New maps focus the search for mineralization in the Interior Plateau
December 12, 2017 - Six new maps released yesterday by Geoscience BC and the British Columbia Geological Survey (BCGS) will help locate mineralization buried under thick layers of glacial till in BC's Interior Plateau.
Covering an area north and east of Anahim Lake the new surficial geology maps were created by interpreting features visible in aerial photos using 3D stereo technology, followed by field work to validate and improve the interpretations. The maps ultimately show where basal till -- material scoured at the base of a glacier -- is mostly likely to occur. Since basal till is thought to closely represent an area's geology and mineral potential, these maps will guide future till geochemistry sampling and mineralogy research.
Commenting on the new maps, Geoscience BC Vice President of Minerals and Mining Bruce Madu said: "This area has not seen much exploration in the past. One of the reasons for this is the difficulty of interpreting the relationship between till at the surface and any mineralization below. These new maps provide a guide to where the most useful till can be sampled."
Understanding where conditions exist for mineralization guides future exploration, and can also be used by communities, Indigenous groups and government when considering economic development and land use planning.
The six maps are some of the last publications to come from the Targeting Resources for Exploration and Knowledge (TREK) project, and have been produced as part of ongoing collaboration between Geoscience BC and the BCGS
Accessing Information
To view the maps, visit our TREK project page and scroll down to the 'Geoscience BC Report 2017-02' section or view the information on our Earth Science Viewer.
View TREK project page View Basal Till Potential Maps in Earth Science Viewer
The same information is also available through the BCGS website here.
About the TREK project
Geoscience BC's $4 million multi-year, multi-disciplinary Targeting Resources for Exploration and Knowledge (TREK) project generated earth science information that stimulated mineral and geothermal exploration across 24,000 square kilometers in British Columbia's underexplored Interior Plateau.
About Geoscience BC
Geoscience BC is an independent, non-profit organization that generates earth science information in collaboration with First Nations, local communities, governments, academia and the resource sector. Our independent earth science enables informed resource management decisions. Geoscience BC gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.