​​​​​Dr Matthew Jason Mayne​Matthew_Profile_Square.jpg


 

Lecturer, Earth Sciences Department, Stellenbosch University

Email:   mmayne@sun.ac.za

              mjmayne@outlook.com

 

Phone: +27 21 808 3128

              +27 72 900 5487

 

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​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 i​nterface 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.​

 

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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]​


 

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