New Sample Re-analysis to Focus Mineral Exploration Investment in BC’s Central Interior
Vancouver – April 4, 2023 – An additional suite of new geochemical reanalysis results published by Geoscience BC will help to further focus mineral exploration investment in British Columbia in an area between Williams Lake, Quesnel and Mackenzie.
The new data are the final results from Geoscience BC’s Surficial Exploration Project by Noble Exploration Services Ltd. and Palmer and concludes the Central Interior Copper-Gold Research (CICGR) program. They include reanalysis of 661 additional samples recently recovered from storage at BC Geological Survey and Natural Resources Canada facilities. These have been added to geochemical reanalysis data released in 2021 to create a dataset containing 3,200 reanalyses.
The project will be included in a talk on Geoscience BC’s latest public earth science research at the Kamloops Exploration Group (KEG) Conference and Trade Show on April 4 and 5 at the Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre.
The new data are an essential part of the Surficial Exploration Project and help to ‘see through’ glacial sediments to better understand mineral exploration potential in the region. This is needed to support industry, governments, communities and Indigenous groups in making more informed decisions. The data adds to initial reanalysis results and maps published in 2021, 2022 and early 2023.
Geoscience BC Vice President, Minerals, Christa Pellett said: "The Central Interior Copper-Gold Research projects play a vital role focusing mineral exploration in BC. The new data are central to this research and will support the CICGR goal to improve understanding of surficial geology in central British Columbia."
CICGR is a major multi-year Geoscience BC series of collaborative minerals earth science projects between the Gibraltar and Mount Polley (Williams Lake, Quesnel) and Mount Milligan (Mackenzie) mines. The program is designed to highlight potential mineral deposits buried under glacial deposits in order to focus mineral exploration, attract investment and assist more informed natural resource decisions. The CICGR program also includes the Identification of New Porphyry Potential Under Cover in Central British Columbia project. Results from that project by Dianne Mitchinson at the University of British Columbia’s Mineral Deposit Research Unit were published in January 2022, and will also be featured in a technical talk at the KEG Conference.
Geoscience BC encourages anyone considering staking a mineral claim or conducting any type of mineral exploration work to engage early and engage often with appropriate local Indigenous groups. The Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) provides an Early Engagement Planning Tool. The Province of British Columbia’s Consultative Areas Database can be used to identify potentially impacted First Nations and their respective contacts.
Accessing information
To view the research, visit the project page or view the information on Geoscience BC's Earth Science Viewer online mapping application.
View project page View project in Earth Science Viewer
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For more information, please contact:
Richard Truman
Geoscience BC
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