TAPP 

Chad joined the TAPP research group in 2020 and was the first student to begin a research project on martian meteorites and so represents the beginning of the growth of the planetary petrology theme of research. His PhD project aims at constraining the effects of terrestrial alteration on Martian meteorites and thereby constraining primary martian geochemical signatures. He plans to use novel analytical procedures to analyse ultra-trace element concentrations in olivine in these shergottites to further constrain volcanism related to the 1.1 Ma ejection paired shergottites originating from the Tharsis Plateau on Mars.

Khensani Moses is a PhD student at the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Cape Town (South Africa). Khensani’s research is focused on the geochemical characterization of sulphide minerals (sphalerite, pyrite and pyrrhotite) at the Gamsberg zinc deposit. This includes sulphide mineral paragenesis and trace element systematics. Khensani represents our expansion into various fields in the realm of Economic geology within the TAPP group.  

Merrily Tau completed an MSc at the University of the Witwatersrand. His project involved constraining the origin of parental magmas for the Stolzburg ultramafic-mafic layered complex, Barberton Greenstone Belt. He also worked on the massive magnetitite layers of the Bushveld Complex. His research interests include the formation and evolution of cratons, magmatic differentiation, and igneous layering. As part of the TAPP research group, his work relates to continental lithospheric mantle geochemistry and structure, kimberlites-orangeites-lamproites petrogenesis, and diamond exploration.

Hi my name is Ellwin Shiimi, the focus of my research project is a suite of megacrysts from Neoproterozoic kimberlite on the Man Craton, West Africa, where I wrangle complex geochemical data to establish a model for their petrogenesis and evolution. 

​

This involves analysing major, trace and isotopic element compositions of minerals using geochemical techniques. The data obtained is used to constrain processes involved in megacrysts formation as well as the nature of the megacrysts parent magma and source. 

Joshua van Blerk completed his undergraduate degree at UCT, where he was awarded the Barry Hawthorne prize and a class merit for obtaining the highest mark during his final year of Geology. He has also recently obtained his BSc. Honours degree in Geology at UCT. It's pretty clear that Joshua loves Cape Town! Joshua's research interests include the petrology, geochemistry and stable isotopes related to kimberlites. His current thesis is aimed at understanding the oxygen isotope ratios of megacrysts from the Monastery kimberlite so that he can constrain the evolution of the "proto-kimberlite" magma.

Amber Bonsall earned her B.A. in Planetary Geology at Alfred University (United States). After that she worked as a chemist for AkzoNobel in their Research and Development group. She then went on to become a Telescope Operator at the Green Bank Telescope, West Virginia and eventually moved on to becoming a Data Analyst for the Green Bank Observatory focusing on radar and asteroid research.  While at Green Bank, she was part of the ‘Entry, Decent, Landing’ teams for both InSight and Perseverance Mars missions. She is now working on her MSc with the TAPP research group studying apatite in Martian meteorites.

Jena Moldenhauer is currently doing her MSc by dissertation at the University of Cape Town. Jena completed her BSc and BSc Hons (Earth Sciences) at Stellenbosch University, working with a new application to predict modal mineralogy of magnetite dominated Cu-Pb-Zn ore types in the Black Mountain Complex. For her MSc, she will be working in collaboration with Lucapa diamonds and RES (Remote Exploration Services) to constrain the volcanology and petrology of Angolan kimberlites from the Lulo field.

Anele Joni is currently doing his MSc by dissertation at the University of Cape Town. He is working on the origin of corundum and eclogite xenoliths from the Kareevlei Kaapvaal lamproite. Kareevlei is host to the first diamond mine on an K-richterite and leucite bearing Kaapvaal lamproite and diamond quality is in the top-ten worldwide. Anele's project falls under a bigger overall project in constraining the petrogensis of the Kareevlei lamproite and the origin of it's diamonds.

Sihle joined the TAPP research group in 2023 to undertake a BSc Honours thesis project. His project is in collaboration with Goldrange exploration and is based on constraining the paragenesis of  the ore mineralogy associated with orogenic gold deposits in Ivory Coast.