Open research questions in Geological and Geochemical Analysis

What the literature leaves open

• Given the lack of evidence for post-emplacement hydrogen loss coupled with melt compositions consistent with published values of unaltered melts, we consider the PPF a robust recorder of the conditions in the magma chamber just prior to eruption, consistent with a quickly cooled nature that typifies Plinian deposits.

  Evidence of shallow storage and re-equilibration of magmas feeding the 39.8 ka Campanian Ignimbrite (Italy) eruption · 2026 · DOI

• Ma age may reflect earlier eclogitefacies equilibration; the exact timing of the eclogite- to amphibolite-facies transition remains uncertain.

  Melt-mediated coupled dissolution-precipitation of zircon in metagranite, Bohemian Massif · 2026 · DOI

• Integrated analysis of the modelling results together with consideration of prior studies points towards the red beds and mafic sequences of the basal Katangan sequence being insufficient to account for the TFMD cobalt budget because it can only be achieved using thicknesses and leaching efficiencies that greatly exceed geologically realistic and observed values.

  Mass balance modelling of cobalt sources in the Tenke-Fungurume copper-cobalt district, Democratic Republic of the Congo · 2026 · DOI

• Given the well-developed oscillatory zoning and lack of evidence for antecrysts, this age is regarded as a precise proxy for the emplacement age.

  Early Cambrian (Ca. 528 Ma) Andesite from Eastern Liaoning, North China Craton: Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications · 2026 · DOI

• These felsic volcanic rocks provide key insights into VMS formation, yet it remains unclear whether they are anomalously abundant in areas with VMS endowment compared with the broader volcanic stratigraphy.

  Felsic Volcanic Rock Distributions in the Abitibi Subprovince: A Monte Carlo Approach to Constrain Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Formation and Crustal Evolution · 2026 · DOI

• The formation of the Cenozoic South China Sea (SCS) via rifting/spreading was based on a Late Mesozoic collisional setting, yet pre‐breakup continental differentiation remains debated.

  Pre‐Breakup Continental Crust Evolution in the South China Sea Region · 2026 · DOI

• Porphyry Cu ± Mo ± Au and iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits rarely occur in spatial and temporal proximity in Phanerozoic arc-related settings, and the formation of these mineral deposit types in an evolving arc setting remains poorly understood.

  Contrasting Tectonomagmatic Conditions for Coexisting Iron Oxide-Apatite Deposits and Porphyry and Skarn Cu ± Au Deposits in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt, China · 2024 · DOI

• Gold occurrences/deposits are poorly studied, and key questions pertaining to their genesis remain unclear, including the mode of occurrence(s) of gold, the relative timing of gold introduction with respect to the evolution of the greenstone belt, the number of gold mineralization events, the alteration patterns, and the relationships between each alteration pattern and gold mineralization.

  Mineralogy and Geochemistry of the Mupane and Shashe Gold Deposits of the Tati Greenstone Belt (NE Botswana): Implications for Mineral Deposit Models and Exploration · 2024 · DOI

• After definition of this deposit, a regional exploration program was initiated in 2009 over 110,000 km2, based on the underexplored nature of the region.

  Epithermal Gold Discoveries in the Emerging Khundii Metallogenic Province, Southwest Mongolia · 2024 · DOI

• Our strain measurements and mineral chemistry data demonstrate that deformation microtextures alone are insufficient to readily prove a mantle provenance of phlogopite macro- or microcrysts in kimberlites and, by extension, other petrogenetically similar mantle-derived rocks.

  Mica deformation signatures: geochemical and strain investigation of phlogopite and biotite from the Drybones Bay and Mud Lake kimberlites (Northwest Territories, Canada) · 2026 · DOI

• Quartz microtextures indicate limited preservation of primary textures and extensive recrystallisation, whereas tourmaline preserves growth zoning and lacks evidence for pervasive recrystallisation.

