The British Columbia Geological Survey (BCGS) continued to play a leading role in the creation of a thriving, safe, and sustainable mining industry in British Columbia (BC) in 2010. This was accomplished by providing world-class geoscience expertise and data to government, industry, and the general public. A new multi-year rare metals project started under the auspices of the renewed Targeted Geoscience Initiative program (TGI-4). This rare metals project is a national initiative co-lead by George Simandl of the BCGS. Its overall objective is to develop new exploration methodologies and technologies in the search for rare earth and rare metal deposits. Rare metals are important in the manufacturing of automobiles and many high-tech products such as cell phones and computers.

1. British Columbia Geological Survey Activities in 2010
by S.M. Rowins, L. Jones, D.V. Lefebure and J. Fredericks
INTRODUCTION products such as cell phones and computers. Other
important BCGS partners included Geoscience BC
The British Columbia Geological Survey (BCGS) (GBC). In 2010, the BCGS and GBC collaborated on the
continued to play a leading role in the creation of a delivery of a surficial mapping and till sampling program
thriving, safe, and sustainable mining industry in British southeast of Houston in the Tahtsa Lake district of west-
Columbia (BC) in 2010. This was accomplished by central BC. Finally, as in past years, university students
providing world-class geoscience expertise and data to were employed as co-op interns and geoscience assistants
government, industry, and the general public. These throughout the year. Their help with the delivery of our
diverse groups use our expertise and data in different field programs and work on improving our digital
ways, but an underlying interest of all groups is to see the geoscience databases is greatly appreciated.
province position itself as a favoured destination for
investment by the mineral exploration and mining
industry. A great attribute of the BCGS in the fast-paced
BCGS FIELD ACTIVITIES
world of today is its ability to consistently deliver A main priority of the BCGS is to generate new
standardized high quality geological maps, geoscience geoscience data and products, including bedrock and
reports, and online interactive geoscience databases in a surficial geology maps and targeted mineral deposit
very short timeframe. All geoscience products are made studies. The locations of the 2010 field projects are shown
available online via MapPlace, the award-winning in Figure 1. Projects are typically chosen with the
internet portal of the BCGS. objective of helping to diversify local economies by
The mineral exploration and mining industry attracting mineral exploration activity that may lead to the
continued to perform well throughout the 2008-10 opening of new mines. In many parts of the province,
recession and helped lead the economic recovery in BC. mineral exploration and mining are essential drivers of
Exploration expenditures in 2010 are estimated between local employment and tax revenue, and directly support
$220 and $300 million, a significant increase over the the development of regional infrastructure.
$154 million spent in 2009. Nevertheless, funding levels Field mapping studies (Figure 1) continued in the
for the BCGS in 2010 were similar to those in 2009. This North Coast (Nelson et al., this volume), Iskut River
resulted in the BCGS continuing to focus on creating new (Mihalynuk et al., this volume), and Tahtsa Lake (Ferbey,
geoscience products from existing data and developing this volume) areas of the province. A new two-year GEM
innovative programs that involved cooperative “Edges” project in northern British Columbia started in
partnerships with universities, industry, and other public 2010 with mapping in the Kutcho Creek area near the
geoscience agencies. The BCGS continued its long Kutcho Creek volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit
collaboration with the Geological Survey of Canada (Schiarizza, this volume).
(GSC) by participating in four joint field projects in 2010. In addition to these 2010 mapping projects, several
Three field mapping projects were delivered as part of the other mineral deposit-related studies were brought to
GSC’s Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals (GEM) completion. These include age determinations of
program and a new multi-year rare metals project started mineralization and porphyritic intrusive rocks at the
under the auspices of the renewed Targeted Geoscience Brenda and Woodjam porphyry Cu-Mo (Au) deposits
Initiative program (TGI-4). This rare metals project is a (Logan et al., this volume), the creation of a new Mineral
national initiative co-lead by George Simandl of the Deposit Profile for carbonate-hosted, nonsulphide Zn-Pb
BCGS. Its overall objective is to develop new exploration deposits in BC (Paradis and Simandl, this volume), a
methodologies and technologies in the search for rare preliminary study of nickeliferous minerals in the Cassiar
metal deposits. Rare metals are important in the asbestos deposit (Hora et al., this volume), an
manufacturing of automobiles and many high-tech investigation of placer gold nuggets with implications for
bedrock sources from the Atlin placer camp (Mihalynuk
This publication is also available, free of charge, as colour et al., this volume), a study of the mineral potential of the
digital files in Adobe Acrobat® PDF format from the BC western Liard Basin in northeastern BC (Ferri et al., this
Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands website at volume) and a discussion of the geochemistry of Permo-
http://www.empr.gov.bc.ca/Mining/Geoscience/PublicationsCat Triassic volcanic rocks of the southern Nicola Group west
alogue/Fieldwork.
Geological Fieldwork 2010, Paper 2011-1 1

2. 2
Figure 1. British Columbia Geological Survey 2010 field project areas.
v
British Columbia Geological Survey

3. of the Bo oundary fault near Princet ton (Massey, this unti 2013. It is a key proje in the Fed
il ect deral GEM
volume). The western Liard shale basin study is a prog
gram. Support is being contr
ributed by all p
participating
welcome contribution fr
c rom the Geosc cience and Na
atural agenncies.
