UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG

Prof Grant Cawthorn


BSc (Durham), PhD (Edinburgh), D.Sc. (Wits)
011 717 6557
grant.cawthorn@wits.ac.za
Room G102, Geosciences building

 

Research Interests


Main fields of specialization:

Origin of mafic igneous intrusive rocks and their mineral deposits.

Main research interests:

Genesis of the Bushveld Complex and its chromite, platinum and vanadiferous magnetite deposits; the Insizwa intrusion and its copper and nickel deposits.
 

Current research projects:

The Bushveld Complex and its deposits.

Publications

2013

CAWTHORN, R.G. Multiple sills or a layered intrusion? Time to decide. South African Journal of Geology

CAWTHORN, R.G. REE abundances in apatite in the Bushveld Complex – a consequence of the trapped liquid shift effect. Geology

CAWTHORN, R.G. and WEBB, S.J. Cooling of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa; implications for palaeomagnetic reversals. Geology

 

2012

CAWTHORN, R.G., ELLAM, R.M., ASHWAL, D.A. and WEBB, S.J. A clinopyroxenite intrusion from the Pilanesberg Alkaline Province, South Africa. Precambrian Research, 198, 25-36.

ZINTWANA, M.P., CAWTHORN, R.G., ASHWAL, L.D., ROELOFSE, F. and CRONWRIGHT, H. Mercury in the Bushveld Complex, South Africa, and Skaergaard Intrusion, Greenland. Chemical Geology, 320-321, 147-155.

 

2011

WEBB, S.J, ASHWAL, L.D. and CAWTHORN, R.G. Continuity between eastern and western Bushveld Complex, South Africa, confirmed by xenoliths from kimberlite. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 162, 101-107.

CAWTHORN, R.G. Geological Interpretations from the PGE Distribution in the Bushveld Merensky and UG2 Chromitite Reefs. Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 111, 67-79.

CAWTHORN, R.G. Changing fish stocks in Lake Kariba: climatic or human-induced impact? Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 66, 219-220.

 

2010

TEGNER, C. and CAWTHORN, R.G. Iron in plagioclase in the Bushveld and Skaergaard intrusions: implications for iron contents in evolving basic magmas. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 159, 719-730.

CAWTHORN, R.G. Geological Interpretations from the PGE Distribution in the Bushveld Merensky and UG2 Chromitite Reefs. In: Platinum in Transition – Boom or Bust?. Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Johannesburg, 57-70. 

 

2009

CAWTHORN, R.G. and ASHWAL, L.D. Origin of anorthosite and magnetitite layers in the Bushveld Complex; constrained by major element compositions of plagioclase. Journal of Petrology, 50, 1607-1637.

CAWTHORN, R.G., LUHVIMBE, C. and SLABBERT, M. Suspected presence of hibbingite in olivine pyroxenite adjacent to the UG2 chromitite, Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Canadian Mineralogist, 47, 1075-1085.

 

2007

  • CAWTHORN, R.G. Cr and Sr: Keys to parental magmas and processes in the Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Lithos. 95, 381-398.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G. The centenary of the discovery of platinum in the Bushveld Complex (10th November 1906). Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 107, 1-3.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G., EALES, H.V., WALRAVEN, F., UKEN, R. and WATKEYS, M.K. The Bushveld Complex. In: Johnson, M.R., Anhaeusser, C.R. and Thomas, R.J. (Eds.), The Geology of South Africa. Geological Society of South Africa, Johannesburg/Council for Geoscience, Pretoria, 261-282.


2006

  • CAWTHORN, R.G. and BOERST, K. Origin of the pegmatitic pyroxenite in the Merensky Unit, Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Journal of Petrology, 47, 1509-1530.
  • CAWTHORN R.G. and McKENNA, N. The extension of the western limb, Bushveld Complex (South Africa), at Cullinan Diamond mine. Mineralogical Magazine, 70, 241-256.
  • LUNDG RD, K., TEGNER, C. and CAWTHORN, R.G. Trapped intercumulus liquid in the Main Zone of the eastern Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 151, 352-369.
  • TEGNER, C., CAWTHORN, R.G. and KRUGER, F.J. Cyclicity in the Main and Upper Zones of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa: crystallization from a zoned magma sheet. Journal of Petrology, 47, 2257-2279.


