The present-day expression of mountain building events at approximately 1.8 billion years ago are globally significant, and are host to some of the world's, and Canada's, richest mineral deposits. In Canada, the extent of the Trans-Hudson Orogen and bounding Archean Superior Province margin spans the northern parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec, and eastern Nunavut. The geologic knowledgebase of this vast area is substantial, but remains scattered.

The role of The Trans-Hudson / Superior Margin Metallotect project is to produce and communicate readily accessible geoscientific information that will enable northern communities and government departments to understand the geological landscape and accurately assess the mineral resource potential of the Trans-Hudson orogen and Circum-Superior margin for the elaboration of economic, development or land use policies. It will also provide the mineral exploration industry (both national and international) with a modern, timely and process- oriented geoscience knowledge base essential for development of gold, Ni-PGEs, base metals and diamond exploration strategies for the area.

Primary objectives of the project include compilation, synthesis and production of a craton-scale tectonostratigraphic map of the Trans-Hudson Orogen (THO) and Superior margin with geophysical, geochemical, geochronological, mineral deposit layers and supporting cross-sections as a primary knowledge resource to the mineral industry. A more focused study on ice flow dynamics and kimberlite indicator minerals in the northern Superior Province in Québec will provide new data on the Quaternary evolution and potential kimberlite occurrence in the region. Targeted Geoscience Initiative (TGI) components merged to this project will focus on the geochronology of the THO in Saskatchewan, completing the high-resolution aeromagnetic coverage of the Superior Boundary Zone, as well as augmenting surficial geochemistry studies in Saskatchewan and Québec.

Project Priorities:

• GIS compilation and synthesis of Trans-Hudson Orogen and Western Superior activities.
• Construction of cross-sections through the Trans-Hudson Orogen, and process-oriented research of the Trans-Hudson margin Ni-Cu-PGE metallotect.
• Research and synthesis of ice flow dynamics, Quaternary stratigraphy, and diamond potential of Nunavik, northern Quebec, and the James Bay lowlands.
• Delivering this geoscience knowledge in timely and accessible formats to industry and local community stakeholders.

Products and Results:

• Assean Lake survey
• Targeted Geoscience Initiative

Project Partners:

• Saskatchewan Industry and Resources
• Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office
• Manitoba Mines Branch
• Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines
• Géologie Québec
• Falconbridge Ltd.
• Inco Ltd.
• DeBeers
• Mira Geoscience Ltd.

For More Information: David Corrigan