Gas Devel lopment Branc of the Ministry of Energ A
ch gy. The ultimate goal of the in nitiative is to i
improve the
technical report by Cui (this volume) on the validation
r ) effe ctiveness of re
esource explora ation and discoovery in the
and refitti
ing of stream sample loca
m ations in Regional nortthern Cordilllera by outlining re
esource-rich
Geochemic Surveys (RGS), togethe with a ano
cal ( er other enviironments in British Colu umbia, the Y Yukon, and
paper by Cui (this volume) on the best practices fors Alasska. The geo ological target are the ex
ts xotic outer
ng geologica
maintainin al databases, highlight the
, terra
anes with thei enclosed pr
ir re-accretionary syngenetic
importance of data integrity in public geosci
e p ience and epigenetic d deposits and the metal-ric Triassic
ch
reporting. A technical paper com
l mparing analy ytical ough Paleoge
thro ene magmatic arcs and associated
c
methods fo rare earth, ra metal, and high field stre
or are ength accrretion zones t that resulted from interact tion of the
elements in geological samples (Lett and Paterson, this
i s , terra
anes with the western m margin of anc cient North
volume) roounds out the contributions (F
c Figure 2). Ame erica. The targ areas inclu parts of n
get ude northern and
Severa smaller field projects were also complete by
al d e ed cent British Col
tral lumbia where t geological map base is
the
Survey staff over the summmer. The Sch Creek porp
haft phyry eithe several deca
er ades out of dat or at insuffic
te ciently large
Cu-Mo-Au deposit in no
u orthwest BC was visited by Jim
w y scal e to evaluate mmineral potent using modern tectonic
tial
Logan and Regional Ge
d eologist Paul Wojdak out of the
W interrpretations.
Smithers office (Figure 1). They inves
o stigated the various
Nor Coast Partnership Pr
rth roject (Edges
s)
styles of mineralization and types of alteration at Schaft
m a
Creek in an effort to draw comparisons and contrasts with
n w s JoAnne Nelso and Larry Diakow retur
on rned from a
other porpphyry systems in the provin nce. Larry Dia akow succcessful secon field season mapping along the
nd
visited the Spences Bridg ge–Merritt area and mapped type nortthern coastal r
region of BC. In 2009, the f first year of
sections of the Nicola Group containi conodonts that
f G ing s the NNorth Coast prroject, geologic mapping be
cal egan on and
accurately define the Tria
assic-Jurassic timescale boun
t ndary near Porcher Islan at the north
r nd, hern end of the Alexander
e
(Figure 1). terra south of Prince Rupert (Figure 1). M
ane t Mapping in
2010 focused on the southern end of the t
0 terrane near
Ongoing Projects
g Klemmtu. In 2011, sparse ex xposures of p pre-plutonic
strat
tified rocks in the inter rvening region will be
Edges – Modeling the Evolution of the Northe
M e o ern docuumented. JoA Anne and Larr ry’s activities were done
Cordillera Resource Environment from the
a E t with help from Brian Maho
h oney (and hi graduate
is
Edges of Exotic Terra
f anes stud
dents) from th University of Wiscons
he y sin, George
Edges is a highly focused multi-year geolo ogical Gehhrels and Mark Pecha of the U
k University of AArizona, and
mapping initiative in nvolving form mal collaboration Cee s van Staal fr rom the Geolo ogical Survey of Canada.
between th Government of Canada the Provinc of
he a, ce The North Coast project achie eved the following in its
British Coolumbia, the Yukon Territory Geoscience BC,
Y y, seco year of ope
ond eration:
the United States Geol
d logical Survey and the Al
y, laska • completio of geologic map covera of a 30
on cal age
Division of Geological an Geophysica Surveys. It began
nd al b by 50 killometre area c
covering the ch
hannels and
ations in 2009 in British Colu
field opera i umbia and will last islands b
between Retur Channel an northern
rn nd
Princess Royal Island, in eastern La
aredo Sound
map areaa.
• rock un nits of the Alexander terrane of
southeasttern Alaska can be tr raced into
northwes stern British C
Columbia, inclu uding those
that are known to ho volcanogen massive
ost nic
sulphide (VMS) minera alization. Farth south, in
her
the 2010 map area, t
0 the Alexander terrane is
r
representted by young ger, probably Devonian,
clastic-ca
arbonate strata.
.
• the Grenv ville Channel fault is a mid-Cretaceous
sinistral f
fault of regiona extent (>150 km).
al 0
Isku River Part
ut tnership Proj
ject (Edges)
Figure 2. Ray Lett collec cting stream sa
amples that con
ntains
Mitch Mihaly ynuk, Jim Log gan, and Alex Zagorevski
hfinder elements used by explor
various path s ration geochemis to
sts of th GSC return to the Coa Belt of no
he ned ast orthwest BC
discover min
neral deposits. and the area surro
ounding the Ro and Roll vo
ock olcanogenic
masssive sulphide d
deposit (Figure 3). This was t second
e the
Geological Fieldwork 2010, Paper 2011-1 3

4. Figure 3. Mitch Mihalynuk using geological intuition to identify
M g Figure 4. A structurally engaged Jim Logan with H
y Hoodoo
ar
reas of high mine potential in th Iskut.
eral he Mountain s
shrouded in cloud in the backgro
ds ound.
