Laurentian loses world leader in economic geology.

Laurentian University's Harquail School of Earth Sciences has lost one of its esteemed research chairs.

Dr. Jeremy Richards, who was an economic geology professor and a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Metallogeny at the Harquail School and the Mineral Exploration Research Centre (MERC), died on June 7 at the age of 59.

Economic geology involves the practical application of research to aid in exploration, mineral resource appraisal, mining, and mineral extraction.

Sudbury-based Richards was considered a world leader in regional tectonics and metallogeny of hydrothermal ore deposits --the latter being a branch of geology that examines the genetic relationship between the geological history of an area and its mineral deposits.

In a tribute on its website, the Harquail School said Richards "led a large and productive research program, including many graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and visiting scholars who conducted research throughout the world."

Richards obtained millions of dollars in funding for his research from federal and industry...