The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) will invest $1,735,000 towards five geoscience themes in the Northwest Territories in 2010-2011. The Government of Northwest Territories Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and several partners will contribute a further $600,000 for a total project value of $2,335,000.
The projects will be managed by the Northwest Territories Geoscience Office (NTGO), established in 1999 as a partnership initiative between the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and the Geology Division of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC). Geoscience research activities provide new and valuable geological data that supports mineral and petroleum resource exploration and development decisions and encourages investment in the territory.
The funding will be used for a series of geoscience knowledge building projects including targeted bedrock mapping and mineral deposit studies; regional stream sediment and water geochemical surveys; information technology and services; and geophysical data collection and interpretation.
1. Targeted bedrock mapping and mineral deposit studies
CanNor funding: $805,000
Several targeted bedrock mapping projects and mineral deposit studies will be undertaken to identify potential precious and base metal and petroleum deposits in under-explored and under-mapped regions of the territory. Areas include portions of the Mackenzie Mountains and Mackenzie Plain, Yellowknife Greenstone Belt, Blachford Intrusive Complex, and the East Arm of Great Slave Lake.
2. Regional Geochemical Surveys
CanNor funding: $20,000
Using helicopters to conduct stream sediment geochemical surveys is an effective and timely way to gather geological and environmental knowledge of large regions. Funding will be used to conduct laboratory analysis of samples previously collected during this multiyear program.
3. Information Technology and Services
CanNor Funding $350,000
The NTGO’s web-accessible services and geological databases will be updated and enhanced. Changes to the NT GoMap web application include improvements to graphics, updates to web mapping features, general updates to content, and creating new digital databases. The NORMIN database of mineral occurrences will continue to be updated. A new geological map of the NWT will also be produced.
4. Geophysical data collection and interpretation
CanNor Funding 380,000
An airborne survey will be conducted to collect geophysical information from the Hottah Terrane where it is shallowly buried beneath the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Specialists will also be engaged to interpret data from current and past surveys to answer geological questions and identify new exploration targets and models.
5. Technical Support
CanNor Funding $180,000
Funds will be used to hire a devoted Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technician as well as a Project Geologist with specialized credentials to mainly support petroleum-related projects.
Federal investment for these projects is made possible through CanNor ’s Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED) program which focuses on long-term economic growth, economic diversification and capacity building in all three territories.
