Dr John MacDonald

  • Lecturer in Earth Sciences (School of Geographical & Earth Sciences)

Research interests

I am always happy to hear from prospective students who wish to undertake an MSc by research or PhD in my fields of interest (see below).

PhD Projects currently available:

Research MSc projects currently available: 

Part funding may be available for these 1-year masters by research projects. Please contact me for more details.

 

Research Interests

My main research interest involve applying novel isotope geochemistry techniques, particularly clumped isotopes, to solve various geological and environmental problems. These include questions relating to:

  • hydrocarbon reservoir diagenesis
  • geothermal energy systems
  • biomineralisation
  • metalliferous mineral deposits

I also have research interests in industrial waste products and their environmental implications, particularly the breakdown of iron and steel slags and cement-making wastes.

Additionally, I retain an interest in Precambrian gneiss complexes which I studied during my PhD, ranging from mineral deposit formation to zircon geochemistry.

 

Biography

2015-present - Lecturer in Earth Sciences, School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow

2013-2015 - PDRA in the Carbonate Research Group with Dr Cedric John, Dept. Earth & Environmenetal Science, Imperial College London

2008-2013 - PhD student with Professor John Wheeler, Dept. Earth & Ocean Sciences, University of Liverpool

2004-2008 1st class BSc (Hons) in Earth Science, 

School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow

 
Find me online:
 

 


Grants

Carnegie Research Incentive Grant: ‘Clumped isotopes’ in calcite: a new method for tracking fluid flow in lavas and its implications for geothermal energy generation. Awarded Jan 2016, project runs June 2016 to June 2017, £7030

£2200 from SAGES for clumped isotope analysis of steel slag-derived travertines

£2400 from SAGES+ for µCT analysis of cement waste to investigate atmospheric carbon capture


Supervision

MSc by research: Chris Holdsworth, "Understanding temperature and mineralogical controls on mobility of metals in high-pH environments: an alkaline steel slag leachate analogue"


Teaching

  • L1 Sediments and Seas
  • L2 Sedimentary lectures, practicals and St Monans field class
  • L2 Environmental Geoscience lectures
  • L3 Environmental Geochemistry field classes
  • Residential field classes to Arran, Scarborough and Aliaga (Spain)

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2015 | 2013
Number of items: 14.

2019

MacDonald, J.M. , Faithfull, J.W. , Roberts, N.M.W., Davies, A.J., Holdsworth, C.S., Newton, M., Williamson, S., Boyce, A. and John, C.M. (2019) Clumped isotope palaeothermometry and LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of lava-pile hydrothermal calcite veins. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 174, 63. (doi:10.1007/s00410-019-1599-x)

2018

Faithfull, J. W. , Dempster, T. J. , MacDonald, J. M. , Reilly, M. and EIMF, (2018) Metasomatism and the crystallization of zircon megacrysts in Archaean peridotites from the Lewisian complex, NW Scotland. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 173, 99. (doi:10.1007/s00410-018-1527-5) (PMID:30930466) (PMCID:PMC6404683)

Guice, G. L., McDonald, I., Hughes, H. S.R., Schlatter, D. M., Goodenough, K. M., MacDonald, J. M. and Faithfull, J. W. (2018) Assessing the validity of negative high field strength-element anomalies as a proxy for Archaean subduction: evidence from the Ben Strome Complex, NW Scotland. Geosciences, 8(9), 338. (doi:10.3390/geosciences8090338)

Guice, G. L., McDonald, I., Hughes, H. S.R., MacDonald, J. M. , Blenkinsop, T. G., Goodenough, K. M., Faithfull, J. W. and Gooday, R. J. (2018) Re-evaluating ambiguous age relationships in Archean cratons: implications for the origin of ultramafic-mafic complexes in the Lewisian Gneiss Complex. Precambrian Research, 311, pp. 136-156. (doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2018.04.020)

Lu, Y.-C., Song, S.-R., Taguchi, S., Wang, P.-L., Yeh, E.-C., Lin, Y.-J., MacDonald, J. and John, C. M. (2018) Evolution of hot fluids in the Chingshui geothermal field inferred from crystal morphology and geochemical vein data. Geothermics, 74, pp. 305-318. (doi:10.1016/j.geothermics.2017.11.016)

