PROF. CHRIS HARRIS
 
    RELATED WEBSITES
  Department of Geological Sciences Stable Isotope Laboratory
  Louis Ahrens Building, Library Road Stable Light Isotope Laboratory (Archaeology)
  University of Cape Town Isogeochem
  Rondebosch, 7701, RSA  
  Room 353  
     
  ph: #27 (0)21 650 2921/2931  
  fax: #27 (0)21 650 3783  
  chris.harris [at] uct.ac.za (replace [at] with @)  
     
  Biography Research Publications Teaching Students Personal  
 
   
 

Degrees
  • BA (Hons) Geology, Oxford University 1979
  • DPhil Oxford University 1982
  • MA Oxford University, 1984
 
Employment
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, CRPG, Nancy, France, 1983
  • Departmental Demonstrator in Mineralogy, Oxford University 1984.
  • Researcher University of Cape Town 1984-1993.
  • Senior Lecturer University of Cape Town, 1994-1999
  • Associate Professor, University of Cape Town 1999-2000
  • Professeur, Universite Jean Monet, St-Etienne, France 2000-2003
  • Associate Professor, University of Cape Town 2003-2007
  • Head, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Cape Town 2006-2010
  • Professor, University of Cape Town, 2008-present
 
Professional Associations
  • Fellow, Geological Society of South Africa

The application of stable isotopes to igneous petrology, hydrology, and economic geology. The Bushveld Complex, the Karoo large igneous province, Mesozoic igneous complexes in Namibia and Madagascar, low δ18O magmas.
 

Selected Recent Publications

Harris, C. and Vogeli, J (2010) Oxygen isotope composition of garnet in the Peninsula Granite, Cape Granite Suite, South Africa: Constraints on melting and emplacement mechanisms. South African Journal of Geology 113, 385-396 download pdf

Donoghue, E., Troll, V.R. and Harris, C. (2010) Fluid-rock interaction in the Miocene, Post-Caldera,Tejeda Intrusive Complex, Gran Canaria (Canary Islands): Insights from mineralogy, and O- and H-isotope geochemistry. Journal of Petrology 51, 2149-2176 download pdf

Harris, C. Burgers C., Miller, J. and Rawoot F. (2010) O- and H-isotope record of Cape Town rainfall from 1996 to 2008, and its application to recharge studies of Table Mountain groundwater. South African Journal of Geology 113, 33-56 download pdf

Grové D, Harris C (2010) O- and H-isotope study of the Carbon Leader Reef at the Tau Tona and Savuka mines (Western Deep Levels), South Africa: implications for the origin and evolution of Witwatersrand basin fluids. South African Journal of Geology 113, 73-86 download pdf

Unal E, Gokce A Harris C (2009) Microthermometric and O- and H-isotope characteristics of the mineralizing fluid in the Akguney copper–lead–zinc deposit, NE Turkey. International Geology Review 51, 375-387 download pdf

Ringrose S, Harris C, Huntsman-Mapila P, Vink BW, Diskin BS, Vanderpost C, Matheson W (2009) Origins and palaeo-environments of strandline duricrusts around the Makgadikgadi Pans (Botswana Kalahari) as detected by trace element composition. Sedimentary Geology 219, 262-279 download pdf

Potts AJ, Midgley JJ, Harris C (2009) Stable isotope and 14-C study of biogenic calcrete in a termite mound, Western Cape, South Africa, and its palaeoenvironmental significance. Quaternary Research 72, 258-264 download pdf

Klein EL, Ribeiro JWA, Harris C, Moura CAV, Giret A (2008) Geology and Fluid Characteristics of the Mina Velha and Mandiocal Orebodies and Implications for the Genesis of the Orogenic Chega Tudo Gold Deposit, Gurupi Belt, Brazil. Economic Geology 103, 957-980 download pdf

Hofmann A, Harris C (2008) Silica alteration zones in the Barberton greenstone belt: A window into subseafloor processes 3.5–3.3 Ga ago. Chemical Geology 257, 221-239 download pdf

Pronost J., Harris, C., Pin, C. (2008) Relationship between footwall composition, crustal contamination, and fluid rock interaction in the Platreef, Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Mineralium Deposita 43, 825-848 download pdf

Fagereng, A., Harris, C., La Grange, M., Stevens, G. (2008) Stable isotope study of the Archean rocks of the Vredefort impact structure, central Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 155, 63-78 download pdf

Miller, J. A. and Harris, C. (2007) Petrogenesis of the Swaziland and northern Natal rhyolites of the Lebombo rifted margin, south east Africa. Journal of Petrology 48, 185-218

