Natural Resources Canada

Albert Peter Low, 1861-1942
Geologist, Director of Geological Survey of Canada, 1906-1907

Canada's "Iron Man" Geologist

Albert Peter Low - geologist and map-maker - led a life that legend is made of. As a geologist for the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), he explored and mapped more than 12,000 kilometres of harsh terrain in the wilds of Labrador and northern Quebec in the late 1800s. Albert was appointed Director of the GSC in 1906 and then Deputy Minister of the Department of Mines in 1907.

Explorer extraordinaire

As a young intern for the GSC, Albert was bitten by the field work bug while on a summer expedition in the Gaspé Peninsula. In 1882 he graduated from McGill University with a degree in geology and joined the GSC, moving with them to new offices in Ottawa. But his real passion remained field work.

In one year alone, between 1893 and 1894, Albert and his GSC crew covered more than 8,000 kilometres of wilderness, including nearly 5,000 by canoe and 1,500 on foot.

One story in particular demonstrates the Montreal-born geologist's iron character. It occurred in 1884, in the dead of winter on the shores of Lake Mistassini in northern Quebec. Albert and a provincial official were in heated dispute over who was leading the survey expedition. Fed up, Albert packed a sled, put on his snowshoes and walked almost 500 kilometres of empty, frozen terrain to reach Québec, where he caught a train to Ottawa. He returned the way he came - on snowshoes again - five weeks later, with a letter granting him full authority for the expedition. He was only 23 years old.

A natural in the field

Albert's most important scientific work is considered to be his expedition to study the vast, unexplored Labrador Peninsula in 1894 and 1895. During this expedition, Albert discovered huge deposits of iron ore, which later led to the development of iron mines in the area. His groundbreaking explorations and surveys of the Peninsula were also used to define the Quebec-Labrador border.

One of his greatest feats was to map northern Quebec's Grande River, which became part of the James Bay hydroelectric project in the 1970s.

In 1897, he participated in a government expedition to Hudson Bay, and was in charge of exploring the Labrador side of Hudson Strait between Baffin Island and the continent.

He resigned from the Geological Survey in 1901 to prospect for iron on Hudson Bay, but returned to the GSC afterwards.

Raising the flag for Canada

With his vast field experience, Albert was the ideal candidate to command a government expedition to Hudson Bay and the Eastern Arctic islands, now part of Nunavut, in 1903-04. Though the expedition was scientific in nature, it was also Canada's first clear exercise of authority over its newly acquired northern lands.

The steamship Neptune, pride of Newfoundland's sealing fleet, was home for 15 months to the expedition party, which included scientific staff and North West Mounted Police. After surveying the west coast of Hudson Bay, the expedition sailed to Ellesmere Island in the summer of 1904 and took formal possession of it for Canada. The flag was also raised on Beechey and Somerset islands before the Neptune returned to Halifax, having covered a distance of 3,200 kilometres.

The GSC crew performed extensive geological examinations at every anchorage and studied the weather, ice conditions, tides and currents. They also collected rocks, fossils, bird, fish and mammal specimens for the new Victoria Memorial Museum, now the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa.

Low's Legacy

Albert's numerous reports remain comprehensive accounts of the geology of northeastern Canada. During the long and arduous canoe trips, he rarely handled a paddle, but concentrated instead on sketching the shoreline, recording measurements and making notes.

His field reports, sketches and maps are still considered today as models of clarity, detail and accuracy. As well, hundreds of his expedition photographs of the geography and people he encountered are part of the GSC photo archives and an invaluable record of northern Canadian history.

He also published The Cruise of the Neptune, a treasure house of information and photographs of the Arctic peoples and the new scientific knowledge the crew had gathered about the area's geology, weather, plants and animals.

Director of GSC

Unfortunately, Albert only served as director of the GSC for 18 months before being struck with a severe illness that eventually led to his retirement in 1913. He died in Ottawa in 1942.

In 1965, geologists John L. Jambor and Robert W. Boyle discovered a transparent, pink-coloured cobalt mineral. They named the rock aplowite to commemorate Albert P. Low's contribution to Canada.

Life Achievements

1882 Graduated from McGill with degree in geology
1885-1895 Explored northern Quebec and Labrador
1897 Participated in Wakeham's Dominion government expedition to Hudson Bay
1903-1904 Commander of Dominion Government expedition to Hudson Bay and Eastern Arctic
1906 Director of GSC
1907 Deputy Minister of the Department of Mines
1913 Retired due to illness

More Trailblazers

Français	Contact Us	Help	Search	Canada Site

Home	About Us	Subject Listing	NRCan Subsites	Products and Services