The Mineral Physics Group of the Mineralogical Society exists to advance the study of the fundamental physical and chemical processes that determine the properties of minerals. We aim to accomplish this by:

(1) Stimulating interest in mineral physics through high profile workshops and meetings geared towards both research students and more experienced researchers that focus on cutting edge developments in mineral physics.

(2) Facilitating the exchange of information between MPG members and other mineral physicists through the use of the MinPhys mailing list.

(3) Providing partial funding for mineral physics related activities organized by groups outside the MPG.

(4) Providing small travel grants (<£400) for student researchers to attend mineral physics related events.

The principal meeting of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland for 2009 is MAPT: Micro Analysis Processes and Time. This 3 day meeting, which also is sponsored and supported by the Deutsche Mineralogische Gesellschaft, the Société Française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie, and the International Association of Geoanalysts, will bring together leading world experts on the application of advanced microanalysis to improving our understanding of the Earth and solving key problems, both fundamental and applied.

Mineral Physics is playing a critical role in developing our understanding of the deep Earth and the ways in which interactions between fluids, melts and minerals progress and determine behaviour - with implications for interpretations of isotopic and geochemical data and impacts on how we design strategies for carbon capture and nuclear waste immobilisation. MAPT will feature several sessions of direct interest to Mineral Physicists - for example sessions on advances in TEM and developments in understanding mineral microstructures. Two sessions devoted to deep Earth mineral physics and experimental petrology, "Probing geochemical and physical processes (recent developments from nano-beam and in-situ techniques)" and "The fate of subducted material from lithosphere to core" are planned, supported by the Mineral Physics Group and DMG.

The organisers of MAPT invite members of the Mineral Physics community to consider attending the meeting. We will welcome contributions in the sessions mentioned above, and indeed others in which Mineral Physics approaches are providing new insights.

Further details of the MAPT meeting, including sessions descriptions, plenary lectures, registration, abstract submission and publication, accommodation details and additional events (workshops, field visits) are provided in Mineralogical Society website.

see: http://www.minersoc.org/pages/meetings/MAPT/MAPT.html for more information.

This is a cross-disciplinary meeting organised by the British Geophysical Association and the Mineral Physics Group of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland. The aim is to present new developments on the structure, composition, dynamics and evolution of all areas of the Earth's interior. This includes subduction zones, the transition zone, the lower mantle and D'', and the Earth's inner and outer core.

Scientists who have agreed to give presentations are:
Dr Arwen Duess (Cambridge), Prof. Gillaume Fiquet (Paris), Dr Dan Frost (BGI), Prof. Alex Halliday (Oxford), Prof. Thorne Lay (University of California Santa Cruz), Dr Carolina Lithgow-Bertelloni (UCL), Prof. Graham Pearson (Durham), Dr Andreas Rietbrock (Liverpool), Prof. Paul Tackley (ETH), Dr Lidunka Vocadlo (UCL), and Prof. Don Weidner (SUNY-Stony Brook).

Dr. Sebastian Rost will also present the Bullerwell Lecture (of the British Geophysical Association) at this meeting.

See: www.minersoc.org/pages/groups/minphys/minphys.html#views fos more information.

The 8th symposium on the Geochemistry of the Earth's Surface will be held in London from 18-22 August in 2008. The conference is being organized by Mark Hodsonsee: www.ges8.com for more information.

The aim of this international mineralogical school is to show how the experimental and computational data collected under non ambient conditions can becrucial in petrology, geodynamics, and geophysics on a global scale. The school is directed to young researchers in mineralogy, crystallography, petrology, and geophysics and the invited speakers are among the most eminent scientists in the field. Theoretical and practical lessons are scheduled. More information about the school can be found on its own website (http://simp.dst.unipi.it/gnm/2008School/).

This workshop aims to raise awareness of the scientific opportunities atboth the new Diamond facility and ISIS Target Station Two among MineralPhysicists and Earth Scientists across the UK. In particular the workshopaddresses researchers who are new to the fields of synchrotron and neutronradiation and research students aiming to get a flavour of the informationthat can be obtained and the benefits of such a user facility. For more details please visit the event website(http://homes.esc.cam.ac.uk/diamond_workshop).

Magnetic Interactions 2008 is a multidisciplinary meeting aimed at encouraging PhD and postgraduate students in the areas of rock magnetism, palaeomagnetism, geomagnetism, archaeomagnetism and environmental magnetism to give scientific presentations in a more informal setting than those of major conferences. The meeting provides an excellent opportunity for researchers from different areas of magnetism to share ideas and results with others in the UK magnetic community.

8 January - Buffet lunch will be provided from 1200 in the Carstares Room of the Old College, presentation to commence at 1400 in the Raeburn Room, Old College. Evening drinks reception and conference dinner (venue tba).

9 January - Meeting will finish at about 1400.

School of GeoSciences

The University of Edinburgh

Grant Institute

The King's Buildings

West Mains Road