fie season of a partnership between Pacifi North West
eld b ic by Ferbe in 2009. Q
ey Quaternary til cover prese
ll ents a
Capital Corp., the University of Victoria, the GSC, and
t t challenge to traditional prospecting and makes th area
e l he
th BCGS. Th short-term goal of the project is to
he he ideally su
uited for a min
neral potential a
assessment usi till
ing
deetermine the stratigraphic an structural setting of the
s nd s geochemi istry. During t 2010 field season, 85 ba till
the asal
R
Rock and Roll deposit. The lon
d nger term goal is to evaluate samples wwere collected for analysis. A additional 18 till
d An
th potential fo similar mine
he or eralization witthin the Iskut samples were collected for separati
d ion and analy ysis of
an adjacent regions. Follow up work in 2010 revealed
nd 2 heavy min neral concentr
rates and gold-ggrain counts.
th the stratigra
hat aphic sequence which hosts the Rock and
e, Obse
ervations mad at field st
de tations sugges that
st
R deposit, is similar to tha which hosts the Granduc
Roll at s Quaternar sediments w
ry within the study area may not be as
y t
voolcanogenic massive sulphide deposit to the south.
m t thick or areally extennsive as previ iously hypotheesized.
M
Mapping in the Hoodoo Moun ntain area north of Rock and
h Therefore sedimentary cover may no be as signifi
e, y ot icant a
R also led to the discovery of numerous copper-gold
Roll o y s hindrance to mineral ex
e xploration in th map area.
he
sh
howings in intr
rusive rocks tha share simila
at arities with the
al
lkalic porphyry Cu-Au style mineralization at the Galore
y m n Souther Nicola Pro
rn oject
Creek deposit (F
Figure 4).
Geocchemical highl lights from Nic Massey on N
ck Nicola
Ta
Tahtsa Lake Partnership Project
P P Group ro ocks (this volu
ume) follow up on the coord
p dinated
mapping projects in 20 and 2009 by Massey an his
008 nd
Travis Ferb
bey, in partner
rship with Ge eoscience BC, colleague The present study utilized samples of N
es. t d Nicola
re
eturned to the Tahtsa Lake district to co omplete a till Group vo olcanic and voolcaniclastic rocks collected d during
ge
eochemistry su urvey northeas of Huckleb
st berry Mine in these yea (Figure 5). The results of the geoche
ars emical
th Colleymoun map area (N
he nt NTS 093L/1) that hosts the
t analyses confirm corre elation of the Nicola Group rocks
pa producing Equity Silver Mine (Figure 1). This is an
ast west of th Boundary f
he fault with the “ “Western Belt” This
”.
ar that has hig potential to host porphyry Cu+/-Mo+/-
rea gh o y correlatio may have i
on implications f mineralizat
for tion in
A and polym
Au metallic vein occurrences, and possibly the projec area. Specif
ct fically, felsic v
volcanic rocks in the
vo
olcanogenic massive sulph
m hide deposits. This is the “Western Belt” are potential host to volcano
n ts ogenic
se
econd and fina year of the program and builds upon
al e d massive s sulphide depossits, although f felsic volcanic rocks
c
pr
revious Quaterrnary geology and till geochem
a mistry work have not y been identi
yet ified in the prooject area.
4 British Columbia Geological Survey

5. clien with effici
nts iencies in research time, dat costs and
ta
anallysis. Data thhemes and a applications avvailable on
Map pPlace include mineral potenntial, bedrock a surficial
and
geollogy, publicattions, mineral and petroleum tenure,
l
MIN NFILE, asses ssment repor rts, geochem mistry and
geopphysical survveys. Yao C Cui and Pat Desjardins
conttributed geommatic expertise to MapPlace data and
e
appllication enhanncements and integration of servers.
d
Map pPlace became active on a new web server in October
e r
2009 and steps are being tak
9 ken to upgrad maps to
de
Map pGuide Enterpr rise.
New data and updates on M
d MapPlace in 201 include:
10
• update t regional geochemistry catchment
to
basins an RGS locatio snapped to 1:20 000-
nd ons
scale rive
ers;
Figure 5. Nick Massey exa
N amining volcanic rocks of the Nicola
c N
Group, Princ
ceton, southern British Columbia.
B • mineral ttenure archive for January 2010 and
es y
January 2
2011;
Major Ne Projects
ew s
• Natural R
Resource Sect Boundaries and First
tor
Kutcho Partnership Project (Edge
P P es) Nations T
Treaty Areas;
The Kutcho project is a two-year bedrock map
K r pping • new BC CGS Publicati ion Search Application
program in nitiated by the BCGS in 2010 in partner
e rship without i
imbedded Map pPlace map p
plus Google
with the Geological Surv of Canada (Edges project) and
vey ( ) searches for various pa of the web databases
arts b,
Kutcho Mining Corp. (formerly Capstone Mi
M . ining rts;
and repor
Corporatio The aim of this project is to gain a better
on). o b • Mineral Economy ma updates w
ap with current
understandding of, and provide more detailed geolo
p d ogical mines and 2009 explora
d ation properties
s;
maps for, the Permo-Tri iassic Kutcho assemblage, which
w
• dynamic update of MIN
NFILE and AR with the
RIS
hosts the Kutcho Creek volcanogenic massive sulp
k c phide
GeoBC GGeographic Waarehouse (LRD
DW);
deposit.
