparison between apatite from the Songwe, Tundulu and Kangankunde carbonatites, Malawi.”
  • International Mineralogical Association (IMA), 2014: “Late stage apatite: a potential heavy REE-enriched co-product of LREE minerals in carbonatites” (oral) and “The Songwe-Hill carbonatite, Malawi: new mapping, geochemistry and U-Pb dating” (poster).
  • SGA Biennial meeting 2013, Uppsala (oral): “Carbonatite-hosted, late-stage apatite as a potential source of Heavy Rare Earth Elements?”
  • Minerals for Life 2013, Edinburgh (poster): “HREE in carbonatite: could late-stage apatite be a potential source?”
  • BUFI Science Festival 2013, BGS (poster): “Apatite from carbonatite as a source of the Heavy Rare Earth Elements. Are we throwing away resources we could use?”
  • EGU 2012, Vienna (oral): “Targeting Heavy Rare Earth Elements in carbonatite complexes”.
  • BUFI Science festival 2012, BGS (poster): “Where will we find tomorrow’s hi-tech metals?” Highly commended.
  • MDSG Winter Meeting, Cardiff, 2012 (poster): “Targeting Heavy Rare Earth Elements in Carbonatite Complexes”.

 

Other talks/seminars:

  • Lunchtime talk at Carnegie Institute, Washington, Sept 2013. Hosted by Sami Mikhail.
  • Departmental seminar, University of Quebec, Chicoutimi, October, 2013. Hosted by Paul Bedard
  • Presentation at Niobec Mine, St Honore, Canada, October 2013. Hosted by Niobec
  • Lofdal research meeting, McGill University, October 2013. Hosted by Willy Williams-Jones.
  • NERC catalyst meeting, Leeds University, January 2014. Hosted by Bruce Yardley and Frances Wall
  • Fenite research group meeting, Exeter University, July 2016. Hosted by Sam Broom-Fendley and Bruce Yardley