Macey, P.H. and Harris, C. (2006) Stable isotope and fluid inclusion evidence for the origin of the Brandberg West area Sn-W vein deposits, NW Namibia Mineralium Deposita 41 671-690 download pdf

Klein, E.L., Harris, C., Renac, C., Giret, A., Moura, C.A.V. and Fuzikawa, K. (2006) Fluid inclusion and stable isotope (O, H, C, S) constraints on the genesis of the Serrinha gold deposit, Gurupi belt, northern Brazil Mineralium Deposita 41 160-178

Zhao, B., Robb, L.J., Harris, C., and Jordaan L. J. (2006) Origin of hydrothermal fluids and gold mineralization associated with the Ventersdorp Contact Reef, Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa: Constraints from S, O, and H isotopes. Geological Society of America Special Paper 405 333-352

Sharman-Harris, E.R., Kinnaird, J.A., Harris, C. and Horstmann, U.E. (2005) A new look at sulphide mineralization of the northern limb, Bushveld Complex: a stable isotope study. Applied Earth Sciences (Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. B) 114 252-263 download pdf

Harris, C., Pronost, J.J.M., Ashwal, L.D. and Cawthorn, R.G. (2005) Oxygen and hydrogen isotope stratigraphy of the Rustenburg Layered Suite, Bushveld Complex: Constraints on crustal contamination Journal of Petrology 46 579-601 download pdf

Trumbull, R.B., Harris, C., Frindt, S. and Wigand, M. (2004) Source diversity in Cretaceous anorogenic granites from Namibia: O-Nd evidence for mixing of mantle derived magmas with isotopically homogenized orogenic crust and implications for A-type granite genesis Lithos 73 21-40

Harris, C., Johnstone, W. P. and Phillips, D. (2002) Petrogenesis of the Mesozoic Sistefjell syenite intrusion, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica and surrounding low δ18O lavas South African Journal of Geology 105 173-192 download pdf

Harris, C. and Ashwal, L.D. (2002) The origin of low δ18 O granites and related rocks from the Seychelles Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 143 366-376 download pdf

Johnstone, W.P. and Harris, C. (2001) The effects of early Cambrian metamorphism in western Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica: a carbon and oxygen isotope study of fluid interaction in the Sverdrupfjella GroupIn: Continental Reactivation and Reworking, Special Publication of the Geological Society of London 184 381-394

Harris, C. and Chaumba, J.B. (2001) Crustal contamination and fluid-rock interaction during the formation of the Platreef, northern limb of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa Journal of Petrology 42, 1321-1347 download pdf

Harris, C., Smith, H.S. and le Roex, A.P. (2000) Oxygen isotope composition of phenocrysts from Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island lavas: Variation with fractional crystallization and evidence for assimilation Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 138, 164-175

Martinez, I.A., Harris, C., Le Roux, A.P. and Milner, S.C. (1996) Oxygen isotope evidence for extensive crustal contamination in the Okenyenya igneous complex, Namibia Geochemica et Cosmochimica Acta 60 n. 22, 4497-4508. download pdf

 
 

Over the past 5 years I have taught the following subjects:

  • Introduction to geology (year 1)
  • Igneous and metamorphic petrology (year 2)
  • Igneous petrology (years 3 and 4)
  • Stable isotope geochemistry (year 4)
  • Field geology (years 1 and 3)

 
CURRENT STUDENTS
 
N. Laidler MSc
K. Hamel MSc
R. Diamond PhD
P. Mthembi MSc
C. Browning PhD
 
GRADUATED STUDENTS
 
T.W. Vennemann PhD 1989 (currently Prof Univ of Lausanne).
K. Faure MSc 1989 (currently with GNS Science, New Zealand).
I.A. Martinez MSc 1995
R. Diamond MSc 1997 (currently PhD student)
B. Oom MSc 1997
N.E. Good PhD 2000 co-supervisor
P.H. Macey PhD 2003 (currently with Council for Geoscience, RSA)
W.P. Johnstone MSc 2003 (currently MSA, London)
E. Klein PhD (Universite Jean Monnet) 2004 co-supervisor
M. La Grange MSc 2004
G. Delpech PhD 2004(Universite Jean Monnet) co-supervisor
J. Pronost PhD 2005 (Universite de Clermont-Ferrand)
E. Donoghue PhD 2009 (Trinity College, Dublin) co-supervisor
C. Curtis MSc 2010
K.L. Naude MSc 2010 (currently ERM consultants, Cape Town)
J. Finkelstein MSc 2010 (currently ERM consultants, Cape Town)
D.S. Fourie MSc 2010 (currently ERM consultants, Cape Town)