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Prof Steffen H. Büttner

SHB2Associate Professor
Structural Geology, Plate Tectonics & Crustal Evolution

PhD: University of Frankfurt (Germany)
MSc: TU Darmstadt (Germany)
PGDipHE: Rhodes University

Manager of the Glencore-Xstrata Fellowship Program

t: +27 (0) 46 603 8775
e: s.buttner(at)ru.ac.za

GOOGLE SCHOLAR   ResearchGate   ORCID  YouTube
RESEARCH
  • The tectono-metamorphic evolution of the Namaqua Metamorphic Province.
  • Rare element pegmatites in Malawi, Kenya and South Africa (project support by Rhodes University's Glencore-Xstrata Research Fellowship Fund and CIMERA)
  • Evolution of kimberlitic megacryst-hosted melt inclusions (collaboration with Geoff Howarth, UCT; project support from CIMERA).

 

TEACHING
  • Structural Geology and Plate Tectonics (1st to 3rd year)
  • The Formation of Rocks (1st year)
  • Undergraduate and BSc Honours (4th year) Field Schools
  • BSc Honours (4th year) modules on Structural Geology and Mineral Chemistry
  • Field School for PG students and early career industry geologists in collaboration with RESPRIME 
COURSE VIDEOS ON YouTube
Rock Maker 5.4 software
CURRENT POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS AND RESEARCH FELLOWS
  • Dr Sourav Bhattacharjee: Glencore-Xstrata Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Rb-Sr systematics of the NYF and LCT pegmatites in the Orange River Pegmatite Belt. Project support by CIMERA and Glencore-Xstrata.
  • Dr Joseph Madondo: Glencore-Xstrata Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Project support by CIMERA and Glencore-Xstrata. 
  • Nancy Muriungi: Glencore-Xstrata Doctoral Research Fellow: The petrogenesis of gem-bearing Pan-African pegmatites in the Mozambique Belt of Kenya. Project support by CIMERA and Glencore-Xstrata. 
  • Puleng Makhale (MSc): Late-orogenic alteration of Mesoproterozoic meta-basalts in the Bushmanland Group, Northern Cape Province.  
  • Sarah Masindi, Akimu Rajab, Kyle Flanegan, Ryan Flanegan (BScH): Field mapping and structural analysis of the Bushmanland Group in the Aggeneys Hills.  
SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS (PG students and PDRFs in italics)

  1. Sipler RE, Isemonger EW, Waterworth SC, Büttner SH, Bornman TG, Gibb R-LA, Siwe-Noundou X, Venkatachalam S, Dorrington RA (2025) Integration of multiple metabolic pathways supports unprecedented rates of carbon precipitation in living microbialites. Nature Communications 2025.

  2. Chakraborty T, Büttner SH, Costin G, Kankuzi CF (2024) The petrogenesis of highly fractionated gem-bearing pegmatites of Malawi: evidence from mica and tourmaline chemistry and finite step trace element modelling. Mineralium Deposita, 59, 837–857. 

  3. Büttner SH, van Huyssteen A, Marima E, du Plessis A., Tshibalanganda M, Schmidt C., Howarth GH (2023) The capturing and decompression of melt inclusions in olivine and ilmenite megacrysts from the Monastery kimberlite, South Africa. Gondwana Research, 115, 81-97.

  4. Chakraborty T, Kankuzi CF, Glodny J, Frei D, Büttner SH (2023) The timing and tectonic context of Pan-African gem bearing pegmatites in Malawi: Evidence from Rb–Sr and U–Pb geochronology. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 197, 104750.

  5. Büttner SH, Prevec SA, Schmeldt GA (2021) Petrogenesis of Mesoproterozoic granites of the Swartoup Hills region, Kakamas Domain, Namaqua Belt, South Africa.  Frontiers in Earth Science, 8, 1–23. 

  6. Büttner SH, Isemonger EW, Isaaks M, van Niekerk D, Sipler RE, Dorrington RA (2021) Living phosphatic stromatolites in a low-phosphorus environment: implications for the use of phosphorus as a proxy for phosphate levels in paleo-systems. Geobiology, 2021: 19:35–47 and related Cover page of issue 2021:19.

  7. Büttner SH (2020) Comment on “Evidence for Mesoproterozoic collision, deep burial and rapid exhumation of garbenschiefer in the Namaqua Front, South Africa” by Valby Van Schijndel, David H. Cornell, Robert Anczkiewicz, Anders Schersten, Geoscience Frontiers, Volume 11, Issue 2, Pages 511-531". Geoscience Frontiers, 11, 1889-1894.  

  8. Howarth GH, Büttner SH (2019) New constraints on archetypal South African kimberlite petrogenesis from quenched glass-rich melt inclusions in olivine megacrysts.  Gondwana Research, 68, 116-126.

