The Snare Lake Mapping Project: Parts of NTS 85O and 85N.
Principal Investigator: Jackson, Valerie A (8)
Licence Number: 13179
Organization: DIAND
Licensed Year(s): 2002 2001 2000
Issued: Apr 17, 2001
Project Team: Dr. Carolyn Relf, Venessa Bennett

Objective(s): The Snare River project area is in the Slave Structural Province of the Northwest Territories, approximately 140 km northwest of Yellowknife. Geological data on the area is sparse, and limited to 1:250,000 regional mapping by the Geological Survey of Canada in the late 1930's. Aerially restricted information on the area is contained within mining industry assessment reports. The geology of the area is poorly understood, and no modern geoscience data-sets are available. The mapping project will define the structural, metamorphic, lithographical and geochemical bedrock characteristics of the area, providing an up-dated geological data base.

Project Description: The research team will be based out of Yellowknife, and establish a series of fly camps in the research area between 1 June and 31 September. To reduce the potential for bear inter-actions, island camp sites are preferred locations. Camps will consist of one sleeping tent per team member and one cooking tent. All non-burnable garbage will be packed out, and human waste buried at the camp sites. Using inflatable boats (Zodiaks) to assist in travel, surveys will be carried out in the surrounding areas. When surveys are completed in these areas, the camps will be moved to a new survey area. Detailed geological mapping will be carried out by examining and describing the rocks in the survey area, and by gathering fist-sized samples of rock with a hammer. Samples will then be returned to the laboratory for further, detailed analysis.