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2002-2003 Field Program
An exclusive!
Pierre Verpaelst and Robert Marquis
Géologie Québec
Year after year, in order to open new territories
to mineral exploration, the Ministère des Ressources naturelles,
through Géologie Québec, continues to acquire geoscience
data in areas with promising mineral potential.
Next November, during the Geological Research
Information Seminar, the results of surveys conducted during the
summer by the Department and its partners involved in exploration
will be unveiled.
Here is an exclusive look at the projects that
will be carried out over the course of the 2002 field season.
Far North
In 1998, Géologie Québec
launched a five-year project to complete the mapping coverage of
the Nord-du-Québec region at 1:250,000 scale.
This year, Géologie Québec heads into the fifth field
campaign of this project. Given its magnitude and complexity, this
campaign calls on an important proportion of the human and financial
resources of our geological services. This year, three teams will
be at work north of the 55th parallel.
A metallogenic study of the principal metalliferous
showings, and an age dating program will be undertaken. In partnership
with the Université du Québec à Montréal,
McGill University, Simon Fraser University and the Geological Survey
of Canada, thematic studies will complement Géologie Québec's
involvement in the Far North. Recently, a collaborative effort between
the Geological Survey of Canada and Géologie Québec
led to the discovery of kimberlite indicator minerals in the Lac
Bienville area. To conclude this program, a geological overview
of Québec's Far North will be produced.
Baie James
Projects underway in the Baie James region
essentially relate to a global geological and metallogenic overview
of work performed since 1995 along the rivière La Grande.
A recent compilation of geological data for map sheet will allow
us to release very soon a new collection of colour-coded maps at
1:50,000 scale for the entire 33G map sheet.
Abitibi
Projects in the Abitibi are conducted
under the three-year action plan for 2001-2003 established
by the Ministère in conjunction with mining industry members.
Géologie Québec is currently continuing its inventory
survey in the Urban-Barry belt, east of Lebel-sur-Quévillon,
as well as a metallogenic study of the Doyon-Bousquet-LaRonde
mining camp undertaken in 2000. This year, a 3D-modelling
component will be added to the latter study. The 3D-modelling,
at the scale of the mining camp, will be conducted in partnership
with the URSTM (Unité de recherché en sciences et
en technologie minérale) of the Université du Québec
en Abitibi-Témiscamigue. The other partners
involved in the Doyon-Bousquet-LaRonde project with
the Department are: mining companies Barrick Gold Corporation,
Cambior Inc., Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd and Yorbeau Resources
Inc., as well as the Geological Survey of Canada.
During the summer 2002, the Department
will also launch a new mapping project in the Lac Olga sector, located
between Matagami and Chibougamau. A metallogenic study north of
Rouyn-Noranda, along the Destor-Porcupine
fault, is also on the agenda. This study includes a 3D-modelling
component as well.
Furthermore, our compilation efforts at all map
scales will continue. This measure will allow us to produce a new
collection of colour-coded maps for the entire 32E map sheet.
This year also, a global map at 1:500,000 scale
of the entire Abitibi greenstone belt incorporating the latest geological
and geochronological data will be released in digital format.
Finally, three new mineral potential maps for the
volcanogenic massive sulphide model will be produced.
Grenville
Géologie Québec continues
to extend its geological mapping coverage at 1:50,000 scale
of the Grenville Province, as well as its regional overviews. One
of these deals with map sheet 22E north of the Saguenay region,
an area with particularly promising Ni-Cu and PGE potential.
Another mapping project covers map sheet 31O/06, north of Mont-Laurier;
it will allow us to complete an overview of the north part of the
Central Metasedimentary Belt. This area is particularly interesting
for its ore deposit settings in a metasedimentary environment.
Appalachians
Over the past year, after consulting
with exploration companies and research agencies involved in this
area, Géologie Québec has prepared a three-year
plan for its activities in the Appalachians. This year, phase I
of the plan will be launched with a project to compile, update the
geology and study the metallogenic setting of the southern Gaspésie
region and the Bas-Saint-Laurent. These studies are
more specifically focused on base and precious metal deposits hosted
in "red bed" and Carlin-type settings. This
project also includes a re-analysis of stream sediments
for base metals.
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