• Till Geoc
chemistry of th Nadina Rive Map Area
he er
tals TGI-4 Partnership Pro
Rare Met roject (NTS 0933E/15), BCGS Open File 20110-07;
The BCGS and GSC began collab
B C borating on a multi-
m • Relative Drift Thickn
ness Map, No orth-Central
year province-wide study of rare meta The term “rare
y als. BC, Geosscience BC Re
eport 2010-14;
metals” reefers mainly to uncommon, nonferrous metals
o m • QUEST-S South Airbo
orne Gravity
y Survey,
used in sm quantities, typically <15 000 tonnes/
mall 50 /year, Geoscien BC Report 2010-6;
nce
or derived from geograph hically restrict areas. The Rare
ted
Metals TG Program will study ore deposits in term of
GI-4 w d ms • Regional Drainage Sediment a and Water
geological setting, mineralizing processes, app
m p plied Geochemmical Data, Cen
ntral BC, Geo
oscience BC
mineralogy exploration methods, and metallur
y, n rgical Report 20
009-11;
constraints The results will address some of the major
s. s m • re-analys of archived stream and lak sediment
sis ke
knowledge gaps related to these deposi and are expe
e t its ected samples covering NT map shee
TS ets, Sample
to help th Canadian mining industry tap dom
he mestic Reanalys (NTS 082
sis 2E, 082L, 082 2M, 092H,
sources of rare metals. This will con
f ntribute directl to
ly 092I, 092 092O, 092P QUEST-So
2J, P) outh Project,
supporting the existing an newly deve
g nd eloping segmen of
nts Geoscien BC Report 2010-4;
nce
the high te
echnology indu ustry in North America and help
ensure adeequate global supply. Georg Simandl of the
ge f • QUEST-S South Regiona Geochemica Data, in-
al al
BCGS is the national sc
t cience leader for the Rare Metals
fo M fill samp
pling and the reanalysis o archived
e of
TGI-4 Prog gram. sediment pulps from NTS map sh heets 092H,
092I, 092 Geoscience BC Report 20
2J, 010-13;
MAPPLAACE AND DATABAS
SE • Open FFile 2008-4, Rock Prope
erties table
ACTIVIT
TIES download and display;
ds ;
• additiona infrastructur including airport and
al re,
MapPlac
ce port locat
tions, and hydr lines; and
ro
MapPllace, our inter
rnet portal and one of the most
d • updated B
BCGS CGKN Data Catalog totalling
N gue
effective geoscience online map systems glob
o bally, 3900 reco
ords.
continues to improve wit the addition of new data la
t th ayers
and improoved interface tools. MapPlace has prov vided
Geological Fieldwork 2010, Paper 2011-1 5

6. P
Property File Database Innovatio and
e, es, on Delineatiion of Cat tchment Basi
ins for Reg
egional
M
Mineral Resoource Evalu
uations Geochemmical Survey with High Performance Web
Services (
(Figure 6).
During 2010 Property File, a collec
F ction of over
63 000 unique in
3 ndustry documments and maps continued to
s, Over the past year Kirk Hancoc Larry Jone and
r r ck, es
grrow. Recent Property File donations we made by
P ere Sarah M Meredith-Jones provided 16 mineral resource
6
A
Andre Panteleye Tom Schro
ev, oeter and the estate of W.G.
e assessmen of differen areas of Briti Columbia f the
nts nt ish for
H
Hainsworth. As of December, 2010, over 25 000 property
5 Ministry of Aboriginal Relations an Reconciliat
l nd tion to
fil documents were availab online, in
le ble ncluding 403 assist wit treaty negoti
th iations and 3 f other gover
for rnment
Faalconbridge, 1649 Cyprus-Anvil, 304 Chevron, 476
1 C business. Staff worke with the M
ed Mineral Policy and
y
Pllacer Dome, 13 Rimfire, 2969 Mine Plan 9888 Tom
328 2 ns, Regional Geology staff developing e
ff economic and social
Scchroeter projec files and 9000 Library item These are
ct ms. assessmen and explora
nts ation activity p
products.
re
etrieved throug a search ap
gh pplication or through links
BC’s Di
igital Bedro Geology Map:
ock y
fr
rom MINFILE http://www
E, w.propertyfile.g
gov.bc.ca and
htttp://www.minfile.ca, respecttively. Kirk Hancock is the
H BCGeoology Map
Prroperty File contact. Sara Meredith-J
ah Jones is the The pprovince’s bed
drock geology m for indust and
map try
M
MINFILE conta and this ye approved update of 171
act ear u governme clients is a critical sourc of informati for
ent ce ion
occcurrences and additions of 20 new occurre
d 2 ences. deciding on areas for e exploration an assessing m
nd mineral
Users can now access over 30 900 com
n mpany mineral potential. Updating is an importan ongoing ta
s nt, ask to
as
ssessment repo using the ARIS database over the web.
orts A weave th new data in the digital provincial pr
he nto l roduct,
A
Allan Wilcox an Ted Fuller work with clien to approve
nd w nts BCGeolo ogyMap. Yao C and Pat De
Cui esjardins are woorking
re
eports. The mining industry is encouraged to submit
m y with ma apping geologists and ad dvanced geospatial
as
ssessment repo in digital form to the Mineral Titles
orts M technolog to improve the efficiency in the mainte
gy y enance
Branch. Benefit include hig
ts gher quality, more efficient
m of geoloogical maps. A geology o operational da atabase
igital reports; quicker appr
di roval; and low costs for
wer environmment (GODE) is being developed to redu the uce
pr
rinting, mailinng, storage, scanning and processing.
d redundan in map com
ncy mpilation and d integration while
data n
D
During the year 930 reports were submitted, of which 911 enhancing the data qu
g uality. The artticle, Improvin the
ng
w
were approved. Of these, 59 or 65% we submitted
92 ere Efficiency in the M
y Maintenance of the Prov vincial
di
igitally. The total value of the assessmen reports off
nt Geologica Database, i this Fieldwo volume des
al in ork scribes
co
onfidential for 2010 was $156.6 millio The total
r on. the oper rational enviroonment and some of the best e
re
eported value of assessment work from Jan
o nuary 2008 to practices being promote by the BCG
ed GS.
