Adrian Finch

Background

About Adrian Finch

I am Professor of Geology at the University of St Andrews and my research includes the origins and petrogenesis of critical metal deposits. I specialise in rare element deposits in alkaline igneous rocks, how to find them, how they form and how they are modified by late-stage fluids. I consult for Exploration Geology companies interested in critical metals (such as Rare Earths, Niobium and Tantalum) in alkaline igneous rocks and carbonatite. My skills include 35+ years of experience in Arctic environments, particularly Greenland and Scandinavia. I have acted as an advisor to decision makers (including government agencies) on critical metal and resource issues. In addition to critical metals my research includes how the physical properties of gems can be used as a tool for provenance and geological history, particularly luminescence. I have links with several gem and gem-testing laboratories, and I run the world-class laboratories in the Facility for the Luminescence of Minerals at St Andrews University. I also publish on how the geochemistry of biominerals is used as archives for past climate. This has been funded by several Research Council grants.