Isabel Barton

Associate Professor of Mining and Geological Engineering
Member of the Graduate Faculty

Isabel Barton is an associate 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

  • MS 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
  • PhD 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.
  • MS 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
  • BS 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 2021)
ENGR 102B (Fall 2019)

Resources and Civilizations

ANTH 201 (Fall 2024)
ANTH 201 (Fall 2022)
ANTH 201 (Spring 2021)
MNE 201 (Fall 2024)
MNE 201 (Fall 2022)
MNE 201 (Spring 2021)
MNE 201 (Spring 2020)

Intro to Mining Engineering

MNE 205 (Spring 2019)

Mineralgy+Petrolgy/Engrs

MNE 210 (Spring 2023)
MNE 210 (Spring 2022)

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 2024)
GEOS 518 (Fall 2022)
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 (Fall 2022)
MNE 418 (Spring 2019)
MNE 418 (Spring 2018)
MNE 418 (Spring 2016)
MNE 518 (Spring 2024)
MNE 518 (Fall 2022)
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 (Summer I 2021)
MNE 499 (Spring 2019)
MNE 599 (Spring 2022)

Geological Inputs

GEOS 504D (Fall 2021)
MNE 504D (Spring 2023)
MNE 504D (Fall 2021)

Mine Engineering Inputs

MNE 504E (Spring 2022)
MNE 504E (Fall 2020)

Metallurgical Inputs

GEOS 504F (Spring 2021)
MNE 504F (Spring 2024)
MNE 504F (Spring 2021)

Mineral Properties

MNE 510A (Fall 2017)
MNE 510A (Fall 2016)

Economic Geology

GEOS 596B (Spring 2018)

Special Topics in Mining

MNE 596D (Fall 2022)

Intro to International Mining

LAW 640G (Fall 2021)

Research

MNE 900 (Fall 2024)
MNE 900 (Spring 2024)
MNE 900 (Fall 2023)
MNE 900 (Spring 2023)
MNE 900 (Spring 2022)
MNE 900 (Fall 2021)
MNE 900 (Spring 2021)
MNE 900 (Fall 2020)
MNE 900 (Spring 2020)
MNE 900 (Fall 2019)

Thesis

MNE 910 (Fall 2024)
MNE 910 (Summer I 2024)
MNE 910 (Spring 2024)
MNE 910 (Summer I 2023)
MNE 910 (Spring 2023)
MNE 910 (Fall 2022)
MNE 910 (Spring 2022)
MNE 910 (Fall 2021)
MNE 910 (Fall 2020)
MNE 910 (Spring 2020)
MNE 910 (Fall 2019)

Dissertation

MNE 920 (Fall 2024)
MNE 920 (Spring 2024)
MNE 920 (Fall 2023)
MNE 920 (Spring 2023)
MNE 920 (Fall 2022)
MNE 920 (Spring 2022)