D
December 2010 was $459.6 million and th number of
0 he A dra copy of the digital BCGe
aft e eology Map, up pdated
re
eports off confi
fidential for sam period is 22
me 295. Laura de to include new informa
e ation from the Bedrock Geolo of
ogy
G
Groot continues to manage 11 000 web pag and keeps
s ges the QUE EST area map, is available for download This
, d.
st on track wi database ma
taff ith anagement plan and needs.
ns draft, whi is the start
ich ting point to st
treamline integ
gration
Yao Cui continues de evelopment of his high-
o of past aand future geo ological mappping results in the
nto
pe
erformance alg gorithm for de elineating catc
chment basins provincia database, is a
al available at:
an presenting dynamic spat
nd tial data on Google Earth
G http://ww
ww.empr.gov.bc c.ca/Mining/GGeoscience/Bed drock
us
sing free and open source tools. A ne
d e ewly released Mapping/ /Pages/BCGeooMap.aspx.
G
Geofile 2010-14 QUEST-South Regional Geochemical
4:
Su
urvey: catchme basins for 2009 stream samples and a
ent s
pr
rovincial catc chment datab base for do ownload and
M
MapPlace are re esults of this work. Yao also created tools
w o
to evaluate the positional un
o e ncertainty of the Regional
G
Geochemical Su urvey (RGS) st tream sample sites, resulting
s
in a refit of loc
n cations from the streams on the original
t n
pa
aper-based Nat tional Topograaphic System maps, to their
m
eq
quivalent or ma atching 1:20 00 scale TRIM streams. The
00 M
kn
nown position uncertainty and refitted locations on
nal y
TRRIM streams can result in a more meaningful
s e
de
elineation of ca
atchment basin enhancing the values and
ns, t
ad
dvancing the applications of the RGS geochemical
re
esults in more detailed geochemical mode eling, leveling
an mineral pro
nd ospective mapping. The arti icle, Regional
G
Geochemical Su urvey: validati and refitti of stream
ion ing
sa
ample locations in this Fieldw
s, work volume provides more
p
de
etails on this project. Yao received the Deputy
Y Figure 6. K
KML data for QU
UEST South RGS catchment basins.
S
M
Minister’s Golden Glo Innovat tion Award for his work in
r
6 British Columbia Geological Survey

7. TECHNI
ICAL MAR
RKETING
BCGS In
nternational Workshop on the
l p
Geology of Rare Me
y etals
The BCGS hosted almost 200 participants at the
B p t
Internation Workshop on the Geology of Rare Metals
nal M
held in Vicctoria on Noveember 9th and 10th , 2010 (Fi igure
7). It was organized by the British Co olumbia Geolo ogical
Survey in collaboration with the Geo ological Surve of
ey
Canada and the Pacif Section of the Geolo
fic o ogical
Association of Canada. The Workshop focused on various
T
aspects of rare earth elem
ments (lanthani
ides, Y and Sc) and
)
other rare metals (mainl Nb, Ta, Li, Be, Zr, Hf). The
ly
program consisted of 26 oral prese
c 2 entations, 6 poster
p
displays an an extended abstracts vol
nd d lume that is on nline
on the BC CGS website. The Worksh
. hop was the first Figu 7. Internation Workshop on the Geology of Rare Metals
ure nal n f
orga
anized by the BC GS in Victoria at
ttracted a sell-ou audience.
ut
deliverable of the Rare Metals Project that is part of phase
e M t p
four of the Targeted Geoscience Initiati (TGI-4).
ive
Conferen
nces, Work
kshops and Field Trips
Staff participated in numerous conferences and
workshops during 2010 as organiz
s 0, zers, speakers and
attendees. Highlights from conferen
fr nces and mee etings
included:
• pr
resentations by George Si
b imandl and Larry
L
Diakow at the Mineral Exp
D ploration Roun
ndup
20 in Vancou
010 uver;
• pa
articipation in the Prospector and Develop
rs per’s
Association of Canada (PDA
A AC) conventio in
on
Toronto by host ting a Ministry booth on the trade
y t
how floor and helping host an Asian inv
sh d vestor
lu
uncheon (Figur 8);
re Figu 8. Jay Frede ricks, Larry Jone and Karina B
ure es, Brino ready to
• pr
resentations by Larry Dia
b akow and JoA
Anne prom
mote British Col umbia’s mineral resources at t
l the PDAC in
Toro
onto, March 2010
0.
