Meet Our Team
Sebastian Tappe
Associate Professor
(Team leader)
Research interests: melting processes within the Earth’s mantle, particularly the formation of alkaline and carbonate-rich magmas, and their roles within the geochemical cycle. Furthermore, he has conducted petrologic and isotope geochemical studies on mantle-derived xenoliths with the goal of better understanding the formation and fragmentation of cratonic lithosphere.
Katie Smart
Seniour Lecturer (Wits)
(Team leader)
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.
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Fanus Viljoen
Professor
(Team member)
Research interests:Â Geometallurgy, a rapidly evolving field of interdisciplinary research that bridges the gap between the geosciences, minerals research, metallurgy and the mining and exploration industry.
Sara Burness
Post-doctoral Fellow
(Team co-ordinator)
Research interests: Sara is interested in the formation and modification of cratonic lithospheric mantle. The petrogenesis of mantle eclogite and peridotite xenoliths and diamonds. Partial melting of volatile-bearing mafic systems at upper mantle conditions. Oxidation state of diamond-forming fluids and the deep carbon and sulphur cycles.
Azhar Shaikh
Post-doctoral Fellow
​(Team member)
Research interests: high precision in-situ mineral analysis using microprobe and LA-ICPMS, thermal and geochemical evolution of the lithospheric mantle, and geochemistry of ‘kimberlite-type’ rocks.
Anika Solanki
PhD Student
(Team member)
Project title:Â The Origin and Evolution of South African Group-2 Kimberlite Magmatism: Insights from Petrology, Geochronology, and Diamond Chemistry
Thendo Netshidzivhe
PhD Student
​(Team member)
Project title: The nature and origin of Paleoarchean komatiites and related rocks from the southeastern Kaapvaal craton, South Africa
Ntando Ngwenya
PhD Student
​(Team member)
Project title: Origin of diamondiferous lamproites in eastern Zambia: Constraints on diamond-forming events by hydrous silicate melt metasomatism beneath southern Africa
Steve Kitoga
MSc Student
​(Team member)
Project title: Young kimberlite magmatism in central Africa
Beberto Baloyi
MSc Student
(Team member)
Project title: Kimberlites in Botswana
Chimwemwe Miranda Mwale
MSc Student (Wits)
(Team member)
Project title: Geochemical and Isotopic fingerprinting of gem vs. polycrystalline fibrous diamonds
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Alumni
UJ and Wits
Dr. Massuyeau Malcolm
Dr. Christophe Ballouard
David Greyling
Sarah Milne
Gabrielle Ficq
Zamakhonto Mpanza
Sinikiwe Ncube
Ntswaki Lerobane
Jason Borrett
Lethabo Phaahla