  Fluid sources and evolution at the Triangle orogenic gold deposit (Canada): Evidence from in situ oxygen and boron isotope composition of tourmaline and quartz · 2026 · DOI

• Such water variations may plausibly reflect mantle water heterogeneity within the plume source, although this interpretation remains to be independently verified.

  Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Mineral Chemistry of Xinhe Mafic Rocks: Petrological Constraints on Water Heterogeneity in the Emeishan Large Igneous Province · 2026 · DOI

• Porphyry deposits represent globally significant sources of Cu and Mo, yet the magmatic volatile controls on Cu versus Mo metallogenic divergence remain poorly quantified in collisional settings.

  Magmatic Volatile Controls on Cu and Mo Mineralization in Collisional Porphyry Systems · 2026 · DOI

• Positive intra-sample Ni-Co correlations persist in ferromagnesian silicates not significantly associated with sulfides, which can arise from trapped liquid shift and should be examined with respect to an appropriate baseline.

  Nickel, Cobalt, and Manganese Distributions in Olivine and Orthopyroxene as Indicators of Sulfide-Rich Mafic-Ultramafic Systems: A Case Study From the Nova-Bollinger Ni-Cu-Co Deposit in Western Australia · 2026 · DOI

• OIB‐like (Ocean Island Basalt) rocks are widespread in the ITSZ, yet their origin and geodynamic implications remain controversial.

  The Earliest Cretaceous Intra‐Oceanic Subduction Zone in the Neo‐Tethys: Evidence From an OIB ‐Like Intrusion in the Western Indus‐Tsangpo Suture Zone, Southwestern Tibet · 2026 · DOI

• Hydrothermal systems are common to many andesitic composite volcanoes, yet their evolution, mineralogy, and significance often remain underexplored compared to eruptive and magmatic histories in such settings.

  The role of fossil hydrothermal systems on volcanic flank collapses—Deciphering the volcanic history of Ruapehu, New Zealand · 2026 · DOI

• The rapid formation of new felsic crust shortly after subduction initiation challenges existing models and indicates the need for further research into early arc‐forming processes.

  Magmatic Records of Subduction Initiation and Early Building of the Kohistan Island Arc, Pakistan · 2025 · DOI

• Khaluta is not an REE-enriched carbonatite, and sulfide minerals have not been described in any stage of mineralization, suggesting it did not achieve the late-stage reducing conditions that may help to form an REE deposit.

  Insights into Mountain Pass carbonatite formation from in-situ sulfur isotopes and geochemistry of sulfate and sulfide minerals · 2026 · DOI

• Alteration halos in wall rocks are potential indicators of rare element pegmatites; however, halos associated with niobium-yttrium-fluorine (NYF) pegmatites are poorly documented.

  Unearthing Alteration Halos Associated with Paleoproterozoic Nb-Y-F Pegmatites in a Scandinavian Caledonian High-Grade Metamorphic Belt · 2026 · DOI

• In one sample from the Niddery Lake Member, a discordant vein crosscuts mineralization stage I, but its paragenetic relationship with mineralization stage II could not be determined.

  Mineralogy and Paragenesis of the Boundary Zone Zn-Pb ± Ag Deposit, Yukon, Canada · 2024 · DOI

• Several factors may account for this: (i) the fluids, interpreted as basinal brines were inherently low in REE; (ii) REE availability in the host granite was limited by the refractory nature of REE-bearing accessory minerals; (iii) the fluorite-fluid partitioning of the REE, which depends on temperature and REE complexation, limited REE uptake; and (iv) a direct magmatic-hydrothermal component, which typically…

  Granite-Hosted Fluorite–Barite Veins at Jbel Merguechoum (Northeastern Morocco): Paragenesis, Trace-Elements and REE Geochemistry, and Constraints on the Origin of Green and Purple Coloration · 2026 · DOI

• Mineral exploration since 2005 in a previously underexplored region of southwestern Mongolia resulted in the definition of the Zuun Mod porphyry Mo-Cu deposit, followed by discovery of the Altan Nar and Bayan Khundii epithermal gold deposits along with several prospects and advanced exploration projects.

