Geology

Geology

Professor

Geochemistry and Petrology

Head of Department

Ph.D.   University of Alberta (Canada)
M.Sc.   McMaster University (Canada)
B.Sc. (Hons) Geology   McMaster University (Canada)
PGDipHE   Rhodes University

Phone: +27 (0)46 603-8313 or -8309

E-mail:  s.prevec(at)ru.ac.za

GOOGLE SCHOLAR

RESEARCH INTERESTS

My interests involve the study of mafic intrusions and associated high grade metamorphic rocks, based on field and thin section petrography, major, trace and radioisotope geochemistry, and geochronology. Often associated with these rocks is Cu-Ni±PGE sulphide and oxide mineralisation in various settings, whose origins and distribution are closely tied to the magmatic petrogenesis and/or subsequent metamorphism. A more detailed description of my research interests can be found under projects.

• Rift-associated mafic intrusions (mostly Precambrian) and associated rocks
• Large meteorite impact melt evolution

TEACHING

• EAR101: Introductory Earth Sciences
• GLG102: Petrology
• GLG2 and 3: Igneous petrology
• Honours: Magmatic ore-forming processes
• Honours field course: Impacts, intrusions and greenstone belts

POST-DOCTORAL EMPLOYMENT

• Senior Research Officer, BPI Geophysics / Hugh Allsopp Laboratory, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (1998-2004)
• Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada (funded in part through a research/exploration contract with Inco Ltd.) (1994-1998)
• GEOTOP, University of Quebec at Montreal, Canada (funded by analytical contracts with Cominco) (1992-1994)
• Geochronology Section, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Canada (1991-1992)

SELECTED PAPERS

Around 40 published papers in refereed journals, internally-reviewed outputs, and book chapters. Selected recent offerings listed here. For more information, please see my Google Scholar page. 

PREVEC, S.A. (2025) Whither promethium: has the traditional REE plot become an anachronism? Canadian Journal of Mineralogy & Petrology, 63, no. 5.

BARNES, S.J., MAIER, W.D., SAVARD. D. & PREVEC, S.A. (2025) Major and trace element concentrations in chromite and silicate minerals of the Critical Zone of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa: Effects of re-equilibration and crystal fractional on chromite composition. Economic Geology. doi:10.5382/econgeo.5156.

CHAUMBA, J.B., PREVEC, S.A., DYAN, S. & MUSA, C. (2025) Evidence from Cr-spinel chemistry for magma contamination by country rocks during formation of the northern lobe of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Geological Society, London, Spec. Pub. v. 552. https://doi.org/10.1144/SP552-2023-34.PREVEC, SA (2024) Preface; thematic issue from the 14th International Platinum Symposium. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology, 62, 655-657.

PREVEC, S.A., LARGATZIS, S.A., SALGE, T. & BROWNSCOMBE, W. (2023) Evidence of localized hydromagmatic control on PGE distribution in the Merensky Reef, Bushveld Complex, South Africa. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology. 61 (6), 1459-1461.

PREVEC, SA, LETETE, KP, MOLYNEUX, DP, NCHEE, ME, NTANTISO, M (2023) Evidence for temporal shifts in basaltic magma compositions in the Karoo dolerites. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology. 61 (6). p.1568-1569.

BARNES, S.-J., MANSUR, E.T., MAIER, W.D. & PREVEC, S.A. (2022) A comparison of trace element concentrations in chromite from komatiites, picrites and layered intrusions: Implications for the formation of massive chromite layers. Canadian Journal of Earth Science 60, 97–132. dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2022-0064.

PREVEC, S.A., LARGAZIS, S.A., BROWNSCOMBE, W., SALGE, T. (2021) PGE distribution in Merensky wide-reef facies of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa: Evidence for localized hydromagmatic control. The Canadian Mineralogist, 59(6), 1305–1338.

HUBER, M.S., KOVALEVA, E., CLARK, M.D., and PREVEC, S.A. (2021) Inhomogeneous distribution of lithic clasts within the Daskop granophyre dike, Vredefort impact structure: Implications for emplacement of impact melt in large impact structures. In Reimold, W.U., and Koeberl, C., (eds.), Large Meteorite Impacts and Planetary Evolution VI: Geological Society of America Special Paper 550, p. 1–267.

BÜTTNER, S.H., PREVEC, S.A., SCHMELDT, G.A. (2021) Petrogenesis of Mesoproterozoic granites of the Swartoup Hills region, Kakamas Domain, Namaqua Belt, South Africa.  Frontiers in Earth Science, 8, 1–23.

PREVEC, S.A. (2019) Igneous Rock Associations 23. The Bushveld Complex, South Africa: new insights and paradigms. Geoscience Canada, 45, 117-135.

PREVEC, S.A., BÜTTNER, S.H. (2018) Multi-phase emplacement of impact melt sheet into the footwall: offset dykes of the Sudbury Igneous Complex, Canada. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, DOI: 10.1111/maps.13076.

MAIER, W., PREVEC, S. A., SCOATES, J. S., WALL, C. J., BARNES, S. -J. and GOMWE, T. (2018) The Uitkomst intrusion and Nkomati Ni-Cu-Cr-PGE deposit, South Africa: trace element geochemistry, Nd isotopes and high-precision geochronology. Mineralium Deposita, 10.1007/s00126-017-0716-x.

 

ABSTRACTS

Around 80 abstracts published in international and national conference proceedings, accompanying oral presentations, and occasionally posters.  Details for some recent ones are provided here:

PREVEC, S.A., POLLNEY, D. (2025) Thermal consumption of xenoliths in impact melts in large terrestrial impact crater footwall: preliminary implications for melt sheet dykes of the Sudbury Igneous Complex, Canada. GSSA Geocongress, Bloemfontein, June 2025.

