MSA AWARD | SIZE MATTERS: THE ROLE OF NANOSCALE MINERAL CHARACTERIZATION FOR UNDERSTANDING GEOLOGICAL PROCESSES

Processes operating at the nanoscale govern fundamental mineralogical phenomenon such as crystallization, dissolution, diffusion, fluid-mediated re-equilibration amongst others. However, our understanding of these processes rely on nanoscale data that is notoriously difficult to acquire. Nanoscale-enabled instrumentation such as transmitted electron microscopy (TEM) has traditionally been used in mineralogy; however, atom probe tomography (APT) has more recently been applied to mineralogical studies to complement TEM observations. Atom probe tomography is an analytical technique that enables quantitative three-dimensional trace element and isotopic analyses at sub-nanometre resolution that were previously unattainable with traditional techniques. Yet, such data are often critical to the geoscientist. Over the past decade, APT has found growing applications in geoscience and planetary science disciplines, primarily due to advancements in laser-assisted APT instrumentation. Atom probe studies reveal complex compositional details at the nanoscale, offering essential insights into the atom-scale processes occurring within minerals over geological time. In this talk, I will provide an overview of the capability of APT for mineralogical studies, including examples relevant for geochronological, ore deposit, mantle petrology and planetary studies.