Isabel Barton
-
Assistant Professor of Mining and Geological Engineering
Isabel Barton is an Assistant Professor in the University of Arizona Department of Mining and Geological Engineering. Her background includes graduate degrees in mining engineering and economic geology, and she works with academic and industry metallurgists, geologists, mine engineers, mineralogists, and geotechnical engineers, as well as with archaeologists and geochemists. Her main focus area is geometallurgy.
Dr. Barton is currently seeking well-qualified graduate students interested in pursuing M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in the general research areas of geometallurgy, process mineralogy, materials characterization, and extraction techniques. Experience in geology, extractive metallurgy, or mining engineering is preferred. Please email for details.
Degrees
- M.S. Mining Engineering
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States
- Mineralogical and metallurgical study of supergene ores at the Mike Cu-Au(-Zn) deposit, Carlin Trend, NEvada
- Ph.D. Geosciences
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Studies of Copper-Cobalt Mineralization at Tenke-Fungurume, Central African Copperbelt; and Developments in Geology between 1550 and 1750 A.D.
- M.S. Geosciences
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Alteration and ore distribution in the Proterozoic Mines Series, Tenke-Fungurume Cu-Co district, Democratic Republic of Congo
- B.S. Geology
- University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
Work Experience
- Lowell Institute for MIneral Resources (2014 - 2018)
- Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (2012 - 2012)
- Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (2011 - 2011)
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (2009 - 2014)
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (2008 - 2009)
- Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (2008 - 2008)
Interests
Teaching
Geometallurgy, materials characterization, analytical techniques, economic geology, geochemistry, extractive metallurgy, mineralogy, history of mining, metallurgy, and geology
Research
Geometallurgy, materials characterization, analytical techniques, economic geology, geochemistry, extractive metallurgy, mineralogy, history of mining, metallurgy, and geology
Courses
Intro to Engineering
ENGR 102 (Fall 2020)
Intro Engr Design
ENGR 102B (Fall 2019)
Resources and Civilizations
ANTH 201 (Spring 2021)
MNE 201 (Spring 2021)
MNE 201 (Spring 2020)
Intro to Mining Engineering
MNE 205 (Spring 2019)
Mineral Resourc Engr Tpc
MNE 296A (Fall 2018)
Mineralogy
GEOS 306 (Fall 2016)
Teaching Geosciences
GEOS 397A (Fall 2016)
Geometallurgy
GEOS 418 (Spring 2021)
GEOS 418 (Spring 2020)
GEOS 418 (Spring 2019)
GEOS 418 (Spring 2018)
GEOS 418 (Spring 2017)
GEOS 518 (Spring 2021)
GEOS 518 (Spring 2020)
GEOS 518 (Spring 2019)
GEOS 518 (Spring 2018)
GEOS 518 (Spring 2017)
GEOS 518 (Spring 2016)
MNE 418 (Spring 2019)
MNE 418 (Spring 2018)
MNE 418 (Spring 2016)
MNE 518 (Spring 2021)
MNE 518 (Spring 2020)
MNE 518 (Spring 2019)
MNE 518 (Spring 2018)
MNE 518 (Spring 2017)
MNE 518 (Spring 2016)
Directed Research
GEOS 492 (Fall 2016)
Independent Study
MNE 499 (Spring 2019)
Mine Engineering Inputs
MNE 504E (Fall 2020)
Metallurgical Inputs
GEOS 504F (Spring 2021)
MNE 504F (Spring 2021)
Mineral Properties
MNE 510A (Fall 2017)
MNE 510A (Fall 2016)
Economic Geology
GEOS 596B (Spring 2018)
Research
MNE 900 (Spring 2021)
MNE 900 (Fall 2020)
MNE 900 (Spring 2020)
MNE 900 (Fall 2019)
Thesis
MNE 910 (Fall 2020)
MNE 910 (Spring 2020)
MNE 910 (Fall 2019)
Licensure & Certification
- MSHA 5000-23 certified, Mine Safety and Health Administration (2018)
Selected Publications
Chapters
- Barton, I. F. (2020). Delineating zones of mineral-related geotechnical weakness through imaging spectroscopy. In Guidelines for Slope Performance Monitoring(pp Section 10.4.3). Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing.
- Barton, I. F., Barton, M. D., & Thorson, J. P. (2018). Characteristics of Cu and U-V deposits in the Paradox Basin (Colorado Plateau) and associated alteration. In Society of Economic Geologists Guidebook Series 59(pp 73-102).
- Barton, M. D., Barton, I. F., & Thorson, J. P. (2018). Paleofluid flow in the Paradox Basin: Introduction. In Society of Economic Geologists Guidebook Series 59(pp 1-12).
