Bryony Richards

Senior Research Scientist

Phone: 801-585-3966
Fax: 801-585-3540
Email: brichards@egi.utah.edu
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Mineralogy, geochemistry, radiochemistry and evaluation and interpretation of complex mineralogical and geochemical datasets across a variety of geological settings using multiple, integrated techniques in order to solve complex geological problems.

Key recent achievements:

  • Evaluation and interpretation of multiple technique databases, including 39Ar/40Ar (total fusion and step-heated analyses), stable isotope (including δ18O), XRF, ICP-MS, ICP-AES and mineralogical data (QEMSCAN, SEM, SEM-FIB, TEM).

  • Collection and interpretation of mineralogical and mineral chemistry techniques across a variety of geological settings (including microprobe data).

  • Compilation, evaluation and interpretation of complex, multiple technique databases in New Zealand (in relation to Ph.D. research), South Africa (in relation to postdoctoral research) and Namibia (in relation to professional work).

  • Generated the largest data set of groundmass minerals ever produced for a kimberlite (Voorspoed) in the Kroonstad cluster and for many kimberlites in southern Africa (DeBeers company report, 2011).

  • Interpretation of large datasets, comprising soil, rock, drilling, geological and geochemical data for the Kaokoland region of Namibia. Including the geochemical characterization of the Okohongo deposit, Namibia.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of London (UK)

• PhD jointly coordinated between the University of London (United Kingdom) and GNS Science (New Zealand). Funded Ph.D. under the NERC (National Environmental Research Council, UK Government) Blue Skies research program (NER/S/A/2005/13452).

• Ph.D. Thesis title: Petrography, Geochemistry, and Thermochronology of the Milford Sound area, New Zealand: Implications for the Evolution of the Eastern Gondwana Margin.

• Creation of a new tectonic model for the Paleozoic-Mesozoic, eastern Gondwana margin using radiochemical (thermochronological and geochronological), stable isotope, and geochemical data.

Bachelor of Science (honors), Durham (UK) 

• Undergraduate B.Sc. Honors degree in geology, completed with first class honors (4.0 GPA) at University College, University of Durham (Dunelm), United Kingdom. All courses completed with 2:1 (GPA 3.7-3.9) grades and above.

• Awarded the John W. Most prize for best undergraduate thesis.

• Top of graduating class (2005), First-Class Honors Degree grade

 

Selected Journal Publications

Ahmed, W., McLennan, J., Bhat, G. M., Kanungo, S., Richards, B., Tran, T., Thusu, B., Hakhoo, N., Hafiz, M. 2023. Geomechanical characterization of the Barren Measure Formation in the Raniganj sub-basin of Damodar Basin, India. Journal of the Geological Society oflndia, JGSI-D-23-00349R3.

Jacobson, A. T., Chen, C., Dewey, J. C., Copeland, G. C., Allen, W. T., Richards, B., Kaszuba, J. P., d, van Duin, A. C. T., Cho, H., Deo, M., She, Y., Martin, T. P. 2022. Effect of nanoconfinement and pore geometry on point of zero charge in synthesized mesoporous siliceous materials. JCIS Open, Volume 8, 2022, 100069,
ISSN 2666-934X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jciso.2022.100069.

Vega-Ortiz, C., Avendafio-Petronilo, F., Richards, B., Sorkhabi, R., Torres-Barragan, L., Martinez­Romero, N., McLennan, J. D. 2021. Assessment of carbon geological storage at Tula de Allende as a potential solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in central Mexico. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 109:103362. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2021.103362

Jackson, M. D., Chen, H., Peterson, J. G., Richards, B., Tamura, N. 2021. Synchrotron X-Ray microdiffraction studies of the mortars of ancient Roman concretes. ISTE Book Chapter for N Tamura et al. How synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction experiments led to the discovery of ancient Roman principles of concrete longevity and mineral cements.

Vega-Ortiz, C., Richards, B., McLennan, J. D., Levey, R., Martinez-Romero, N. 2020. Analysis of mineralogy and porosity on a carbonaceous mudstone of the Pimienta Formation, western margin of the Tampico Misantla Basin, Mexico. Boletin de la Asociaci6n Mexicana de Ge6logos Petroleras, A. C. Volumen LXII, Numero 1, Enero-Junio 2020.

Olsen, A., Schwerdt, I., Jolley, A., Halverson, H., Richards, B., McDonald, L. 2019. A response surface model of morphological changes in U02 and U308 following high temperature aging. Radiochimica Acta, DOI: 10.1515/ract-2018-3040.

Olsen, A., Schwerdt, I., Richards, B., McDonald, L. 2018. Quantification of high temperature oxidation of U308 and U02. Journal of Nuclear Materials 508, DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.06.025.

Olsen, A., Richards, B., Schwerdt, I., Lusk, R., Smith, B., Jurrus, E., Ruggiero, C.E., McDonald, L. 2017 Quantifying Morphological Features of a-U308 with Image Analysis for Nuclear Forensics. Analytical Chemistry 89 (5), DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b05020.

Levinthal, J. D., Richards, B., Snow, M. S., Watrous, M. G., McDonald, L. 2016. Correlating NORM with the mineralogical composition of shale at the microstructural and bulk scale. Applied Geochemistry 76, DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2016.11.004.