Nelson at the 2010 KEG annual meetin in
N a ng
Kamloops;
K “Econom Geology for Geophysicist in May;
mic r ts”
• Sm
mithers Expl loration Grou up “Rock Talk”
T • Kirk Han ncock presentted Innovation with the
ns
pr
resentations by Paul Schia
b arizza and Travis
T BCGS an Publishing Technical Do
nd ocument on
Fe
erbey in Februuary. Travis al gave a sem
lso minar the Intern at the Association of Ea Science
net arth
on regional till geochemistry at a Geosci
n l y ience Editors in September;
n
BC-sponsored workshop at Ro Talk;
w ock
• presentati
ion by Steve Rowins on m mid-Tertiary
• a workshop on the Life Cyc of a BC Mine
n cle M porphyry Cu-Au-Mo de
y eposits in the C
Cordillera at
pr
resented at Mi inerals North by Dave Lefeb
b bure, a Vancou uver Island E
Exploration Gr roup (VIX)
an a presentat
nd tion on region till survey by
nal ys meeting i Nanaimo in April;
in
Tr
ravis Ferbey;
• Sarah MMeredith-Jones presented N New BCGS
• a presentation by Steve Row
b wins at the annnual Data on MapPlace at Minerals South in
n
GACMAC conference in Ca
G algary (GeoCaanada Novembe 2010. At th same confer
er he rence Larry
20
010) on the linkages betw
l ween porphyry and Diakow ppresented an uupdate on the g
geology and
ep
pithermal depoosits in the To
oodoggone dis strict. gold pote
ential of the N
Nicola and Spen
nces Bridge
St
teve also co-ch
haired a specia technical ses
al ssion groups ne Merritt.
ear
on “Hydrotherm Processes in Ore Genesis and
n mal i s
Mineral Deposit Discovery” at the conferenc
M t t ce; Staff also sha
ared expertise b leading thre field trips
by ee
in 2 010. Graham N Nixon kicked o the field se
off eason with a
• workshop presen
w ntation by Stev Rowins on iron-
ve two--day field trip for industry an governmen geologists
nd nt
ox
xide copper- -gold deposi its at the BC to N
Northern Vanco ouver Island (F
Figure 9). The participants
Geophysical So
G ociety’s one-da workshop
ay were treated to a detailed explan
e nation of the e
evolution of
the volcanic sequ uence and rela ated intrusions and
s
Geological Fieldwork 2010, Paper 2011-1 7

8. • M
March 26, 201 Bob Ander
10: rson, GSC: Soome of
T
TGI-3 Cordillleran Project’s ‘Greatest Hi
s its:’ A
y
year five summ
mary of progresss.
• M
March 19, 201 Steve Rowi BCGS: Th role
10: ins, he
o Neoproteroz granitoids in the genesis of the
of zoic s s
g
giant Telfer G
Gold deposit in Western Au
n ustralia
a implication for regional exploration.
and ns l
• M
March 5, 2010 Bruce Arch
0: hibald, Simon Fraser
U
University: M
McAbee - Clim
mate change an the
nd
a
assembly of th modern worl
he ld.
Publica
ations
Over the past year the BCGS p
r r, published Geol
logical
Fieldwork 2009, 12 O
k Open File mmaps and repo orts, 3
Figure 9. Graham Nixon expound
m ding on the geolo and mineral
ogy Geoscien Maps, 10 GeoFile map reports and data
nce ps, d
de
eposits on northe Vancouver Is
ern sland to field trip participants. files, and 5 Informat
d tion Circulars. Various tec
. chnical
papers wwere also publ lished by staf in external peer-
ff
m
mineralization. In June, Larr Diakow led a group of
ry d reviewed journals.
in
ndustry geologi into the Ne
ists echako Plateau region south
u
of Vanderhoof to visit the Blackwater-D
f Davidson and With the Regional Geologists a principal au
h l as uthors,
Capoose precious metal prop perties and see the regional
e the Surve published E
ey Exploration an Mining in B
nd British
geeological settin In October, Larry led ano
ng. other two-day Columbia 2009 and Bri
a itish Columbia Mines and M
a Mineral
fie trip for BCGS and in
eld B ndustry particiipants to the Explorati Overview 2009 and coo
ion ordinated articles on
M
Merritt area where Nicol and Spences Bridge
la provincia industry a
al activities in the other ex xternal
st
tratigraphy with related exhalative and epithermal
e d publicatio
ons.
m
mineralization were examined.
w All g
geoscience pub
blications are available on l
line at
the BCGS website:
S
E
Earthbound Lectures http://ww
ww.empr.gov.bcc.ca/Mining/GGeoscience/.
The BCGS hosts geoscie
ence lectures th
hroughout the
ye under the banner “Earthb
ear b bound”. Invite speakers in
ed
New BC
CGS Adviso Subcom
ory mmittee
20 included:
010 The BCGS has alw ways apprecia ated feedback on its
• Dec. 17, 2010: Ch hris Adams, Ministry of program from clients In order t generate advice
s. to
Energy Oil and Gas Division: Ex
y, s xploration and regarding the Survey’s complete g
g geoscience pro
ogram,
develop pment activity in northeast BC’s shale gas
B committe of client re
ees epresentatives h
have been used over
areas. the yearrs. These rep presentatives are charged with
speaking on behalf of t their sector wh incorporat
hile ting an
• Nov. 26, 2010: Kirk Hancock, BC
2 k CGS: Climate nding of the B
understan BCGS govern nment mandate For
e.
change A critical rev
e: view of the data
a. example, a Technic cal Liaison Committee (TLC)
• Nov. 12, 2010: Andr rew Kerr, Newwfoundland & composed of mine
d eral industry and univ
y versity
Labraddor Geologic cal Survey: Rare-metal representa
atives operated from 1984 un 2004.