DYAN, S. & PREVEC, S.A. (2025) Constraints on contamination as a mechanism for creation of hybrid magmas capable of chromite saturation. GSSA Geocongress, Bloemfontein, June 2025.

LEHLOENYA, P., PREVEC, S.A. & ROELOFSE, F. (2025) Petrogenesis of the Main Zone-Upper Zone transition in the western Bushveld Complex based on plagioclase compositional variation. GSSA Geocongress, Bloemfontein, June 2025.

PREVEC, S.A. & HOWARTH, G.V. (2025) Constraints on Fe-Ti-oxide ore formation in mafic-ultramafic intrusions. GAC-MAC-IAH-CNC Annual meeting, Ottawa, Canada, May 2025.

PREVEC, S.A., LARGATZIS, S.A., BROWNSCOMBE, W. & SALGE, T. (2025) Evidence for post-emplacement hydrochromatographic PGE mobility in the Merensky Reef, Bushveld Complex, South Africa, as a primary PGE concentration mechanism. GAC-MAC-IAH-CNC Annual meeting, Ottawa, Canada, May 2025.

PREVEC, S.A. & SAMAKOMVA, R. (2025) Emplacement mechanisms for Jurassic dolerite sills in the Eastern Cape: constraints based on textural evidence. Igneous & Metamorphic Studies Group (IMSG) Annual National Meeting, Stellenbosch University, Jan. 2025.

PREVEC, S.A. (2024) Considerations for the effective graphical presentation of PGE data. Igneous & Metamorphic Studies Group (IMSG) Annual National Meeting, Oribi, KwaZulu-Natal, Jan. 2024.

CHAUMBA, J., PREVEC, S.A. & DYAN, S. (2023) Constraints on parent magma composition of the mineralized Deep Flatreef at Turfspruit, Northern Lobe of the Bushveld Complex, based on silicate mineral compositions. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, U.S.A., October 2023.

BARNES, S.-J., MAIER, W.D., MANSUR, E.T. & PREVEC, S.A. (2023) What can the composition of chromite tell us? 14TH International Platinum Symposium, Cardiff, U.K., July 2023.DYAN, S. and

PREVEC, S.A. (2023) Assimilation of siliceous and carbonaceous xenoliths in the Upper Critical Zone of the northern limb, Bushveld Complex: Implication for hybridization reactions. GSSA GEOCONGRESS, Stellenbosch, Jan. 2023.

JOHNSTONE, S.D., VAN NIEKERK, D. and PREVEC, S.A. (2023) Petrography, geochemistry, and remote sensing of an anomalous Karoo diorite. GSSA GEOCONGRESS, Stellenbosch, Jan. 2023.

PREVEC, S.A., LARGATZIS, S.A., SALGE, T. and BROWNSCOMBE, W. (2023) Evidence of localized hydromagmatic control on PGE distribution in the Merensky Reef, Bushveld Complex, South Africa. GSSA GEOCONGRESS, Stellenbosch, Jan. 2023. Keynote presentation.

PREVEC, S.A., LETETE, K., MOLYNEUX, D., NCHEE, M. and NTANTISO, M. (2023) Evidence for temporal shifts in basaltic magma compositions in the Karoo dolerites, and the implications for the role of cumulus processes. GSSA GEOCONGRESS, Stellenbosch, Jan. 2023. Keynote presentation.

PREVEC, S.A. (2022) On the importance of Geoheritage. GSSA GEOHERITAGE CONFERENCE. Johannesburg, May 2022. Invited keynote presentation.

DYAN, S., PREVEC, S.A. and TONNELIER, N. (2020) Modelling the role of carbonate assimilation on the stability of spinels: a focus on the Northern Limb chromites, Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting. Nov. 2020.

BARNES, S.-J., MANSUR, E., PAGÉ, P., MERIC, M., ARGUIN, J.P. and PREVEC, S. (2020) Major and trace element compositions of chromites from the Stillwater, Bushveld and Great Dyke intrusions compared with chromites from komatiites, boninites and Large Igneous Provinces. 14th International Ni-Cu-PGE Symposium, virtual conference (August 2020).

 

RECENT AND CURRENT RESEARCH POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

Ms Sheron Kaviua (2025- ) PhD student, “Petrogenesis of the Gergarub ore prospect, southern Namibia”. Sponsored by Rosh Pinah Mining. Part-time study.

Mr Pelele Lehloenya (2026- ) PhD student, “Paleoproterozoic crust formation processes recorded in migmatites of the Vioolsdrif Suite, Northern Cape Province”, part-time study, cosupervised by Dr H. Minnaar, UFS.

Ms Nosibulelo Zilibokwe (2023- ) Ph.D. student, “Trace element concentration and distribution in Cu-sulphides: Implication for the genesis of Cu mineralization in carbonatites at the Phalaborwa Igneous Complex, South Africa”. (Supervisor, with Dr N. Hammond, U. Limpopo, as cosupervisor). Part-time student, employed by Council for Geoscience.

Mr Royston Lobow (2020-2024) MSc student, Rhodes University, “Developing a model for financing ore and resource development sale by hedging future sales (futures market principles)”. (Supervisor, with Prof. G. Keeton, Dept of Economics).

Mr Shawn Johnstone (2021-2023) MSc student, Rhodes University, “Characterisation of a mineralised igneous intrusion in the Chris Hani district (Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa)”, (co-supervisor, with Dr D. van Niekerk).

Last Modified: Wed, 24 Sep 2025 18:36:57 SAST