- Thorson, J. P., Barton, I. F., & Barton, M. D. (2018). Paradox Basin fluids and Colorado Plateau copper, uranium and vanadium deposits: Road log. In Society of Economic Geologists Guidebook Series 59(pp 47-72). Society of Economic Geologists.
- Schuh, W., Leveille, R., Barton, I. F., & North, R. (2013). Geology of the Tenke-Fungurume Sediment-Hosted Strata-Bound Copper-Cobalt District, Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo. In Geology and Genesis of Major Copper Deposits and Districts of the World: A Tribute to Richard H. Sillitoe(pp 269-302). Society of Economic Geologists.
Journals/Publications
- Banta, J. H., Barton, I. F., & Hutson, L. L. (2021). Where have all the mining engineering students gone?. Mining Engineering, 73(2), 25-28.
- Barton, I. F. (2020). Monte Carlo simulations of electron-sample interactions at phase boundaries and implications for automated mineralogy. Minerals Engineering, 155(106451), 1-9. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2020.106451
- Barton, I. F., Rathkopf, C., & Barton, M. D. (2020). Rhenium in molybdenite: A database approach to identifying geochemical controls on the distribution of a critical element. Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration, 37(1), 21-37. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-019-00145-0
- Barton, I. F. (2019). The effects of temperature and pressure on the stability of mineral colloids. American Journal of Science, 319(9), 737-753.
- Barton, I. F. (2019). Trends in the discovery of new minerals over the last century. American Mineralogist, 104(5), 641-651.
- Barton, I. F., Ahn, J., & Lee, J. (2018). Mineralogical and Metallurgical Study of Supergene Ores of the Mike Cu-Au(-Zn) Deposit, Carlin Trend, Nevada. Hydrometallurgy, 176, 176-191.
- Perchiazzi, N., Barton, I. F., & Vignola, P. (2018). Incorporation of Co in dolomite structure: coupled EPMA and single crystal structural studies on cobaltoan dolomite from the Tenke-Fungurume district, Democratic Republic of Congo. Canadian Mineralogist.
- Barton, M. D., Barton, I. F., Mazdab, F. K., & Rathkopf, C. (2017). Grain-scale and deposit-scale heterogeneity of Re distribution in molybdenite at the Bagdad porphyry Cu-Mo deposit, Arizona. Journal of Geochemical Exploration.
- Flynn, S., Barton, I. F., & Feinglos, M. (2016). Munakataite, Pb2Cu2(Se4+O3)(SO4)(OH)4, and other selenium minerals from Tsumeb, Namibia. Rocks & Minerals, 91(6), 548-553.
- Yang, H., Barton, I. F., Andrade, M., & Downs, R. T. (2016). Crystal structure of a new compound, CuZnCl(OH)3, isostructural with botallackite. American Mineralogist, 101, 986-990.
- Barton, I. F. (2015). Georgius Agricola's Contributions to Hydrology. Journal of Hydrology, 523, 839-849.
- Andrade, M., Yang, H., Downs, R. T., Jenkins, R., & Barton, I. F. (2014). Te-rich raspeite, Pb(W0.56Te0.44)O4, from Tombstone, Arizona, USA: the first natural example of Te6+ substitution for W6+. American Mineralogist, 99(7), 1507-1510.
- Barton, I. F., Yang, H., & Barton, M. D. (2014). The mineralogy, geochemistry, and metallurgy of cobalt in the rhombohedral carbonates. Canadian Mineralogist, 52(4), (doi: 10.3749/canmin.1400006).
- Barton, I. F., & Barton, M. D. (2012). Alteration and ore distribution in the Proterozoic Mines Series, Tenke-Fungurume Cu-Co district, Democratic Republic of Congo. Mineralium Deposita, 47(5), 501-519.
Proceedings Publications
- Stopka, C., Lyons-Baral, J., Barton, I. F., Williams, C., & He, J. (2020, June). Integrated rock mass characterization using LiDAR, radar, and hyperspectral. In Annual Meeting of the American Rock Mechanics Association, 20, 8.
- Barton, I. F., & Hiskey, J. B. (2019, August). Kinetics of chalcopyrite leaching in novel and exotic lixiviants. In Copper 2019.
- Barton, I. F., Gabriel, M. J., & Barton, M. D. (2019, August). Hyperspectral remote sensing characterization of mine materials for process control. In Copper 2019.
- Barton, M. D., Gabriel, M. J., & Barton, I. F. (2019, summer). Hyperspectral remote sensing characterization of mine materials for process control. In Copper 2019, 9.