d ntil
renaissance in the Ca
anadian Shield of Labrador:
d In 20010, the BCGS was able to s
S start a new Addvisory
Geologgical context of active exploration Subcomm mittee (AS) by working with Geoscience BC to
y h
programms. tap four members f
r from their TTechnical Ad dvisory
• Oct. 29, 2010: Ala Galley, GS
2 an SC: Targeted Committe (TAC) of mineral indu
ee ustry and univ versity
Geoscience Initiative 4: Increasing exploration
e representaatives. These f
four members have been join by
ned
veness.
effectiv another fo independen mineral indu
four nt ustry represent
tatives
to create a balanced A that repor to the As
e AS rts ssistant
• Oct. 15, 2010: Ra Lett, BCG Emeritus
1 ay GS Deputy M Minister of th Mines and Mineral Reso
he ources
Scientist: Rare earth element analy – options
ysis Division of the Minist of Forests Mines and Lands
try s,
& oppoortunities. (MFML). The AS me
. eets twice a y
year and consi ists of
• April 30, 2010: Joan Nelson, BC
3 nne CGS: Trolling Andrew D Davies (Chair) Mike Cathro Steve Cook, Craig
), o,
the No orth Coast fo salmon, sh
or howings, and Hart, War Kilby, Pat M
ard McAndless, Da McClellan and
ave nd,
schists from Scandina
avia. Jason Weeber.
• April 16, 2010: Dunc McLeish, University of
1 can
Victori Geology of the Aley Creek area,
ia:
northea
astern BC: A record of Mississippian
orogenesis in the Cor
rdilleran Forela Belt?
and
8 British Columbia Geological Survey

9. BC MINERAL DEV
VELOPMEN OFFICE
NT E Reg
gional Geol
logists
The role of the BC Mineral De
r evelopment Office
O Regional Geo ologists are a vital compon nent of the
(MDO) in Vancouver is to promote investment in the
n n MFM ML’s ability to provide detai geological knowledge
o iled l
province’s mineral explooration and min ning industry, both of t region in which they liv and work, and gather
the ve
domestical and interna
lly ationally. This includes delive
ering info
ormation on in ndustry exploraation and mini activity.
ing
a multifac ceted technical campaign to highlight the In la 2010, the regional geolog
ate gists changed m
ministries to
province’s superior coal and mineral potential, renow
p wned Natu ural Resourc ces Operatio ons as part of the
t
geoscience database and expertise, and attractive business
e d reorrganization o the natur
of ral resource sector of
climate. The MDO int
T teracts with decision-maker in
d rs gove ernment.
industry, in
ncluding execuutive managemment, geologists and
s Reg
gional Geologis
st Office gion
Reg
prospectors, and forms part of the wide marketing ef
er fforts
of the MF FML. The MD also hosts incoming national
DO Paul Wojdak
l Smitherrs Norrthwest
and inte
ernational companies
c and
a government Vac
cant Prince G
George Norrth-Central
representattives, and prov
vides leadersh for government
hip and Northeast
trade missiions. Bruc Madu
ce Kamlooops Sou
uth-Central
Dav Grieve
ve Cranbro
ook Sou
utheast
Examp of MDO activities in th past year inc
ples a he clude Bruc Northcote
ce Vancouuver Sou
uthwest
acting as a key player to profile infformation on BC’s
B
mineral reesources, inve
estment proceddures and spe ecific The MDO wo orks closely wi the regiona geologists
ith al
mineral coommodities to Asian invest
o tors, including the
g in a
attracting inves
stment to BC and in preparring various
Asia Invesstment Mission to Hong Kong and China, and
n , publlications.
the Pacifi Gateway initiative Mission to Japan in
ic i n
November; preparing art ticles on BC’s mineral resou
s urces STA
AFF UPDA
ATE
and explo oration and mining activi ity for nume erous Numerous sta changes o
aff occurred in 20 010 (Figure
ministry and industry publications to promote the
a 10). Katharine Ben nning started a the new Adm
as ministrative
province; profiling BC mineral in
C ndustry investment Assiistant in July filling the po
osition vacated by Arlene
d
opportunitiies at numerous conferenc ces, including the
g Veeenhof who left in the same m
t month. Anothe welcome
er
Mineral Exploration Roundup, the Prospectors and
E R addiition was Ted Fuller. Ted joined the B
d BCGS as a
Developers Association of Canada (P
s PDAC) conven ntion, Minneral Assessm ment Geoscien ntist in July 2010. Ted,
the China Mining Con
a nference and the KEG an nnual form
merly with the Health and Safety Branch, works with
meeting; responding on a daily basis to requests for
r n s Alla Wilcox in a
an assessment rep review and providing
port
assistance from prospecctors, geologis companies and
sts, suppport for data analysis in th Resource I
he Information
the public; working on various land-us issues, inclu
; v se uding Secttion. Ted’s e earlier career was as an exploration
those assoociated with referrals from Mineral Titles;
m T geollogist in BC, Yukon, and o other parts of CCanada. He
delivering presentations to mining associations in
g s also worked with the Geological Survey of C
o Canada and
southeast BC and the Community Coal Forum in
e m the Canada/Yuko Geoscienc Office. O
on ce Other staff
Chetwynd; and updating publications such as Gold in BC,
; n memmbers either mmoved on or ret tired. Tania De
emchuk, the
Copper in BC, and Opportunities to Explore – Br ritish Man nager of Geosc cience Market ting and Partneerships, left
Columbia Mining and Minerals.
