Dr. Kathleen (Katie) A. Smart
School of Geosciences
University of the Witwatersrand

Education  

  • 2007 – 2011      PhD in Geology, University of Alberta. Geochemical and isotopic examination of eclogite xenoliths and associated diamonds from the Jericho Kimberlites, northern Slave craton, Canada: an integrated petrological, geochemical and isotopic study; Advisor: Dr Thomas Chacko, University of Alberta
  • 2006 – 2007    Master in Science in Geology (transferred in Fall 2007 to PhD), University of Alberta
  • 2000 – 2005    Bachelor degree in Science with First Class Honors in Geology, University of Alberta

Appointments & Employment

  • 2013 – current Lecturer in Geochemistry and Mantle Petrology at the School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • 2012 – 2013 Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute für Mineralogie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
  • 2011 – 2012 Research Assistant/Visiting Scientist, Institut für Mineralogie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
  • 2006 – 2007 Teaching Assistant, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. 1st year Geology and 3rd year  Metamorphic Petrology.
  • 2005 – 2006 Geologist-in-Training, Petro-Canada Oil & Gas, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
  • 2003 Geology Summer Intern, Alberta Geologic Survey, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Post-Doctoral Awards & Funding

  • 2013 De Beers Research Sponsorship for the Witwatersrand Diamond Project
  • 2013 FRC New Researchers Grant, University of the Witwatersrand; Three years.
  • 2012 Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers (two year salary and supplemental research funding)
  • 2011 10th International Kimberlite Conference Travel Grant
  • 2011 Goldschmidt 2011 Travel Grant

Publications (peer-reviewed)

  1. Smart, K.A., Chacko, T., Simonetti, A., Sharp, Z.D., Heaman, L.M. (2014) A Record of Paleoproterozoic Subduction Preserved in the Northern Slave Cratonic Mantle: Sr-Pb-O Isotope and Trace-element Investigations of Eclogite Xenolith from the Jericho and Muskox Kimberlites. Journal of Petrology 55, 549 – 583.
  2.  Smart, K.A., Chacko, T., Stachel, T., Tappe S., Stern, R.A., Ickert R.B., EIMF. (2012) Eclogite formation beneath the northern Slave craton constrained by diamond inclusions: Oceanic lithosphere origin without crustal signature. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 319-320, 165-177.
  3.  Smart, K.A., Chacko, T., Stachel, T., Muehlenbachs, K., Stern, R.A., and Heaman, L.M. (2011) Diamond growth and carbon sources beneath the Northern Slave Craton, Canada: A d13C-N study of eclogite-hosted diamonds from the Jericho kimberlite Geochimica et Cosmochimca Acta, 75, 6027-6047.
  4. Tappe, S., Smart, K.A., Pearson, D.G., Steenfelt, A. and Simonetti, A. (2011) Craton formation in Late Archean subduction zones revealed by first Greenland eclogites. Geology 39, 1103-1106.
  5. Smart, K.A., Heaman, L.M., Chacko, T., Simonetti, A., Kopylova, M., Mah, D., and Daniels, D. (2009) The origin of high-MgO eclogites from the Jericho kimberlite, Nunavut. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 284, 527-537.

Conference Presentations

*denotes speaker

 

2014

  • Smart, K.A.*,Tappe, S., Simonetti, A., 2014. Subduction-driven growth and modification of cratons: Examples from Canada and Greenland. Igneous-Metamorphic-Study-Group Meeting, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.

2013

  • Smart, K.A., Tappe, S., Stracke, A., Romer, R.L. and Prelevic, D. The role of ultramafic veins in mafic alkaline magmatism: contrary evidence from continental alkaline intra-plate settings. 23rd V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Florence, Italy. Abstract 4367. (poster)

2012

  • Smart K.A.*, Tappe S., Simonetti T., and Klemme S. Subduction-driven growth and modification of cratons: examples from Canada and Greenland. 22nd V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Montreal, Canada.
  •  Smart K.A.*, Chacko T., Stachel T., Tappe S., Muehlenbachs K., Ickert R.B. and Stern R.A. Jericho diamond eclogite formation revealed by diamond inclusions: oceanic origin without crustal signature? 10th International Kimberlite Conference, Bangalore, India.

