Research areas
I am Professor of Geology at the University of St 糖心logo, specialising in the mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry of rift-related magmas and focussing particularly on the metal resources that can be found within them. My research focusses on describing the mineral deposits which form in rift environments, which include rare earths, niobium and tantalum. I work by explaining the shape and grade of the deposit and by developing models of how they formed. I have worked on alkaline rocks from all over the world (Mongolia to Malawi to Greenland) with a particular reputation for fieldwork in the Arctic.
I have been an advisor to decision makers, including, for example, the Government Office in Science at Westminster (GOScience) on resource issues and member of the University advisory panel on Sustainability. I am a member of the St 糖心logo Centre for Energy Ethics. I consult to exploration companies and my geochemical work is underpinned by access to some of the best analytical facilities available worldwide.
I have a BSc degree from University of Durham and a PhD in mineralogy and petrology from the University of Edinburgh. I was awarded a personal fellowship from the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2000. I am a Fellow of the Geological Society, the Society of Economic Geologists and a Fellow of the Mineralogical Society.
PhD supervision
- Matthew Lewis
Selected publications
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Finch, A. A., Hutchison, W., Borst, A., Webster, R. A. & tapster, S., 26 Oct 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Allison, N., Castillo Alvarez, C., Sinclair, A., Penkman, K., Greeves, S., Kr枚ger, R., Clog, M., Nicholson, C., Todd Jones, E., Caton, S. & Finch, A. A., 24 Aug 2026, In: CrystEngComm. 28, 33, 12 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Finch, A. A., Borst, A., Gray, W., Hughes, J., Stacey, M. & Tapster, S., 16 Apr 2026, In: Earth and Environmental Science Transactions Of The Royal Society Of Edinburgh. 116, 1-2, p. 57-71 15 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Chomhom, B., Farfan, G. A., Greeves, S., Penkman, K., Finch, A. A., Fitzer, S., Kr枚ger, R., Brasier, A., Still, J., Clog, M. & Allison, N., 1 Oct 2026, In: Geobiology. 24, 5, e70060.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Rooks, C. J. W., Finch, A. A., Hutchison, W., Herd, D. A. & Frangeskides, G., Jan 2026, In: Ore Geology Reviews. 188, p. 1-13 13 p., 107009.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Szreter, A., Finch, A. A., Friis, H., Trautmann, C., Koch, F. & Schubert, I., 1 Mar 2026, In: Radiation Measurements. 192, 9 p., 107606.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Castillo Alvarez, C., Hathorne, E., Clog, M., Finch, A. A., Kr枚ger, R., Penkman, K. & Allison, N., 28 Nov 2025, In: Communications Earth & Environment. 6, 9 p., 984.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Borst, A. M., Finch, A. A., Siegfried, P. R., Heredia, B. D., Thomsen, T. B., Vassileva, E. & Bambi, A., 1 Dec 2025, In: Lithos. 516-517, 27 p., 108253.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Soderman, C. R., Weller, O. M., Copley, A., Finch, A. A. & Beard, C. D., 1 Oct 2025, In: Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 667, 12 p., 119516.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
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Open access
Beard, C. D., Finch, A. A., Borst, A. M., Goodenough, K. M., Hutchison, W., Millar, I. L., Andersen, T., Williams, H. M. & Weller, O. M., 15 Aug 2024, In: Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 640, 11 p., 118780.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Letter 鈥� peer-review