Adam Curry

Bio

I am an igneous petrologist interested in the journey of magma from its source to its final resting place, whether that be intrusive or extrusive.  I focus on extreme expressions of magmatic activity: from pegmatites with enormous grain sizes to devastating ignimbrites that affect the entire planet. From micro-scale geochemical observations to large-scale machine learning models, my research uses a variety of tools to decipher a magma’s history. My research takes me to many interesting destinations globally, from the the the Southern Rocky Mountain volcanic field, Colorado, to the Piedmont of North Carolina to the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. My research has direct applications to critical minerals necessary for the energy transition and hazard mitigation of explosive eruptions.

Area(s) of Expertise

I am interested in the chemical, physical, and thermal evolution of magmatic systems. My research aims to integrate geochemistry, zircon geochronology, modelling, and machine learning to understand magma evolution and eruption. Particular research interests are:

- Critical minerals, the geochemical evolution of Li-rich pegmatite ore bodies, and their effects on critical zone geochemistry.
- Using supervised and unsupervised machine learning to unravel magma evolution and regional petrologic trends.
- Combining zircon geochronology and chemistry with thermal and zircon modelling of magmas.
- The influence of tectonic and petrologic factors on zircon geochronology.