  Epithermal Gold Discoveries in the Emerging Khundii Metallogenic Province, Southwest Mongolia · 2024 · DOI

• We report the first chemical dataset for volcanic gas emissions from Marapi volcano, offering new insights into shallow degassing processes at one of Sumatra’s most active yet understudied volcanic systems.

  Geochemical characterisation of shallow pre-eruptive magma degassing at Marapi Volcano, Sumatra (Indonesia) · 2026 · DOI

• The development of secondary minerals in the mafic volcanic rocks from the study areas is strictly limited to a few pseudo-morphs of primitive olivine and orthopyroxene…

  What do arc magmatism trace-element patterns and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic data reflect? Insights from the Urumieh–Dokhtar magmatic arc of Iran · 2025 · DOI

• Volcano-sedimentary (VS) deposits represent a relatively poorly studied and still underdeveloped type of Li resource.

  Volcano-Sedimentary Deposits: Overview of an Emerging Type of Lithium Resource · 2025 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Geological and Geochemical Analysis

• Early Proterozoic climates and plate motions inferred from major element chemistry of lutites · Nature · 1982 · 6,092 citations
• Derivation of some modern arc magmas by melting of young subducted lithosphere · Nature · 1990 · 3,981 citations
• Oblique Stepwise Rise and Growth of the Tibet Plateau · Science · 2001 · 3,651 citations
• Evolution of the Altaid tectonic collage and Palaeozoic crustal growth in Eurasia · Nature · 1993 · 3,623 citations
• Mantle geochemistry: the message from oceanic volcanism · Nature · 1997 · 2,447 citations
• A large-scale isotope anomaly in the Southern Hemisphere mantle · Nature · 1984 · 2,283 citations
• Convection Plumes in the Lower Mantle · Nature · 1971 · 2,138 citations
• Tibetan, Variscan, and Precambrian Basement Reactivation: Products of Continental Collision · The Journal of Geology · 1973 · 789 citations
• Plume-Generated Triple Junctions: Key Indicators in Applying Plate Tectonics to Old Rocks · The Journal of Geology · 1973 · 759 citations
• Sedimentary Rocks and Crustal Evolution: Tectonic Setting and Secular Trends · The Journal of Geology · 1991 · 734 citations

Most recent work

• Coupled anatexis and extreme differentiation are the keys for producing giant lithium-rich pegmatites · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2026
• Iron oxide copper–gold (IOCG) deposits – A review (part 2): fluid, metal and sulfur sources and ore genesis · Ore Geology Reviews · 2026
• Deep crustal hot zones control shallow magma reservoirs in an active transcrustal magmatic system · Communications Earth & Environment · 2026
• Impact of intragrain chemical heterogeneities on 40Ar/39Ar and 87Rb–87Sr white mica dates · Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology · 2026
• Eclogite-facies metamorphism of continental crust at the Mesoarchean-to-Neoarchean transition · Geology · 2026
• Peixe Zircon as a Quality Control Reference Material in U‐Pb Geochronology by LA ‐ ICP ‐ MS · Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research · 2026
• Orogenic gold in compressional and transpressional zones: geophysical, remote sensing and field studies on the central segment of the Allaqi-Heiani Suture, Egypt · Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources · 2026
• Calcium isotopes and thermodynamic calculations decipher fluorite mineralization in hydrothermal systems · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta · 2026
• Advances in volcano monitoring driven by the first decade of Sentinel-1 observations · Remote Sensing of Environment · 2026
• Crustal evolution and stabilization of the Arabian-Nubian Shield: Constraints from whole-rock Sr Nd and zircon U-Pb-Hf-O isotopes of bimodal volcanics · Chemical Geology · 2026

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