MacDonald, J. M. , John, C. M. and Girard, J.-P. (2018) Testing clumped isotopes as a reservoir characterization tool: a comparison with fluid inclusions in a dolomitized sedimentary carbonate reservoir buried to 2-4 km. In: Lawson, M., Formolo, M.J. and Eiler, J.M. (eds.) From Source to Seep: Geochemical Applications in Hydrocarbon Systems. Series: Geological Society, London, Special Publications (468). Geological Society of London, pp. 189-202. (doi:10.1144/SP468.7)

2017

Lu, Y.-C., Song, S.-R., Wang, P.-L., Wu, C.-C., Mii, H.-S., MacDonald, J. , Shen, C.-C. and John, C. (2017) Magmatic-like fluid source of the Chingshui geothermal field, NE Taiwan evidenced by carbonate clumped-isotope paleothermometry. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 149, pp. 124-133. (doi:10.1016/j.jseaes.2017.03.004)

MacDonald, J.M. , Magee, C. and Goodenough, K.M. (2017) Dykes as physical buffers to metamorphic overprinting: an example from the Archaean–Palaeoproterozoic Lewisian Gneiss Complex of NW Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, 53(2), pp. 41-52. (doi:10.1144/sjg2017-004)

MacDonald, J. , Milicich, S., Davies, A., Holdsworth, C., Newton, M., Williamson, S., Faithfull, J. , McNamara, D. and John, C. (2017) Fingerprinting the Temperature and Fluid Source of Fracture-Filling Calcite in Geothermal Systems Using Clumped Isotopes. Goldschmidt 2017, Paris, France, 13-18 Aug 2017.

2015

MacDonald, J. M. , Goodenough, K. M., Wheeler, J., Crowley, Q., Harley, S. L., Mariani, E. and Tatham, D. (2015) Temperature–time evolution of the Assynt Terrane of the Lewisian Gneiss Complex of Northwest Scotland from zircon U-Pb dating and Ti thermometry. Precambrian Research, 260, pp. 55-75. (doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2015.01.009)

MacDonald, J. , John, C. and Girard, J.-P. (2015) Dolomitization Processes in Hydrocarbon Reservoirs: Insight from Geothermometry Using Clumped Isotopes. In: 11th Applied Isotope Geochemistery Conference AIG-11, Orléans, France, 21-25 Sep 2014, pp. 265-268.

2013

MacDonald, J. M. , Wheeler, J., Harley, S. L., Mariani, E., Goodenough, K. M., Crowley, Q. and Tatham, D. (2013) Lattice distortion in a zircon population and its effects on trace element mobility and U–Th–Pb isotope systematics: examples from the Lewisian Gneiss Complex, northwest Scotland. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 166(1), pp. 21-41. (doi:10.1007/s00410-013-0863-8)

MacDonald, J. (2013) Zircon—Earth’s timekeeper. Geology Today, 29(3), pp. 113-117. (doi:10.1111/gto.12011)

MacDonald, J. M. and Goodenough, K. M. (2013) The South Barra shear zone: a composite Inverian–Laxfordian shear zone and possible Terrane boundary in the Lewisian gneiss complex of the Isle of Barra, NW Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, 49(2), pp. 93-103. (doi:10.1144/sjg2011-463)

This list was generated on Tue Aug 20 06:14:26 2019 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Book Sections | Conference or Workshop Item | Conference Proceedings
Number of items: 14.

Articles

MacDonald, J.M. , Faithfull, J.W. , Roberts, N.M.W., Davies, A.J., Holdsworth, C.S., Newton, M., Williamson, S., Boyce, A. and John, C.M. (2019) Clumped isotope palaeothermometry and LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of lava-pile hydrothermal calcite veins. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 174, 63. (doi:10.1007/s00410-019-1599-x)

Faithfull, J. W. , Dempster, T. J. , MacDonald, J. M. , Reilly, M. and EIMF, (2018) Metasomatism and the crystallization of zircon megacrysts in Archaean peridotites from the Lewisian complex, NW Scotland. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 173, 99. (doi:10.1007/s00410-018-1527-5) (PMID:30930466) (PMCID:PMC6404683)

Guice, G. L., McDonald, I., Hughes, H. S.R., Schlatter, D. M., Goodenough, K. M., MacDonald, J. M. and Faithfull, J. W. (2018) Assessing the validity of negative high field strength-element anomalies as a proxy for Archaean subduction: evidence from the Ben Strome Complex, NW Scotland. Geosciences, 8(9), 338. (doi:10.3390/geosciences8090338)

