Richard Hieber, PhD candidate
Metamorphism and exhumation of the Omineca belt, SE BC
Richard’s MSc was concerned with the metamorphic, geochronological and tectonic evolution of the southern Ubendian belt, Malawi, focusing on metapelitic granulites cross-cut by later shear zones. He interpreted that the belt experienced peak-metamorphism in the ~1050 Ma Irumide orogeny, followed by reactivation under lower grade conditions in the ~750 Ma Pan-African orogeny. For his PhD, he is investigating the tectonic evolution of the Vallhalla complex (VC), one of the constituent metamorphic core complexes of the Shuswap domain of SE BC. The VC is separated from surrounding lower grade rocks by the ductile Valkyr shear zone (~60 Ma) and later ductile-brittle Slocan Lake fault (~50 Ma). Richard's study embraces metamorphism, structure, geochronology and thermochronology.
Selected publications
Hieber, R, Pattison, D.R.M. & Pianarosa, A. (2024) Barrovian- and contact-metamorphism north of the Valhalla Metamorphic Core Complex, southeast BC, Canada: Preliminary results from mapping and petrographic analysis. Cordilleran Tectonics Workshop. Calgary, AB. Mar. 2, 2024.
Hieber, R. (2021) The two-stage metamorphic evolution of the southern Ubendian Belt. Unpublished MSc thesis, Institut fur Geowissenschaften, Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz.