Dr Zachary John Sudholz
Dr Zachary Sudholz
Research Fellow
email Zachary.sudholz@anu.edu.au
call +61490342355

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About

Zachary is a research fellow (Level B) in the Experimental Petrology Group at ANU RSES and the ARC Training Centre in Critical Metals for the Future. Prior to joining ANU RSES, Zachary was a postdoctoral research associate at Bullard Labs, The University of Cambridge (2023-2026), and a bye-fellow at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge (2025-2026). Zachary holds a PhD in experimental petrology from the Australian National University (2022), a BSc. (Honours) from the University of Western Australia (2017), and a BSc. from Monash University (2016). Zachary’s research focuses on high-temperature geochemistry and petrology of Earth’s lithosphere. Zachary is particularly interested in understanding spatial and temporal variations in the composition, temperature and structure of the lithospheric mantle, and high-temperature processes within the lower crust. Zachary’s research uses experimental and microanalytical techniques, field work, and thermodynamic modelling.

Affiliations

Research interests

Zachary’s current research interests include: 

  • (1) The formation and distribution of alkaline magmatic rocks across Australia and their association with REE-bearing carbonatites. 
  • (2) the petrogenesis of metalliferous pegmatites within different tectonic settings. 
  • (3) The compositional and thermal evolution of the cratonic lithospheric mantle, and mantle petrology of Australia 
  • (4) the petrogenesis of carbonatites within different tectonic settings. 

Publications

Sudholz ZJ*, Copley A., Priestley KF. Buoyancy of Cratonic Lithospheric Mantle. Geophysical Research Letters. 2025 Dec. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL118856  

Sudholz ZJ*, Priestley KF, Copley A. Long-Term Evolution, Stability, and Thickness of Cratonic Lithosphere. GEOLOGY. 2025 Aug 10.1130/G53481.1  https://doi.org/10.1130/G53481.1  

Sudholz ZJ*, Alard O, Jaques AL, Yaxley GM, Gréau Y, Frigo C. Metasomatic controls on the chemical and isotopic composition of zoned clinopyroxene xenocrysts from the Mount Hope kimberlite, Gawler Craton, Australia. Lithos. 2025 Jul 1;504:108039. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2025.108039  

Sudholz ZJ*, Copley A. Xenolith constraints on the mantle potential temperature and thickness of cratonic roots through time. Geophysical Research Letters. 2025 Jan 28;52(2):e2024GL112851. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112851  

Sudholz ZJ*, Zhang P*, Eakin CM, Yaxley GM, Jaques AL, Frigo C, Czarnota K. Ancient craton‐wide mid‐lithosphere discontinuity controlled by pargasite channels. Geophysical Research Letters. 2024 May 16;51(9):e2024GL108433. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108433  

Bi H*, Fang H, Zhang P, Sudholz ZJ, Miller MS, Yu P, Gao R. Seismic evidence for a transcrustal magmatic pathway contributing to critical metal deposits. Geophysical Research Letters. 2024 Jan 16;51(1):e2023GL104935. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104935

Sudholz ZJ*, Reddicliffe TH, Jaques AL, Yaxley GM, Haynes M, Gorbatov A, Czarnota K, Frigo C, Maas R, Knowles B. Petrology, age, and rift origin of ultramafic lamprophyres (aillikites) at Mount Webb, a new alkaline province in Central Australia. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. 2023 Oct;24(10):e2023GC011120. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GC011120  

Sudholz ZJ*, Jaques AL, Yaxley GM, Taylor WR, Czarnota K, Haynes MW, Frewer L, Ramsay RR, Downes PJ, Cooper SA. Mapping the structure and metasomatic enrichment of the lithospheric mantle beneath the Kimberley Craton, Western Australia. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. 2023 Sep;24(9):e2023GC011040. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GC011040  

Sudholz ZJ*, Yaxley GM, Jaques AL, Cooper SA, Czarnota K, Taylor WR, Chen J, Knowles BM. Multi‐ stage evolution of the South Australian craton: Petrological constraints on the architecture, lithology, and geochemistry of the lithospheric mantle. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. 2022 Nov;23(11):e2022GC010558. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010558

Sudholz ZJ*, Green DH, Yaxley GM, Jaques AL. Mantle geothermometry: Experimental evaluation and recalibration of Fe–Mg geothermometers for garnet-clinopyroxene and garnet-orthopyroxene in peridotite, pyroxenite and eclogite systems. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology. 2022 Aug;177(8):77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-022-01944-3  

Sudholz ZJ*, Yaxley GM, Jaques AL, Chen J. Ni-in-garnet geothermometry in mantle rocks: a high- pressure experimental recalibration between 1100 and 1325° C. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology. 2021 May;176:1-6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-021-01791-8  

Sudholz ZJ*, Yaxley GM, Jaques AL, Brey GP. Experimental recalibration of the Cr-in-clinopyroxene geobarometer: improved precision and reliability above 4.5 GPa. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology. 2021 Feb;176:1-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-020-01768-z

*= corresponding author(s)