P. Rosen, A. Morris, G. Payne, B. Keach, I. Harvey, B. Richards-Mcclung, J. McLennan, R. Polson, R. Levey, T. Ring, E. Jurrus, and G.M. Jones. 2015. Klareco: An Indexing-based Architecture for Interactive Visualization of Heterogeneous Data Sources, In the 1st Workshop on Data Systems for Interactive Analysis (DSIA), Oct 2015.

Richards, B., Taylor, L., Levey, R., Mulligan, P. 2018. New Insights into the Exploration Prospects of the Central and Northern Karoo Basin, South Africa. American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), ACE Global Unconventional Systems II (EMD/SEPM).

Shu Jiang, Hongliu Zeng, Jinchuan Zhang, Neil Fishman, Baojun Bai, Xianming Xiao, Tongwei Zhang, Geoffrey Ellis, Xinjing Li, Bryony Richards-Mcclung, Dongsheng Cai, and Yongsheng Ma. Introduction to special section: China shale gas and shale oil plays. Interpretation, May 2015, v. 3:SJi-SJii, doi:10.1190/INT2015-0317-SPSEINTR0.1

Technical Publications

Evaluation of the Porosity Distribution, Characteristics, and Sequence Stratigraphy and Depositional Facies of the Samples of the Astrakhan Region, Russia. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication I 01299_ 4, 2019.

Nanoscale-Resolution Large-Area SEM Imaging and Characterization of Unconventional Reservoir Rocks, Western Sedimentary Basin, Canada. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication RS00004, 2016.

Nanoscale-Resolution Large-Area SEM Imaging and Characterization of Unconventional Reservoir Rocks: Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) Analysis of SEM Images. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication RS00005, 2019.

Advanced Petrological Evaluation of the Astrakhan Field, Russia. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication I 01299_2, 2018.

Petrological Evaluation of the Astrakhan Field, Russia. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication I 01299, 2016.

EGI Research Services Folio: Diagenetic Discussion of Key Samples of the Astrakhan Region, Russia. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication I 01299_3, 2017.

Reservoir Characterization of the Karoo Basin, South Africa – Regional Geological Characterization and Unconventional Reservoir Evaluation. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication I 01242, 2017.

Magnetics and Gravity interpretation: Leads of the Karoo Basin, South Africa. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication I 01209, 2018.

Integrated Assessment of Prospects, Northern Karoo Basin, South Africa – Phase 2: Gravity and Magnetic Assessment of Rhino Resources Technical Cooperation Permit Areas. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication I 01298_5, 2017.

Petrological Summary for Newfield Exploration Duchesne County, Utah. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication RS00002_2, 2018.

Gronant Core Reservoir Characterization. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication I 01320, 2017.

Characterization of Karoo Basin Acreage TCP23 and TCP24. Principal Investigator. EGI Publication I 01165, 2017.

China Shale Gas and Shale Oil Plays. Phase 2: Integrated Shale Reservoir Characterization in Primary Basins. Senior Petrologist. EGI Publication I00980_2, 2014.

Indian Subcontinent Shale Resource Plays. Phase 1: Regional Characteristics and Play Modeling. Senior Petrologist; EGI Publication 1101028, 2013.

Liquids from Shales. Phase 2: Reservoir Description and Dynamics. Senior Petrologist; EGI Publication I00973_2, 2013.

South America Shale Gas and Shale Oil Plays. Phase 1: Regional Geological Characteristics and Play Modeling. Principal Senior Petrologist; EGI Publication I01005, 2013.

Flow in Nanoporous Rocks – Measurement of Relative Permeabilities in Synthetic Nanoporous Materials 8. Shale Samples. Senior Petrologist; EGI Publication I01209_2, completion date: 2016.

South America Shale Gas and Shale Oil Plays. Phase 2: Advancement of Shale Reservoir Characterization of the Phase 1 Basins and Preliminary Shale Reservoir Characterization of Additional South American Basins. Principal Petrological Investigator; EGI Publication I01005_2, completion date: 2016.

Central Eurasia Potential of Shale Liquids and Gas. Senior Petrologist; EGL Publication I01021, 2015.

UK Shale Gas. Senior Petrologist; EGI Publication I01023, 2015.

Dr. Bryony Richards is a research scientist at the Energy & Geoscience Institute (EGI), University of Utah. Her research focuses on economic geology using advanced imaging techniques from satellite to nanoscales. She holds a PhD from the University of London, where her research focused on petrography, geochemistry, and thermochronology, shedding light on the evolution of the eastern Gondwana margin.

Having lived, worked and studied across four continents, Dr. Richards has conducted significant work across various geological settings, including kimberlite studies in southern Africa and comprehensive analyses in Namibia’s Kaokoland region related to copper exploration. Her research has been supported by multiple governments, private sector companies, and industry partners across many countries. 

Dr. Richards is recognized for her expertise in critical mineral exploration and the innovative re-mining of mine waste using remote sensing technologies including hyperspectral imaging. Her work enhances mineral detection and supports environmental sustainability, addressing the growing demand for critical minerals essential to renewable energy, electronics, and electric vehicles. Dr. Richards is a leader in applying scientific innovation to real-world challenges, advancing both scientific understanding and broader economic and environmental objectives.

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