Dr. J. Richard Kyle

Research Interests

Geology of Texas, ore deposits geology, mineral resources and society, geology and supply chains of critical materials, minerals exploration and evaluation, industrial mineral resources, origin of ore-forming fluids in sedimentary basins, fluid inclusions, stable isotopes, salt dome cap rock formation, surficial processes and earth resource formation, high resolution X-ray computed tomography applications to petrology, adaptive reuse of mining and processing sites.

Education

Ph.D., Geology, 1977, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada

M.S., Geology, 1973, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 

B.S., Earth Sciences, 1970, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee

Professional History

2016 to 2023       Graduate Advisor, Energy & Earth Resources Masters Program

2003 to date        Registered Professional Geoscientist, Texas

2000 to date        Associate, Long Institute of Latin American Studies, University of Texas at Austin

2012 to date        Professor, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin

2005 – 2010        Research Professor, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin

1990 – 2022        Professor; Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin

2000 – 2003        Graduate Advisor, Department of Geological Sciences

1984 – 1990        Associate Professor; Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas

1985 – 1995        Department of Geological Sciences Undergraduate Advisor               

Spring, 1983        Research Associate, Bureau of Economic Geology; University of Texas at Austin

1978 – 1984        Assistant Professor; Dept of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin

1976 – 1978        Exploration Geologist; Exxon Minerals Company, U.S.A; Rhinelander, WI

Selected Publications

Kyle, J.R., Ugurhan, M., Elliott, B.A., Edey, D.R., Hoffman, C.P., Stein, H.J., 2026, Growth and physical transport of molybdenite spherules in a Na-Al-F-rich melt, Cave Peak porphyry Mo deposit, Texas, USA: Geology

Kyle, J.R., Fall, A., Nicot, J.-P., 2025, Mississippi Valley-type mineralization in the Jurassic Smackover Formation, Gulf Coast Basin, USA: Controls on the origin of Zn-Pb-Ag systems in deep sedimentary basins: Journal of Geochemical Exploration, v. 277, 107807, 14 p. doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2025.107807

Hoffman, C.P., Kyle, J.R., 2025, Opportunities and challenges for assessing critical mineral resource potential using legacy drilling results, Cave Peak porphyry Mo deposit, Texas, USA: Natural Resources Research, v. 34, p. 1987-2005. doi.org/10.1007/s11053-025-10484-z (shared link: https://rdcu.be/elAQg)

Kyle, J.R., Gilg, H.A., Appold, M., 2024, Formation of an active giant non-sulfide zinc system, Jinding, China: Relations among tectonics, climate, and supergene metal remobilization: Economic Geology, v. 119, p. 1667-1684. doi:10.5382/econgeo.5110

Reedy, R.C., Scanlon, B.R., Bagdonas, D.A., Hower, J.C., James, D., Kyle, J.R., Uhlman, K., 2024, Coal ash resources and potential for rare earth element production in the United States: International Journal of Coal Science & Technology, 11:74. doi.org/10.1007/s40789-024-00710-z

Kyle B.J., Kyle J.R., 2024, Lithium mining and political institutions in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile, in Hyles, J., ed., The Americas Reach Out–Exchanges of Culture, Policy, and Goods from 1492 to the Future, Ch. 16, Proceedings, Eugene Scassa Mock Organization of American States Conference: Cambridge Scholars Press, p. 228-259.

Darvari, R., Nicot, J.-P., Scanlon, B.R., Kyle, J.R., Elliott, B.A., Uhlman, K., 2024, Controls on lithium content of oilfield waters in Texas and neighboring states: Journal of Geochemical Exploration, v. 257, no. 107363, 15 p. doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2023.107363

Ugurhan M., Elliott B.A., Kyle J.R., Stockli, D.S., Mathur, R., 2024, Geochemical evolution of the REE-enriched Cave Peak porphyry Mo deposit, Trans-Pecos Texas, USA: Lithos, v. 464-465, no. 107434, 20 p. doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2023.107434 

Kyle, J.R., Quintero, T.R., Ukar, E., Miller, N.R., Elliott, S.J., Colbert, M., 2023, Dolomite cement microstratigraphy: a record of brine evolution and ore precipitation mechanisms, upper Knox Group, Tennessee-Kentucky, USA: Geology, v. 51. p. 392-396. doi.org/10.1130/G50689.1

Callahan, O.A, Eichhubl, P., Kyle, J.R., 2023, Factors influencing rock strength and fluid flow at the basement-sediment interface from field and core-based observations, Llano Uplift, Texas, in Callahan, O.A, and Eichhubl, P., eds., The geologic basement of Texas: University of Texas at Austin, Bur. Econ. Geol., Report of Investigations 286, ch. 8. doi:10.23867/RI0286C8

Kyle, J.R., Stockli, D.F., McBride, E.F., Elliott, B.A., 2023, Covering the Great Unconformity in southern Laurentia: Detrital zircon studies of provenance evolution during Cambrian marine transgression (Llano Uplift, Texas): Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 134, p. 1163-1177. doi.org/10.1130/B36389.1.

