string(10) "[Minerals]"

Integrated Geological and Geophysical Porphyry Models: Adding Value to Geoscience BC Geophysical Data

Lead Researcher(s):  D. Mitchinson

Project ID:  2009-001

Key Research Organization(s):  University of British Columbia - MDRU

Project Location:  Central Interior

Strategic Focus Area:  Minerals

Summary



To interpret geophysical data most effectively, it is necessary to have an understanding of the characteristic ranges of physical property values of the rocks being surveyed. With knowledge of how physical rock properties vary with rock type, hydrothermal alteration, and mineralization, it is also possible to constrain geophysical inversion calculations to refine 3D models of the Earth's subsurface. This Geoscience BC funded project aimed to:

1. Compile existing property data from rocks representing a selection of central BC mineral deposits,
2. Enhance the physical property database with new property measurements made on samples from these deposits, as well as from rock samples collected from outlying areas, and
3. Apply acquired property knowledge to constrain geophysical inversions.

The mineral deposits being investigated are those over which Geoscience BC had detailed magnetic and EM surveys flown as part of their QUEST and QUEST-West projects. They represent mainly porphyry-style deposits, and include past producers, current producers, and projects in development stages. As part of the ongoing process of adding value to Geoscience BC datasets, this project was undertaken to define relationships between geophysical datasets collected as part of these QUEST surveys and porphyry deposit geology at six known porphyry deposits. The deposits chosen for investigation include: Mount Milligan, Endako, Huckleberry, Bell, Granisle and Morrison.

Selected Mineral Deposits in Project Study

Deliverables