 2011

  • Smart K.A.*, Chacko T., Stachel T., Stern R.A. and Muehlenbachs K. Formation of diamond from oxidized fluids/melts: d13C-N SIMS study of an eclogitic diamond from the Jericho kimberlite, Canada. 21st V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Prague, Czech Republic.
  • Tappe S.*, Smart K.A., Pearson G., Steenfelt A. and Simonetti A. Significance of Late Archean refractory eclogite xenoliths from Greenland for the formation of the North Atlantic Craton. International Conference on Craton Formation and Destruction, Beijing, Peoples Republic of China.

2010

  • Smart K.A.*, Chacko T., Heaman L.M., Stachel T., Muehlenbachs K. 13C-depleted diamonds in Jericho eclogites: diamond formation from ancient subducted matter. 20th V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Knoxville, TN, USA.
  • Smart K.A.*, Stern R.A., Heaman L.M., Chacko T., Stachel T., Muehlenbachs K. 13C-depleted diamonds in eclogites: diamond growth constraints from SIMS. 61st Diamond Conference, Warwick, UK.
  • Smart K.A.*, Chacko T., Heaman L.M., Stachel T. and Muehlenbachs K. Multiple origins of eclogitic diamonds from the Jericho kimberlite, Nunavut. Geo-Canada 2010, Calgary, AB, Canada.

2009

  • Smart, K.A.*, Chacko T., Heaman L.M., Stachel. T. Muehlenbachs, K. Multiple origins for eclogitic diamonds from the Jericho kimberlite, Nunavut. 37th Annual Geoscience Forum, Yellowknife, NWT, Canada.
  •  Smart K.A.*, Heaman L.M., Chacko T. Jericho eclogites of the Slave Craton record multiple subduction-related crust formation events. 19th V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Davos, Switzerland.
  •  Smart K.A.*, Heaman L.M., Chacko T. and Simonetti, A. Origin of diamond-rich, high MgO eclogite xenoliths from the Jericho kimberlite, Nunavut. 2009 Joint (GAC-MAC- AGU), Toronto, ON, Canada.
  • Tappe S.*, Heaman L.M., Smart K.A., Muehlenbachs K. and Simonetti A. First results from Greenland eclogite xenoliths: evidence for an ultra-depleted non-peridotitic component within the North Atlantic Craton mantle lithosphere. 2009 Joint Assembly (GAC-MAC-AGU), Toronto, ON, Canada.

2008

Research Interests

Formation and modification of cratonic lithospheric mantle and the potential of coupled cratonic crust-mantle evolution. Petrogenesis of mantle eclogite xenoliths and diamonds. Partial melting of volatile-bearing mafic systems at upper mantle conditions. Oxidation state and carbon sources of diamond-forming fluids and the deep carbon cycle.

Technical Experience

  • Piston Cylinder: anhydrous, volatile-bearing synthetic compositions, < 30 kbar
  • EPMA: JEOL 8900
  • LA-QUAD-ICPMS: Merchantek laser ablation system and Perkin Elmer Elan600 quadrupole ICPMS
  • LA-MC-ICPMS: Multicollector Nu Plasma TM ICPMS
  • SIMS: Cameca IMS 1280, Cameca IMS 4f and Cameca 1270 ion microprobes
  • TIMS: VG 354
  • Micro-FTIR: Thermo Nicolet Nexus 470 FT-IR Spectrometer with Continuum infrared microscope
  • Laser Fluorination: Merchantek IR-laser and Finnigan MAT Delta XL MS
  • Conventional combustion technique for carbon isotope extraction of diamonds and oxygen in silicates
  • Chemical separation of Pb using HBr-chemistry in minerals

Teaching Experience

  • GEOL1001: Introduction to Mineralogy and Crystallography
  • 2nd year Mining Engineering Course; University of the Witwatersrand

Lectures & Practicals

  • Honours Igneous Petrology: the Cratonic Mantle
  • 4th year Geology Seminar; University of the Witwatersrand
  • Lectures