Ferraz da Costa, M., Kyle, J.R., Lobato, L.M., Ketcham, R.A., Figueiredo e Silva, R.M., Fernandes, R.C., 2022, Orogenic gold ores in three-dimensions: A case study of distinct mineralization styles at the world-class Cuiabá deposit, Brazil, using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography on gold particles: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 140. doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2021.104584

Kyle, J.R., Elliott, B.A., 2021, Texas mineral resources within or affected by Proterozoic basement architecture, inCallahan, O.A, and Eichhubl, P., eds., The geologic basement of Texas: University of Texas at Austin, Bur. Econ. Geol., Report of Investigations 286, ch. 4. doi:10.23867/RI0286C4

Williams, N.D., Elliott, B.A., Kyle, J.R., 2020, A predictive geospatial exploration model for Mississippi Valley type Pb-Zn mineralization in the Southeast Missouri Lead District: Natural Resources Research, v. 29, p. 285-310.doi:10.1007/s11053-020-09618-2

Leys, C., Schwarz, A., Cloos, M., Widodo, S., Kyle, J.R., Sirait, J., 2020, Grasberg Cu-Au-(Mo) deposit: product of two overlapping porphyry systems, in Sillitoe, R.H., and others, eds., Geology of the World’s Major Gold Deposits and Provinces: Society of Economic Geologists, Spec. Publ. 23, ch. 29, p. 599-620. doi:10.5382/SP.23.29

Piccione, G., Rasbury, E.T., Elliott, B.A., Kyle, J.R., Jaret, S.J., Acerbo, A.S., Lanzirotti, A., Northrup, P., Wooton, K., Parrish, R.R., 2019, Vein fluorite U-Pb dating demonstrates post-6.2 Ma rare earth element mobilization associated with Rio Grande rifting: Geosphere, v. 15, p. 1958–1972. doi.org/10.1130/GES02139.1.

Caesar, K.H, Kyle, J.R., Lyons, T.W., Tripati, A., Loyd, S.J., 2019, Salt dome cap rock calcite formation by the anaerobic oxidation of methane: Nature Communications, v. 10, article 808. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08687-z

Kyle, J.R., Elliott, B.A., 2019, Past, present, and future of Texas industrial minerals: Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, v. 36, p. 475–486. doi.org/10.1007/s42461-019-0050-1

Wafforn, S., Seman, S., Kyle, J.R., Stockli, D., Leys, C., Sonbait, D., Cloos, M., 2018, Andradite garnet U/Pb geochronology of the Big Gossan Skarn, Ertsberg-Grasberg Mining District, Indonesia: Economic Geology, v. 113, p. 769-778. doi: 10.5382/econgeo.2018.4569

Kyle, J.R., Ahn, H., Gilg, H.A., 2018, Nature and origin of the nonsulfide Zn deposits in the Sierra Mojada district, Coahuila, Mexico: Constraints from regional geology, petrography, and isotope analyses: Mineralium Deposita, v. 53, p. 1095-1116. doi.org/10.1007/s00126-018-0797-1

O’Neill, L.C., Elliott, B.A., Kyle, J.R., 2017, Mineralogy and crystallization history of a highly differentiated REE-enriched hypabyssal rhyolite: Round Top laccolith, Trans-Pecos, Texas: Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 111, p. 569-592. doi:10.1007/s00710-017-0511-5

Elliott, B.A., Verma, R., Kyle, J.R., 2016, Prospectivity modeling for Cambrian-Ordovician hydraulic fracturing sand resources around the Llano Uplift, central Texas: Natural Resources Research, v. 25, p. 389-415. doi: 10.1007/s11053-016-9291-6

Frelinger, S.N., Ledvina, M.D., Kyle, J.R., Zhao, D., 2015, Scanning electron microscopy cathodoluminescence of quartz: principles, techniques and applications in ore geology: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 65, p. 840-852. doi: org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2014.10.008

Kyle, J.R., Ketcham, R.A., 2015, Application of high resolution X-ray computed tomography to mineral deposit origin, evaluation, and processing: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 65, p. 821-839. doi: org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2014.09.034

Kyle, J.R., 2008 and 2018, Industrial Minerals of Texas: University of Texas at Austin, Bur. Econ. Geol., State Map Series, SM0011.

Kyle, J.R., Mote, A.S., Ketcham, R.A., 2008, High resolution X-ray computed tomography studies of Grasberg porphyry Cu-Au ores:  Mineralium Deposita, v. 43, p. 519-532. DOI 10.1007/s00126-008-0180-8

Awards

International Association on the Genesis of Ore Deposits, Honorary Life Member (2023)

Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration, Mineral Industry Education Award (2023)

Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration, Hal W. Hardinge (Industrial Minerals) Award (2023)

Third C. E. Yager Professor in Geological Sciences (1998 to 2022)

Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration, Legion of Honor (2020)

Geological Society of America Energy Division Best Poster Award (2015)

Keynote, International Association on Genesis of Ore Deposits, Kunming, China (2014)

Fellow, Geological Association of Canada

Fellow, Geological Society of America

Society of Economic Geologists Thayer Lindsley Lecturer (2002)

Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Excellence of Presentation Award (2001)

Fellow, Society of Economic Geologists

Editor-in-Chief of Ore Geology Reviews (1990 to 2003)

Shell Oil Company Teaching Fellow in Geological Sciences (1995 to 1998)

Houston Oil and Minerals Faculty Excellence Award (1992)

Getty Oil Company Centennial Teaching Fellow in Geological Sciences (1989 to 1995)

Geology Foundation Advisory Council Centennial Teaching Fellow (1985 to 1989)

Keynote, Mineral Deposits Studies Group, Geological Society of London (1988)

Society of Economic Paleontologists & Mineralogists Excellence of Presentation Award (1986)

Society of Economic Paleontologists & Mineralogists Gulf Coast Section Best Paper Award (1984)

Society of Mining Engineers Robert Peele Memorial (Best Paper) Award (1981)

Natural Sciences Council Teaching Excellence Award (1981)

Houston Oil and Minerals Faculty Excellence Award (1980)