- Ahn, J., Barton, I. F., Shin, D., & Lee, J. (2018, March). The Study of Copper Leaching from Conichalcite and Chalcopyrite Using Alternative Lixiviants. In The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, Materials Processing Fundamentals, 171.
- Lee, J., Ahn, J., & Barton, I. F. (2018, August). MINERALOGICAL AND METALLURGICAL STUDY OF THE MIKE Cu-Au(-Zn) DEPOSIT, CARLIN TREND, NEVADA. In CONFERENCE OF METALLURGISTS hosting World Gold & Nickel Cobalt, 1.
Poster Presentations
- Moreira Coutinho, P., Kemeny, J. M., & Barton, I. F. (2018, December). Constraints regarding the geomechanics of degradation. 2018 Arizona SME Conference. Tucson, AZ: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
- Barton, I. F., & Barton, M. D. (2016, June). Metal ratios in sediment-hosted copper deposits: the role of iron. Gordon Research Conference in Geochemistry of Ore Deposits. Les Diablerets, Switzerland: Gordon Research Conferences.
- Mondillo, N., Barton, I. F., & Boni, M. (2014, January). Zinc- and cobalt-bearing dolomites: a comparison. Conference of the Mineral Deposits Study Group. Oxford, UK: Mineral Deposits Study Group.
Presentations
- Barton, I. F., Lyons-Baral, J., DuPlessis, L., Barton, M. D., Cornoyer, J., & He, J. (2020, February). Application of UAV-based imaging spectrometry to mining and metallurgy. Annual Meeting of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME). Phoenix, AZ: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME).
- Barton, I. F., Shumway, L., & Barton, M. D. (2020, February). Process mineralogy of Colorado Plateau uranium and vanadium ores. Annual Meeting of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME). Phoenix, AZ: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME).
- Barton, M. D., Barton, I. F., Thorson, J. P., Whiteheaad, A., & Getz, C. (2020, February). Contrasting copper mineralized systems of the Paradox Basin, Colorado Plateau. Annual Meeting of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME). Phoenix, AZ: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME).
- He, J., Barton, I. F., Barton, M. D., & Cornoyer, J. (2020, February). Identifying zones of geotechnical weakness at the Ray mine by hyperspectral remote sensing. Annual Meeting of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME). Phoenix, AZ: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME).
- Barton, I. F. (2019, February). The beginnings of mining and metallurgy literature in early modern Europe. Annual Conference of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. Denver, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
- Barton, I. F. (2019, February). The boundary phase problem in automated mineralogy. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration Annual Conference and Expo. Denver, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
- Barton, I. F., & Hiskey, J. (2019, August). Kinetics of chalcopyrite leaching in novel and exotic lixiviants. Copper 2019. Vancouver, BC.
- Barton, I. F., Barton, M. D., & Thorson, J. P. (2019, September). Role of post-diagenetic reduction (by hydrocarbons?) in the formation of Paradox Basin (Colorado Plateau) U-V deposits. Geological Society of America Annual Conference.
- Barton, I. F., Gabriel, M. J., & Barton, M. D. (2019, August). Hyperspectral remote sensing characterization of mine materials for process control. Copper 2019. Vancouver, BC.
- Moreira Coutinho, P., Kemeny, J. M., Barton, I. F., & Castro-Reino, S. (2019, February). Effects of hydrothermal alteration on the geomechanics of degradation at the Bagdad mine, Arizona. SME Annual Conference & Expo. Denver, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
- Barton, I. F. (2018, December). Copper-cobalt ores and leaching characteristics at the Tenke-Fungurume district, Central African Copperbelt. 2018 Arizona SME Conference. Tucson, AZ: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
- Barton, I. F. (2018, February). A Monte Carlo approach to the phase boundary problem in automated mineralogy. Annual Meeting of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME). Minneapolis, MN: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
- Barton, I. F., & Barton, M. D. (2018, September). Iron deficiency and cobalt concentration in sediment-hosted copper deposits. Society of Economic Geologists Annual Conference. Keystone, CO: Society of Economic Geologists.
- Barton, I. F., Ahn, J., & Lee, J. (2017, December). Effectiveness of different lixiviants at recovering value from a conichalcite-dominated oxidized Cu-Au ore suite. Annual Meeting of the Tucson section of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. Tucson, AZ: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
- Barton, I. F., Stegen, R. J., & Barton, M. D. (2017, February). Zircon trace-element composition as an indicator of porphyry mineralization. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, National Meeting. Denver, Colorado: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
Awards
- GSA History and Philosophy of Geology Division Student Award
- Geological Society of America, Fall 2014