Douglas Tinkham

Dr. Tinkham graduated with a B.Sc. in Geology from Rocky Mountain College (Montana), a M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Alabama.  He came to Canada after the completion of his Ph.D. for postdoctoral positions at the University of Calgary. In 2005, Dr. Tinkham joined Laurentian University where he teaches metamorphic petrology and field schools.

His research is in the broad field of metamorphic geology, where he specializes in the application of thermodynamic calculations to investigate metamorphic processes and the pressure-temperature-composition evolution of rocks during metamorphism. This work is applied to rocks to decipher zoning and modification of metamorphosed hydrothermal alteration zones associated with ore deposits, metal mobility during metamorphism, partial melting of high-grade metamorphic rocks, and orogenic processes.

• Ph.D., University of Alabama
• M.Sc., University of Illinois
• B.Sc., Rocky Mountain College

• Metamorphism of hydrothermally altered rocks associated with ore deposits
• Phase equilibria analysis of metamorphis rocks and geochronology
• Metamorphic and tectonic evolution of orogenic belts
• Lithogeochemistry and mapping of hydrothermal alteration zones in metamorphic terranes
• Partial melting of rocks during metamorphism
• Trace-element chemistry of metamorphic minerals

Students interested in MSc or PhD projects in any of the fields listed above should send a CV and detailed statement of interest to me at dtinkham@laurentian.ca. Students are strongly encouraged to apply for external fellowships and scholarships (e.g., NSERC fellowship). 

Journal Publications (past 5 years) 

• Leung, D.D., Tinkham, D.K., & McDonald, A.M., in-press, Application of thermodynamic modeling (activity diagrams) to carbonated ultramafic rocks associated with orogenic gold environments: Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology. doi: 10.3749/2400012.

• Genereux, C.-A., Lafrance, B., Tinkham, D.K., Gordon, C.A., and Simard, R.-L., 2024, Transpression or polyphase deformation along craton margins: Insights from the Archean–Proterozoic boundary near Sudbury, Canada: Journal of Structural Geology, v. 181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2024.105103

• Godet, A., Guilmette, C., Marsh, J.H., Rottier, B., Tinkham, D., Siles Malta, I., Rehm, A., Jorgensen, T.R.C., Hamilton, M.A., Ribeiro, D., and Beaudoin, G., 2023, Origin, nature, and evolution of the northern Pontiac Subprovince, Canada; insights from the intrusive record: Precambrian Research, v. 396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2023.107169

• Genereux, C.-A., Tinkham, D.K., and Lafrance, B., 2021, On the role of shock melting and anatexis in breccia formation; southern Sudbury impact structure, Canada: Precambrian Research, v. 363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2021.106346

• Wehrle, E.A., McDonald, A.M., and Tinkham, D.K., 2020, Mineral chemistry of gahnite from the lalor metamorphosed VHMS deposit, Snow Lake, Manitoba: Canadian Mineralogist, v. 58, no. 4, p. 511–532. https://doi.org/10.3749/canmin.1900036

• Jørgensen, T. R. C., Tinkham, D. K. & Lesher, C. M., 2019. Low-P and high-T metamorphism of basalts: Insights from the Sudbury impact melt sheet aureole and thermodynamic modelling. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 37(2), 271-313. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmg.12460

Journal, Book Chapter and Government Publications (> 5 years)

• Bovingdon, PJ, Tinham, D, and Steenkamp, HM. 2018. Mafic–ultramafic rocks north of Fury and Hecla Strait, Baffin Island, Nunavut. In: Summary of Activities 2018, p. 63-74, Canada-Nunavut Geosciene Office.

• Estrada, N, Tinkham, DK, Jørgensen, TRC, and Marsh, JH. 2018. Identification of Partial Melting Relationships in the Southern Kapuskasing Structural Zone. In: Summary of Field Work and Other Activities, 2018, Open File Report 6350, p. 31-1 to 31-7.

• Jørgensen, T. R. C., Tinkham, D. K., Lesher, C. M. & Petrus, J. A., 2018. Decoupling of Zr-Hf during contact metamorphic anatexis of metabasalts and timing of zircon growth, Sudbury, Canada. Geology (Boulder), 46(2), 159-162.

