Job title: Professor
Phone: 64 9 373 7599 x 87560
Office: Bldg 301 Rm 1006, Science Centre, 23 Symonds Street
Postal: School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland
Email: pm.black@auckland.ac.nz

BSc (New Zealand); MSc and PhD in Geology (University of Auckland)

Affiliations

Mineralogical Society of America (Fellow)
Geological Society of New Zealand
Royal Society of New Zealand (Fellow)

I have a long-term interest in the nature and evolution of the volcanic and metamorphic rocks of Northern New Zealand and New Caledonia. Some recent publications are:

Nicholson, K.N., Black, P.M., Picard, C., Cooper, P., Hall, C.M., Itaya, T., ( 2007) Alteration, age, and emplacement of the Tangihua Complex ophiolite, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 50: 151-164.

Sakakibara, M. and Black, P.M., (2008) Metabasalts at Arrow Rocks Northland New Zealand. In “The oceanic Permian/Triassic sequence at Arrow Rocks (Oruatemanu) Northland, New Zealand” GNS Science Monograph 24, p.157-176.

Cluzel, D.; Black, P.M.; C. Picard, C. and Nicholson, KN., Geochemistry and tectonic setting of Matakaoa Volcanics (East Coast Allochthon, New Zealand); supra-subduction zone affinity, regional correlations and origin. Accepted for publication in Tectonics late 2009 or early 2010.

My current research interests are in the broad fields of applied mineralogy and earth materials including their engineering properties and industrial uses. Two recent papers are:

Masalehdani, N. M., Black, P. M., and Kobe, H.W. (2008) ‘Mineralogy and petrography of iron-rich slags and paralavas formed by spontaneous coal combustion, Rotowaro coalfield, North Island, New Zealand’ in Stracher, G.B., ed.’ Geology of Coal Fires: Case Studies from Around the World: Geological Society of America Reviews in Engineering Geology, v. XVIII, 117-131.

Wilson, D.J., & Black, P. M (2009). The Skid Resistance Performance of Natural New Zealand Aggregates using a Dynamic Friction Tester. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology & Hydrogeology, 41 (1) 61-72.

I am Principle Investigator for an Objective within a FRST contract (Mineral Wealth of the North Island) and working on developing a classification / inventory of New Zealand aggregates and their engineering properties. A draft report: “Geological inventory of North Island Aggregate Resources : Influences on Engineering Materials Properties” is available for information and comment.

TBA