Congrats to Ugrad Stephen Hanson who will be presenting his research at the UROP Showcase, Nov. 15th, from 11 – 11:30 am in the Kirby Rafters

Undergraduate Earth and Environmental Sciences major Stephen Hanson has been working since January 2016 to characterize the mineralogy and textures of several samples of ~1.9 Ga chemical sedimentary rocks called iron formation from the Mesabi Iron Range in Minnesota. The goal of such a project is to identify and distinguish primary minerals from secondary ones via their textural relationships in order to better understand the geochemical conditions under which the original sediment that now makes up the iron formation was deposited. Understanding iron formation genesis has implications for constraining the geochemistry of the early Paleoproterozoic ocean, a time when early life was radiating and evolving, and levels of oxygen-sensitive elements in the oceans were likely changing. He will be presenting the results of this work as a poster at the upcoming UROP Showcase, Nov. 15th, from 11 – 11:30 am in the Kirby Rafters! Congratulations to all of his hard work this year!