• Steenkamp, HM, Bovingdon, PJ, Dufour, F, Généreux, C-A, Greenman, JW, Halverson, GP, Ielpi, A, Patzke, M, and Tinham, DK. 2018. New regional mapping of Precambrian rocks north of Fury and Hecla Strait, northwestern Baffin Island, Nunavut. In: Summary of Activities 2018, p. 47-62, Canada-Nunavut Geosciene Office.

• Mahmoodi, O., Smith, R.S., and Tinkham, D.K., 2016. Supervised classification of down-hole physical properties measurements using neural network to predict the lithology. Journal of Applied Geophysics, v. 124, p. 17-26.

• Raharimahefa, T., Lafrance, B., and Tinkham, D.K., 2014. New structural, metamorphic, and U-Pb geochronological constraints on the Blezardian Orogeny and Yavapai Orogeny in the Southern Province, Sudbury, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 750-774.

• Mukwakwami, J., Lafrance, B., Lesher, C. M., Tinkham, D. K., Rayner, N. M. & Ames, D. E., 2014. Deformation, metamorphism, and mobilization of Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide ores at Garson Mine, Sudbury. Mineralium Deposita, 49, 175-198.

• Cubley, J. F., Pattison, D. R. M., Tinkham, D. K. & Fanning, C. M., 2013. U-Pb geochronological constraints on the timing of episodic regional metamorphism and rapid high-T exhumation of the Grand Forks Complex, British Columbia. Lithos, 156-159, 241-267.

• Stowell, H., Bulman, G., Tinkham, D. & Zuluaga, C., 2011. Garnet growth during crustal thickening in the Cascades Crystalline Core, Washington, USA. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 29(6), 627-647.

• Coueslan, C. G., Pattison, D. R. M. & Tinkham, D. K., 2011. Regional low-pressure amphibolite-facies metamorphism at the Pipe II Mine, Thompson nickel belt, Manitoba, and comparison of metamorphic isograds in metapelites and meta-iron formations. The Canadian Mineralogist, 49(3), 721-747.   

• Ulrich, T., Kamber, B. S., Jugo, P. J. & Tinkham, D. K., 2009. Imaging element-distribution patterns in minerals by laser ablation- inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The Canadian Mineralogist, 47(5), 1001-1012.

• Pattison, D. R. M. & Tinkham, D. K., 2009. Interplay between equilibrium and kinetics in prograde metamorphism of pelites; an example from the Nelson aureole, British Columbia. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 27(4), 249-279.

• Ghent, E., Tinkham, D. & Marr, R., 2009. Lawsonite eclogites from the Pinchi Lake area, British Columbia; new P-T estimates and interpretation. Lithos, 109(3-4), 248-253.

• Tinkham, D. K. & Karlapalem, N., 2008. Hydrothermal alteration and metamorphism of the Sherridon Structure, Sherridon area, Manitoba (part of NTS 63N3). In: Report of Activities (Manitoba. Geological Survey), pp. 79-86, Manitoba Geological Survey, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

• Stowell, H. H., Bulman, G. R., Zuluaga, C. A., Tinkham, D. K., Miller, R. B. & Stein, E., 2007. Mid-crustal Late Cretaceous metamorphism in the Nason Terrane, Cascades crystalline core, Washington, USA; implications for tectonic models. In: 4-D Framework of Continental Crust (eds Hatcher Jr., R. D., Carlson, M. P., McBride, J. H. & Martinez Catalan, J. R.) GSA Memoir 200, pp. 211-232, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, United States.

• Zuluaga, C. A., Stowell, H. H. & Tinkham, D. K., 2005. The effect of zoned garnet on metapelite pseudosection topology and calculated metamorphic P-T paths. American Mineralogist, 90(10), 1619-1628.

• Tinkham, D. K. & Ghent, E. D., 2005. XRMapAnal; a program for analysis of quantitative X-ray maps. American Mineralogist, 90(4), 737-744.