  9. Büttner, SH, Reid, WK, Glodny, J, Wiedenbeck, M, Chuwa, G, Moloto, T, Gucsik, A (2016) Fluid sources in the Twangiza-Namoya Gold Belt (Democratic Republic of Congo): evidence from tourmaline and fluid compositions, and from boron and Rb-Sr isotope Precambrian Research 280, 161–178.

  10. Bial, J, Büttner, SH, Appel, P (2016) Timing and conditions of regional metamorphism and crustal shearing in the granulite facies basement of south Namibia: Implications for the crustal evolution of the Namaqualand metamorphic basement in the Journal of African Earth Sciences 123, 145–176.

  11. Büttner, SH, Reid, WK, Erasmus, (2016) Late Permian tectonics and fluid influx during the Cape Orogeny: evidence from fault-bound quartz veins in the Cape Supergroup, South Africa. South African Journal of Geology 119 (2), 379–398.

  12. Bial, J, Büttner, SH, Schenk, V, Appel, P (2015) The long-term high-temperature history of the central Namaqua Metamorphic Complex: Evidence for a Mesoproterozoic continental back-arc in southern Africa. Precambrian Research 268, 243–278.

  13. Bial, J, Büttner, SH, Frei, D (2015) Formation and emplacement of two contrasting late-Mesoproterozoic magma types in the central Namaqua Metamorphic Complex (South Africa, Namibia): Evidence from geochemistry and geochronology. Lithos 224/225, 272–294.

 Conference abstracts 

  1. Makhale PI, Tambudze V, Büttner SH (2026) Late-Mesoproterozoic epidote and garnet alteration in metabasalts of the Bushmanland Group: evidence of carbonated calcium fluid influx during regional thermal retrogression. 14th Igneous and Metamorphic Studies Group Conference: IMSG 2026, Book of Abstracts, Wits Universty, South Africa.

  2. Büttner, SH (2025) The Mesoproterozoic evolution of the Namaqua Sector: a continental back-arc mobile belt in the southwest of Rodinia. 2025 Geocongress, GSSA, Abstract volume, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.

  3. Muriungi N, Büttner SH (2025) Petrogenesis and critical minerals chemistry of pegmatites in Embu County, Kenya. 30th Colloquium of African Geology (CAG30), Book of abstracts, 23-27 September, Nairobi, Kenya.

  4. Muriungi, NK, Büttner SH (2025) The geochemical evolution of Nb-Ta oxides in rare-element pegmatites from Embu County, Kenya. 13th Igneous and Metamorphic Studies Group Conference: IMSG 2025, Book of Abstracts, Stellenbosch Universty, South Africa.

  5. Büttner SH, Marima, E, Rocholl A (2024) The evolution of large ilmenite-hosted melt inclusions: evidence of spinodal and binodal dissociation of kimberlitic carbonated silicate melt. 4th European Mineralogical Conference, 18-23 August, Dublin, Ireland.

  6. Muriungi N, Büttner SH, Glodny J, Harder S (2024) Fluorine and bismuth-bearing accessory minerals indicate magma evolution in rare element pegmatites in Embu County, Kenya. 4th European Mineralogical Conference, 18-23 August, Dublin, Ireland.

  7. Büttner SH, Chakraborty T, Frei D, Glodny J (2024) Geochronology, geochemistry, and melt fractionation of gem bearing Pan-African pegmatites in Malawi. 12th Igneous and Metamorphic Studies Group Conference: IMSG 2024, Book of Abstracts, Lake Eland Resort, South Africa.

  8. Büttner SH, Prevec SA (2024) Dynamic constraints of multiple offset dyke injections in the footwall of the Sudbury impact melt sheet. 12th Igneous and Metamorphic Studies Group Conference: IMSG 2024, Book of Abstracts, Lake Eland Resort, South Africa.

  9. Büttner SH, Howarth GH, Marima E, Qobolo N (2023) Crystallization and segregation of carbonated silicate melt in kimberlitic melt inclusions from the Monastery kimberlite. 2023 Geocongress, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

 
RECENT GRADUATES
  • Edmore Marima (2022; MSc) Sulphur isotope variations of the Koperberg Suite and associated rocks in the O'okiep Copper District (co-supervision with Steve Prevec). 
  • Graeme Schmeldt (2021; MSc) Genetic relationships between migmatites and the Swartoup Granite in the Swartoup Hills (central Namaqua Belt) (co-supervision with Steve Prevec).
  • Aiden van Huyssteen (2021; MSc) Genesis of kimberlitic melt inclusions in ilmenite megacrysts from the Monastery kimberlite (co-supervision with Geoffrey Howarth, UCT).
  • Wesson Reid (2020; MSc) Fluid characteristics in hydrothermal veins of the Twangiza-Namoya Gold Belt (South Kivu, DRC). 
  • Charles Kankuzi (2019; PhD) Gemstone bearing pegmatites of Malawi: age, composition and fluid characteristics. 

Last Modified: Wed, 10 Dec 2025 09:55:42 SAST