Maurice Colpron
Project Geologist

Maurice conducts regional mapping programs for the Yukon Geology Program. Since arriving in the Yukon, he has been involved in mapping rocks of the Yukon-Tanana terrane in the Glenlyon (105L) and Finlayson Lake (105G) map areas. His work is a contribution to the Ancient Pacific Margin NATMAP project, a joint program involving geoscientists of the Geological Survey of Canada, the British Columbia Geological Survey Branch, the Yukon Geology Program, the U.S. Geological Survey, the State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, as well as university researchers. Maurice is editor for an upcoming volume that will synthesize the result of this NATMAP project.

His expertise lies primarily in the fields of structural geology and tectonics, although he has also delved into the fields of geochemistry, geochronology (40Ar/39Ar and U-Pb), metamorphic petrology, stratigraphy and sedimentology. Maurice has extensive mapping experience both in the Appalachians and the Canadian Cordillera. He has worked as a geologist for the Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources du Québec (Québec Appalachians), the B.C. Geological Survey Branch (Selkirk Mountains) and the Government of the Northwest Territories (Mackenzie Mountains) prior to joining the Yukon Geology Program in 1998. His mineral deposit experience lies primarily in establishing the stratigraphic and structural settings of volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits, although he has also worked on projects evaluating the setting of (and the potential for) sediment-hosted stratiform copper (Kupferschiefer-type), Mississippi Valley-type Zn-Pb, and paleoplacer (TiO2) deposits.

Maurice is also involved in the design and implementation of geological databases for field data capture and the production of digital geological maps. As such, he works closely with the Yukon Geology Program GIS staff to develop tools for efficient digital data capture and dissemination.

Maurice completed a B.Sc. geology from Université du Québec à Montréal, a M.Sc. from the University of Vermont, and a Ph.D. from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario.

Selected Publications:

Colpron, M., 1998, Preliminary geological map of Little Kalzas Lake area, central Yukon (NTS105L/13): Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 1:50 000.
Colpron, M., 1999a, Glenlyon Project: Preliminary stratigraphy and structure of Yukon-Tanana terrane, Little Kalzas Lake area, central Yukon (105L/13), in Roots, C. F. and Emond, D. S., eds., Yukon Exploration and Geology 1998: Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 63-72.
Colpron, M., 1999b, A new mineral occurrence in Yukon-Tanana terrane near Little Salmon Lake, central Yukon (NTS 105L/2), in Roots, C. F. and Emond, D. S., eds., Yukon Exploration and Geology 1998: Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 255-258.
Colpron, M., 2000, Geological map of Little Salmon Lake (parts of NTS 105L/1, 2 & 7), central Yukon (1:50 000 scale): Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 1:50 000.
Colpron, M., 2001, Geochemical characterization of Carboniferous volcanic successions from Yukon-Tanana terrane, Glenlyon map area (105L), central Yukon, in Emond, D. S. and Weston, L. H., eds., Yukon Exploration and Geology 2000: Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon Region, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 111-136.
Colpron, M. and Price, R. A., 1995, Tectonic significance of the Kootenay terrane, southeastern Canadian Cordillera: An alternative model: Geology, v. 23, p. 25-28.