Dr Matthew Jason Mayne
Lecturer, Earth Sciences Department,
Stellenbosch University
Email: mmayne@sun.ac.za
mjmayne@outlook.com
Phone: +27 21 808 3128
+27 72 900 5487
Research:
Phase equilibrium modelling allows us to predict
the stable phase assemblage of a rock at equilibrium, in other words the
composition and proportion of the rock forming minerals. We can do this if we
know the pressure, temperature and bulk composition of the rock. However, many
processes that effect the evolution of a crustal rock change its effective bulk
composition. Therefore, in order to effectively model crustal processes and
differentiation of the continental crust I created a new thermodynamic
modelling software tool called Rcrust. I wrote the program and created a
graphical user interface to allow user friendly access to its calculations. I
have published it is as open source software on both of my institutions'
respective websites (https://www.sun.ac.za/english/faculty/science/earthsciences/rcrust); have created a user manual for its teaching and
have begun presenting it at seminars at a number of universities. In this way I
aim to continue to grow and expand the software's user base while
simultaneously growing its functionalities.
Concurrent to this methodology research, I am using
this software to perform process oriented investigations involving mass transfer.
These investigations already include: the effect of melt loss on the fertility
of open systems; the effects of disequilibrium partial melting at introducing
complexities into crustal differentiation; the effect of the changing water
content and pressure-temperature path on the onset of anatexis; the limiting of
slow diffusing elements from contributing to the effective bulk composition the
rock system and compositional changes induced by entrainment of phases to melt
and subsequent fractional crystallisation of those magmas. Using these models,
I aim to investigate the mechanisms of compositional change that contribute to
crustal differentiation.



Academic qualifications:
PhD (Earth Sciences) co-tutelle (joint degree)
between Université Jean Monnet, France and Stellenbosch University
Thesis title: Development of new software tools for
phase equilibrium modelling in open systems
Summary: Developed a new software tool for phase
equilibrium modelling that allows path dependent bulk compositional change and
thereby investigations of earth processes that involve mass transfer. The
applications of this novel technique span the fields of igneous and metamorphic
petrology
Publications:
Daswani, M.M., Vance, S.D., Mayne, M.J. and Glein, C.R., A metamorphic origin for Europa's ocean. Geophysical research letters [in submission]
Gao, P., Zheng, Y.F., Mayne, M.J. and Zhao, Z.F., 2020. Miocene high-temperature leucogranite magmatism in the Himalayan orogen. GSA Bulletin.
Farina, F., Mayne, M.J., Stevens, G., Soorajlal, R., Frei, D. and Gerdes, A., 2020. Phase equilibria constraints on crystallization differentiation: insights into the petrogenesis of the normally zoned Buddusò Pluton in north-central Sardinia. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 491(1), pp.243-265.
Mayne,
M.J., Stevens, G., Moyen, J.-F. & Johnson, T.E., The trajectory of the
P–T path controls the onset of melting in metasedimentary rocks. Journal of
Metamorphic Geology [in revision]
Mayne, M.J., Stevens, G. and Moyen, J.F., 2020. A phase equilibrium investigation of selected source controls on the composition of melt batches generated by sequential melting of an average metapelite. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 491(1), pp.223-241.
Mayne,
M.J., Stevens, G., Moyen, J.F., & Johnson, T.E., 2019, Performing
process-oriented investigations involving mass transfer using Rcrust: a new
phase equilibrium modelling tool. Geological Society of London Special Issue:
Making granites: petrogenetic processes, tectonic environments and secular
variations, SP491-2018-85, doi: 10.1144/SP491-2018-85.
Nicoli, G.,
Stevens, G., Moyen, J.F., Vezinet, A., & Mayne, M.J., 2017, Insights
into the complexity of crustal differentiation: K2O‐poor leucosomes within
metasedimentary migmatites from the Southern Marginal Zone of the Limpopo Belt,
South Africa. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 35, 999–1022, doi:
10.1111/jmg.12265.
Mayne,
M.J., Moyen, J.F., Stevens, G., & Kaislaniemi, L., 2016, Rcrust: a tool
for calculating path-dependent open system processes and application to melt
loss. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 34, 663–682, doi:
10.1111/jmg.12199.