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

  • Barton, I. F., Caro, C., & Robertson, J. M. (2023). Ore types: what they are, how they're made, and their uses and abuses. Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration.
  • Drexler, M., Barton, I. F., & Zanetta, P. (2023). Vanadium in phyllosilicate ores: occurrence, crystal chemistry, and leaching behavior. Minerals Engineering, 201(108205).
  • Zanetta, P., Drexler, M. S., Barton, I. F., & Zega, T. J. (2023). Vanadium electronic configuration determination from L2,3 transition in V-oxide compounds and roscoelite. Microscopy and Microanalysis. doi:doi.org/10.1093/micmic/ozac057
  • Barton, I. F. (2022). Mining, alchemy, and the changing concept of minerals from antiquity to early modernity. Earth Sciences History, 41(1), 1-15.
  • Barton, I. F., & Hiskey, J. (2021). Chalcopyrite leaching in novel lixiviants. Hydrometallurgy, 207(105775), 1-20.
  • Barton, I. F., & Hiskey, J. (2022). The chemical, crystallographic, and electromagnetic variability of natural chalcopyrite and its effects on leaching. Minerals Engineering, 189(107867).
  • He, J., DuPlessis, L., & Barton, I. F. (2022). Heap leach pad mapping with drone-based hyperspectral remote sensing at the Safford copper mine, Arizona. Hydrometallurgy, 211(105872).
  • Kim, J., Bailey, L., Noyes, C., Tyne, R. L., Ballentine, C. J., Person, M., Ma, L., Barton, M. D., Barton, I. F., Reiners, P. W., Ferguson, G., & Mcintosh, J. C. (2022). Hydrogeochemical evolution of formation waters responsible for sandstone bleaching and ore mineralization in the Paradox Basin, Colorado Plateau, USA. Geological Society of America Bulletin. doi:doi.org/10.1130/B36078.1
  • Radwany, M. R., & Barton, I. F. (2022). The process mineralogy of leaching sandstone-hosted uranium and vanadium ores. Minerals Engineering, 187(107811). doi:doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2022.107811
  • 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., Gabriel, M. J., Barton, M. D., Lyons-Barral, J., DuPlessis, L., & Roberts, C. (2021). Extending geometallurgy to the mine scale with hyperspectral imaging: a pilot study using drone and ground-based scanning. Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration, 38(2), 799-818.
  • He, J., & Barton, I. F. (2021). Hyperspectral remote sensing for detecting geotechnical problems at Ray mine. Engineering Geology, 292(106261), 1-12. doi:doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2021.106261
  • 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: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: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.

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

  • Bos Orent, E., Barton, M. D., Barton, I. F., & Radwany, M. R. (2021, October). Characterization of U(-V) deposits in the La Sal district, UT and CO and their relationship to Paradox Basin fluid flow. Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America. Portland, OR: Geological Society of America.
  • DuPlessis, L. P., Franz, T., & Barton, I. F. (2022, May). New frontiers in near-surface geophysics: Muons, cosmic ray neutron probes, and hyperspectral imagery. US Department of Agriculture EEGS Webinar. online: US Department of Agriculture.
  • He, J., & Barton, I. F. (2021, September). Highwall mapping using drone-based hyperspectral imaging at the Ray mine. Women in Mining Arizona Webinar. online: Women in Mining Arizona.
  • He, J., Barton, I. F., & DuPlessis, L. P. (2021, March). Mapping copper heap leach pads with UAV-based hyperspectral remote sensing. Annual Meeting of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. online: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration.
  • Mcintosh, J. C., Kim, J., Marza, M., Bailey, L., Lucero, D., Tyne, R., Ferguson, G., Barton, I. F., Barton, M. D., Ballentine, C., Person, M., & Reiners, P. W. (2021, October). Emergent behavior of subsurface microbe-rock-fluid systems related to Cu, U, V, and Li mineralization. Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America. Portland, OR: Geological Society of America.
  • Radwany, M. R., & Barton, I. F. (2021, March). Mineralogical and leach characteristics of sandstone-hosted vanadium ore from the Colorado Plateau. Annual Meeting of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. online: Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
  • Roberts, C., & Barton, I. F. (2021, May). Analysis of Mining Geology, Mineralogy, Metallurgy, and Slope Stability through UAV-Based Hyperspectral Imaging and LiDAR. STRATUS (Systems and Technologies for Remote Sensing Applications Through Unmanned Aerial Systems). Buffalo, NY.
  • Roberts, C., Barton, I. F., & He, J. (2021, December). Hyperspectral imaging and analysis of hydrothermal alteration mineralogy in Cuprite, Nevada. Annual Meeting of the American Geophysical Union. New Orleans, LA: American Geophysical Union.
  • 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.

Awards

  • Outstanding Young Professional Award
    • Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration - Mining & Exploration Division, Winter 2021
  • NSF CAREER Award
    • National Science Foundation, Spring 2021