Thomas got his MSc degree in Geology from the University of Bristol and his PhD degree from the Freie Universität, Berlin, where he worked on the reactions between alkali rich melts and mafic upper mantle minerals with applications to alkali metasomatism. His contribution to ABYSS will be focused on the importance of pre-emplacement processes upon economically fertile mafic melts.

Project overview
The project aims to provide estimates of the properties of economically fertile ultra-mafic melts during ascent from the asthenosphere and into the lithosphere by focusing on the Reinfjord ultramafic intrusion, Seiland Igneous Province (SIP), Northern Norway. The SIP most likely represents the deep plumbing system of a large igneous province dated at 560-570 Ma. The ultramafic rocks at Reinfjord contain a potentially economic Ni-Cu-PGE reef. It is therefore important to determine the origin and composition of the magmas that formed the intrusion.

Interests
Thomas studies the passage of melts through the upper mantle and into the Earth’s crust and the processes by which they become modified, and modify their surrounding rocks, along this journey. By using field observations, geochemical data and experimental analogues he aims to reveal the history of these melts. The use of a wide range of techniques makes it possible to work out the compositional evolution, temperatures and pressures of the melts as well as placing time constraints on the geological processes that lead to their final emplacement into the crust.