M the Survey in Ju to start wo as an Env
uly ork vironmental
Geooscientist in th Health an Safety Bra
he nd anch of the
Marketin Coal and Minerals to Asia-Paci
ng d o ific
Minnistry of Natura Resources O
al Operations. Jay Fredericks,
Region
The MFML cont tinued an ac ctive Asia-Pa acific
marketing strategy to atttract direct inv
vestment from Asia
in BC exp ploration and mining project Asian coun
m ts. ntries
are leading consumers of the province’s coal and metal
g o m
ores, and have a record of investment in BC’s min
h t nerals
industry (Table 1). Key selling poin are BC’s rich
nts
geology, exxpert geoscien information interactive on
nce n, nline
databases, continuing de emand for com mmodities suc as
ch
copper an coal, a Pacific Rim gateway, mo
nd P odern
infrastructu
ure and a skilled workfo
s force. The BCGS
provides th MFML with most of the technical expe
he h ertise
and professsional delegat for internat
tes tional presenta
ations
and meetin with Asia companies. It is the poin of
ngs an nt
contact for incoming int
r ternational invvestors through the
h
BC Minera Developmen Office in Van
al nt ncouver.
Figu
ure 10. Staff of the British Col
lumbia Geologic Survey in
cal
2010
0.
Geological Fieldwork 2010, Paper 2011-1 9

10. Table 1. Recent investments from Asia in BC-based companies.
Year Asian Company Country BC Company Dollar Amount
2000 Korea Zinc Company Korea Teck Cominco US$6.1 million
2005 POSCO Korea Elk Valley Corp. US$25 million
2005 Zijin Mining Group China Pinnacle Mines $1.95 million
2007 Northwest Non-Ferrous Int'l Investment China Yukon Nevada Gold Corp. $3 million
2007 Sojitz Japan Thompson Creek Mining $100 million
2007 Chinalco China Peru Copper US$792 million
2008 Mitsubishi Materials Japan Copper Mountain $28.7 million
2008 Daewon Chemical Co. Korea Nanika Resources $5 million
2008 Jingduicheng Molybdenum Group/NWF China Yukon Zinc $100 million
2008 Itochu Corp and LG Int'l Investment Japan Compliance Clean Energy US$11 million
Korea
2008 Kauilan Clean Coal Ltd. China Canadian Dehua US$5.5 million
2008 Jilin Jien Nickel Industry Co. - China China Goldbrook Ventures Inc. $45 million
2009 Toshiba Corp, Tokyo Electric, Japan Bank Japan Uranium One Inc. US$221.4 million
2009 Daewon Chemical Co. Ltd. Korea Nanika Resources Inc. $5 million
2009 China Gas Holdings Ltd. (HK) China IMW Industries Ltd. $20 million
2009 Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group Holdings Co. Ltd. China Canada Zinc Metals Corp. $4.9 million
2009 China Investment Corporation China Teck Resources Limited $1.74 billion
Minco Gold Corporation China Accel China Growth Fund $4.44 million
2009 Korea Zinc Company Korea Selwyn Resources Ltd. $3 million
2009 Zijin Mining Group China Continental Minerals Corporation $25 million
2009 Yunnan Chihong Zinc & Germanium Co. Ltd. of China Selwyn Resources Ltd. $100 million
China
2009 Tianjin Huakan Group Co. Ltd. China Merit Mining $15.5 million
2010 JOGMEC Japan Lomiko Resources US$2.5 million
2010 State Grid International Development Ltd. China Quadra Mining Ltd. $1 billion
2010 Jiangxi Copper Company (JCC) China BioteQ Envirommental $2 million
Technologies Inc.
2010 Japanese Consortium (Sojitz Corporation 50%, Japan Taseko Mines Ltd. $187 million
Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. 25%, Furukawa Co.,
Ltd. 25%)
2010 Anthill China Yellowhead Mining $5.4 million
2010 Investment in Bingay property China Centermount Coal Ltd. $6 million
2010 Huiyong and Kailun companies China Canadian Dehua International $20 million
Mining
the Director of the Mineral Development Office in geochemical data, completed numerous topical studies,
Vancouver also left the Survey at the end of the year to and provided laboratory support for the BCGS staff and
work as Vice President for Hathor Exploration Limited. students. On a positive note, Nick and Ray became the
Andrew Legun, Nick Massey, and Ray Lett all retired first two Emeritus Scientists with the BCGS. The new
in 2010 after long and distinguished careers with the Emeritus Scientist program recognizes their tremendous
BCGS. Andrew had worked as both a coal geologist and contribution to the Survey and people of British Columbia
regional mapper, while Nick focused on mapping parts of over the years, and allows for their continued
southern British Columbia, particularly on Vancouver collaboration with Survey personnel on various projects.
Island. Ray made major contributions to the regional
10 British Columbia Geological Survey

11. NEED MORE INFORMATION? WANT TO
COMMENT?
BCGS staff has considerable expertise and welcome
the chance to share it. Our contact list is online at:
http://www.empr.gov.bc.ca/Mining/Geoscience/Staff/Pag
es/default.aspx.
We always appreciate your input regarding our many
programs and activities. Please email us at
Geological.Survey@gov.bc.ca or call 250-952-0429.
To learn about new publications, data releases and
upcoming events, join the BCGS release notification list
by emailing Geological.Survey@gov.bc.ca.
Approximately 15-20 emails are sent per year.
Geological Fieldwork 2010, Paper 2011-1 11

12. 12 British Columbia Geological Survey