The Geological Survey will have 9 projects operating in the field this year, with an expanded effort taking advantage of additional funding for field work announced in Budget 2008.

LABRADOR

Studies of Uranium Mineralization
Greg Sparkes will continue a project aimed at uranium metallogeny, with the main emphasis towards Labrador. The project will be run mainly from Goose Bay, with a two-and-a-half-month field season and a two-person crew.

Seal Lake Group
Tim van Nostrand will conduct a two-month, field project, to begin the regional systematic mapping of the Seal Lake Group of central Labrador, with a two-person crew. Some of these rocks have been mapped during past industry and government surveys, and are known to be mineralized, locally hosting spectacular native copper mineralization. This is the first year of a multi-year project, and will concentrate on mapping the better exposed, southern portion of the Seal Lake Group and outlining more extensive work for 2009.

Makkovik Project
Alana Hinchey will lead a five-person crew to conduct a two-month, helicopter-supported field mapping project in the Makkovik area. The map area is adjacent to major uranium projects, and better understanding the geology of this area may have major implications for exploration.

Eastern Labrador Compilation
Charles Gower will complete two weeks of field work in the Mealy Mountains – Cartwright area. New road sections along the southern Labrador highway will be examined. Also, reconnaissance mapping of inland areas with conflicting or inadequate geological interpretations will be carried out. These observations will assist in the production of the regional geological compilation map of the area.

ISLAND OF NEWFOUNDLAND

Cambro-Ordovician Carbonates, Western Newfoundland
Ian Knight will carry out a three-month field program, mapping Cambro-Ordovician carbonate-terrain rocks in the area south from Corner Brook to Stephenville and the Lomond area, northwest of Deer Lake. This work will support exploration for carbonate-hosted base-metal deposits and marble, and will provide important information for west Newfoundland oil and gas exploration. Paleontological support will be provided by Doug Boyce.

Northeast Newfoundland
Brian O’Brien will conduct a two-and-a-half-month, two-person mapping effort in the Catchers Pond Group and adjacent rock units in NE Newfoundland. The field base will be Kings Point. Mapping will emphasize stratigraphy and structure, with the objective of supporting mineral exploration for base metals in this prospective area of the Island.

Till Geochemistry of Central Newfoundland
Jennifer Smith will carry out a three-month, two-person field program that will provide systematic surficial mapping and till geochemistry of parts of NTS sheets 12A/6, 7, 10 with an emphasis on sampling over bedrock units considered most prospective. This area of central Newfoundland (south and west of Buchans) has high potential for base metal deposits, and is the focus of significant exploration activity. Understanding the surficial geology and till geochemistry will be of considerable assistance in exploration efforts.

Studies of Gold Mineralization, Northeast Newfoundland
A new hire will join the Geological Survey this summer and start a multi-year project studying gold mineralization in northeast Newfoundland. Numerous recently discovered gold prospects will be examined in order to make key geological information relating to these discoveries accessible in the public domain.

Till Geochemistry, Southern Avalon Peninsula
Dave Taylor will conduct a four-to-six-week, two-person field project continuing till geochemistry surveys of eastern Newfoundland.