2005

  • HARRIS, C., PRONOST, J.J.M., ASHWAL, L.D. and CAWTHORN, R.G. Oxygen and hydrogen isotope stratigraphy of the Rustenburg Layered Suite, Bushveld Complex: Constraints on crustal contamination. Journal of Petrology, 46, p. 579-602
  • CAWTHORN, R.G. Contrasting sulphide contents of the Bushveld and Sudbury Igneous Complexes. Mineralium Deposita, 40, p. 1-12.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G. Pressure fluctuations and the formation of the PGE-rich Merensky and chromitite reefs, Bushveld Complex. Mineralium Deposita, 40, p. 231-235.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G. Stratiform PGE deposits in layered intrusions. Mineralogical Association of Canada, Short Course Volume, 35, p. 57-73.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G., BARNES, S.J., BALLHAUS, C. and MALITCH, K.N. Platinum-group element, chromium, and vanadium deposits in mafic and ultramafic rocks. Economic Geology, 100th Anniversary Volume, p. 215-249.
  • VAN DER MERWE, J. and CAWTHORN, R.G. Structures at the base of the Upper Group 2 chromitite layer, Bushveld Complex, South Africa, on Karee Mine (Lonmin Platinum). Lithos, 83, p. 214-228.

2004

  • WEBB, S.J., CAWTHORN, R.G., NGUURI, T. and JAMES, D. Gravity modeling of the Bushveld Complex connectivity supported by southern African seismic experimental results. South African Journal of Geology, 107, p. 207-218.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G. and KRUGER, F.J. Petrology and Ni-Cu-PGE potential of the Insizwa lobe, Mount Ayliff Intrusion, South Africa. Canadian Mineralogist, 42, p. 303-324.
  • KINNAIRD, J.A., KRUGER, F.J. and CAWTHORN, R.G. Rb-Sr and Nd-Sm isotopes in fluorite related to the granites of the Bushveld Complex. South African Journal of Geology, 107, p. 413-430.

2003

  • CAWTHORN, R.G. and SPIES, L. Plagioclase-rich cyclic units in the Bushveld Complex. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 145, p. 47-60.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G. Genesis of magmatic oxide deposits ? a view from the Bushveld Complex. Norges Geologiske Undersokelse, Spec. Publ. 9, 11-20.

2002

  • CAWTHORN, R.G., LEE, C.A., SCHOUWSTRA, R. and MELLOWSHIP, P. Relations between PGE and PGM in the Bushveld Complex. Canadian Mineralogist, v. 40, 311-328.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G. The role of magma mixing in the genesis of PGE mineralization in the Bushveld Complex: thermodynamic calculations and new interpretations - discussion. Economic Geology v, 97, 663-666.
  • KINNAIRD, J.A., KRUGER, F.J., NEX, P.A.M., and CAWTHORN, R.G. Chromitite formation -a key to understanding processes of platinum enrichment. Transactions Institution Mining and Metallurgy, v. 111, B23-B35.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G. Delayed accumulation of plagioclase in the Bushveld Complex. Mineralogical Magazine, v. 66, 881-893.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G., MERKLE, R.K.W and VILJOEN, M.V. Platinum-group element deposits in the Bushveld Complex, South Africa. In: The Geology, Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Beneficiation of the Platinum-Group Elements, Ed: L.J. Cabri, Canadian Institute of mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, v.54, 389-430.

2001

  • CAWTHORN, R.G. and WEBB, S.J. Connectivity between eastern and western limbs of the Bushveld Complex. Tectonophysics, v. 330, 195-209.
  • CAWTHORN, R.G. A stream sediment geochemical re-investigation of the discovery of the platiniferous Merensky Reef, Bushveld Complex. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, v. 72, 59-69.


2000

  • CAWTHORN, R.G., HARRIS, C. and KRUGER, F.J. Discordant ultramafic pegmatoidal pipes in the Bushveld Complex. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 140, 119-133.