Software Tools:
Rcrust: A thermodynamic software tool designed to
perform phase stability calculations with path dependence. GNU General Public
License © M.Mayne 2014 available at https://www.sun.ac.za/english/faculty/science/earthsciences/rcrust
Conference outputs:
· 2019-06 - Gao, P., Zheng, Y.F., Mayne, M., Zhao, Z.F., Chen, Y.X., Xia, Q.X. and Xia, X.P., 2019. Geochemical evidence for the change of anatectic conditions for granitic magmatism from Eocene to Miocene in the Himalayan orogen. 2019 年中国地球科学联合学术年会论文集 (三)——专题 7: 洋-陆格局演变与资源环境响应及大洋科考, 专题 8: 花岗岩成因与大陆地壳演化, 专题 9: 特提斯-青藏高原地质演化与成矿. [poster presentation]
· 2019-06 - Mayne, M.J., Moyen, J.F. and Stevens, G., 2019, June. Adding trace elements to phase equilibria modelling. A method in Rcrust utilising partition coefficients and accessory phase saturation. In PETROCHRO19: Melting, modelling, dating the crust. [poster presentation]
·
2019-01 - Mayne, M.J., Stevens, G. & Moyen, J.-F., A phase equilibrium
investigation of selected source controls on the composition of melt batches
generated by sequential melting of an average metapelite, Igneous and
Metamorphic Studies Group (IMSG) meeting, Parys, South Africa [oral presentation]
·
2018-07 - Mayne, M.J., Stevens, G., Moyen, J.-F. & Johnson, T.E.,
Performing process-oriented investigations involving mass transfer using
Rcrust: a new phase equilibrium modelling tool, Granulites & granulites
2018, Ullapool, Scotland. [oral presentation]
·
2018-04 - Mayne, M.J., Stevens, G., Moyen, J.-F. & Johnson, T.E., The
trajectory of the P–T path controls the onset of melting in metasedimentary
rocks, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 20, European Geosciences Union
General Assembly, Vienna, Austria. [oral presentation]
·
2017-08 - Mayne, M.J., Stevens, G., Moyen, J.-F. & Johnson, T.E., The shape
of the P-T path controls the solidus: An investigation of fully-hydrated,
fluid-absent anatexis of an average metapelite, Goldschmidt Abstracts, 2017
2643, Paris, France. [oral presentation]
·
2017-08 - Stevens, G., Clemens J & Mayne, M.J., The Origins of Geochemical
Trends in Felsic Igneous Rocks: Insight into Processes in the Source,
Goldschmidt Abstracts, 2017 3776, Paris, France. [co-author]
·
2017-01 - Mayne, M.J., Stevens, G., Johnson, T.E. & Moyen, J.-F., The
inevitability of anataxis during prograde metamorphism under upper-amphibolite
facies conditions, Igneous and metamorphic studies group (IMSG) meeting, Johannesburg,
South Africa. [oral presentation]
·
2016-08 - Mayne, M.J., Moyen, J.-F., Stevens, G. & Kaislaniemi, L., Rcrust:
a new P-T-X modelling tool and application to melt loss, International
Geological Congress, American Geosciences Institute, 1026, Cape Town, South
Africa. [oral presentation]
·
2016-07 - Mayne, M.J., Moyen, J.-F., Stevens, G. & Kaislaniemi, L., Rcrust:
a tool for calculating path-dependent open system processes, Workshop on the
Origin and Evolution of Plate Tectonics, Monte Verità, Switzerland. [poster
presentation]
·
2016-01 - Mayne, M.J., Moyen, J.-F., Stevens, G. & Kaislaniemi, L., Melt
loss inhibits melt productivity. An investigation with Rcrust: a new P-T-X
modelling tool, Igneous and metamorphic studies group (IMSG) meeting, Cape
Town, South Africa. [oral presentation]
·
2015-07 - Mayne, M.J., Moyen, J.-F. & Stevens, G., A new methodology to
investigate partial melting of crustal rocks: a new generation of phase
diagrams with pressure, temperature and bulk composition as simultaneous
variables, Granulites and granulites 2015, Windhoek, Namibia. [oral
presentation]