• Tinkham, D. K. & Ghent, E. D., 2005. Estimating P-T conditions of garnet growth with isochemical phase diagram sections and the problem of effective bulk composition. The Canadian Mineralogist, 43, Part 1, 35-50.

• Tinkham, D. K. & Marshak, S., 2004. Precambrian dome-and-keel structure in the Penokean orogenic belt of northern Michigan, USA. In: Gneiss Domes in Orogeny (eds Whitney, D. L., Teyssier, C. & Siddoway, C. S.) Geological Society of America Special Paper 380, pp. 321-338, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, United States.

• Stowell, H. H. & Tinkham, D. K., 2003. Integration of phase equilibria modelling and garnet Sm-Nd chronology for construction of P-T-t paths; examples from the Cordilleran Coast plutonic complex, USA. In: Geochronology: Linking the Isotopic Record with Petrology and Textures (eds Vance, D., Muller, W. & Villa, I. M.) Geological Society Special Publication 220, pp. 119-145, Geological Society of London, London, United Kingdom.

• Tinkham, D. K., Zuluaga, C. A. & Stowell, H. H., 2001. Metapelite phase equilibria modeling in MnNCKFMASH; the effect of variable Al2O3 and MgO/(MgO+FeO) on mineral stability. Geological Materials Research, 3(1).

• Stowell, H. H., Taylor, D. L., Tinkham, D. L., Goldberg, S. A. & Ouderkirk, K. A., 2001. Contact metamorphic P-T-t paths from Sm-Nd garnet ages, phase equilibria modelling and thermobarometry; garnet ledge, south-eastern Alaska, USA. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 19(6), 645-660.

• Holm, D., Schneider, D., Lux, D., Marshak, S., Tinkham, D., Alkmim, F. F., Brueckner, H. K. & Bornhorst, T. J., 1998. Dome-and-keel provinces formed during Paleoproterozoic orogenic collapse; core complexes, diapirs, or neither? Examples from the Quadrilatero Ferrifero and the Penokean Orogen; discussion and reply. Geology (Boulder), 26(5), 475-476.

• Marshak, S., Tinkham, D., Alkmim, F., Brueckner, H. & Bornhorst, T. J., 1997. Dome-and-keel provinces formed during Paleoproterozoic orogenic collapse-core complexes, diapirs, or neither? Examples from the Quadrilatero Ferrifero and the Penokean Orogen. Geology (Boulder), 25(5), 415-418.

Conference Abstracts (past 5 years)

• Malta, I.S., Godet, A., Guilmette, C., Tinkham, D., Smit, M., Coldebella, B., LaFlamme, C., Beaudoin, G., and Rottier, B., 2023, Deciphering the metamorphic and structural architecture of the Pontiac metasedimentary Subprovince (Superior Craton, Canada, in Geological Association of Canada, Waterloo, ON, Canada.

• Rehm, A., Godet, A., Tinkham, D., and Guilmette, C., 2023, Metamorphic architecture and evolution of the Neoarchean Quetico sedimentary subprovince, Superior Province, in Geological Association of Canada, Waterloo, ON, Canada.

• Estrada, N., Tinkham, D.K., and Jorgensen, T., 2020, Garnet chemical zonation in high-pressure mafic migmatites in the northern Kapuskasing structural zone, Ontario, Canada, in Geological Society of America, 2020 annual meeting; GSA 2020 connects online: Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, United States.

• Bovingdon, PJ, and Tinkham, DK, 2019. Evaluation of iron formation and mafic-ultramafic intrusions for economic potential: Results from new regional bedrock mapping, Northwestern Baffin Island. In: PDAC-SEG Student Minerals Colloquium, Abstracts. Toronto, ON, 05 Mar.

• Estrada, NS, Tinkham, DK, and Jørgensen, TRC, 2019. Preliminary investigation of partial melting relationships to identify the behavior of metals during high-grade metamorphism, Kapuskasing Structural Zone, Ontario, Canada. In: PDAC-SEG Student Minerals Colloquium, Abstracts. Toronto, ON, 05 Mar.