Guice, G. L., McDonald, I., Hughes, H. S.R., MacDonald, J. M. , Blenkinsop, T. G., Goodenough, K. M., Faithfull, J. W. and Gooday, R. J. (2018) Re-evaluating ambiguous age relationships in Archean cratons: implications for the origin of ultramafic-mafic complexes in the Lewisian Gneiss Complex. Precambrian Research, 311, pp. 136-156. (doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2018.04.020)

Lu, Y.-C., Song, S.-R., Taguchi, S., Wang, P.-L., Yeh, E.-C., Lin, Y.-J., MacDonald, J. and John, C. M. (2018) Evolution of hot fluids in the Chingshui geothermal field inferred from crystal morphology and geochemical vein data. Geothermics, 74, pp. 305-318. (doi:10.1016/j.geothermics.2017.11.016)

Lu, Y.-C., Song, S.-R., Wang, P.-L., Wu, C.-C., Mii, H.-S., MacDonald, J. , Shen, C.-C. and John, C. (2017) Magmatic-like fluid source of the Chingshui geothermal field, NE Taiwan evidenced by carbonate clumped-isotope paleothermometry. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 149, pp. 124-133. (doi:10.1016/j.jseaes.2017.03.004)

MacDonald, J.M. , Magee, C. and Goodenough, K.M. (2017) Dykes as physical buffers to metamorphic overprinting: an example from the Archaean–Palaeoproterozoic Lewisian Gneiss Complex of NW Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, 53(2), pp. 41-52. (doi:10.1144/sjg2017-004)

MacDonald, J. M. , Goodenough, K. M., Wheeler, J., Crowley, Q., Harley, S. L., Mariani, E. and Tatham, D. (2015) Temperature–time evolution of the Assynt Terrane of the Lewisian Gneiss Complex of Northwest Scotland from zircon U-Pb dating and Ti thermometry. Precambrian Research, 260, pp. 55-75. (doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2015.01.009)

MacDonald, J. M. , Wheeler, J., Harley, S. L., Mariani, E., Goodenough, K. M., Crowley, Q. and Tatham, D. (2013) Lattice distortion in a zircon population and its effects on trace element mobility and U–Th–Pb isotope systematics: examples from the Lewisian Gneiss Complex, northwest Scotland. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 166(1), pp. 21-41. (doi:10.1007/s00410-013-0863-8)

MacDonald, J. (2013) Zircon—Earth’s timekeeper. Geology Today, 29(3), pp. 113-117. (doi:10.1111/gto.12011)

MacDonald, J. M. and Goodenough, K. M. (2013) The South Barra shear zone: a composite Inverian–Laxfordian shear zone and possible Terrane boundary in the Lewisian gneiss complex of the Isle of Barra, NW Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, 49(2), pp. 93-103. (doi:10.1144/sjg2011-463)

Book Sections

MacDonald, J. M. , John, C. M. and Girard, J.-P. (2018) Testing clumped isotopes as a reservoir characterization tool: a comparison with fluid inclusions in a dolomitized sedimentary carbonate reservoir buried to 2-4 km. In: Lawson, M., Formolo, M.J. and Eiler, J.M. (eds.) From Source to Seep: Geochemical Applications in Hydrocarbon Systems. Series: Geological Society, London, Special Publications (468). Geological Society of London, pp. 189-202. (doi:10.1144/SP468.7)

Conference or Workshop Item

MacDonald, J. , Milicich, S., Davies, A., Holdsworth, C., Newton, M., Williamson, S., Faithfull, J. , McNamara, D. and John, C. (2017) Fingerprinting the Temperature and Fluid Source of Fracture-Filling Calcite in Geothermal Systems Using Clumped Isotopes. Goldschmidt 2017, Paris, France, 13-18 Aug 2017.

Conference Proceedings

MacDonald, J. , John, C. and Girard, J.-P. (2015) Dolomitization Processes in Hydrocarbon Reservoirs: Insight from Geothermometry Using Clumped Isotopes. In: 11th Applied Isotope Geochemistery Conference AIG-11, Orléans, France, 21-25 Sep 2014, pp. 265-268.

This list was generated on Tue Aug 20 06:14:26 2019 BST.


John MacDonald

505a, Gregory Building,