Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Tags: physical sciences, geology, stratigraphy, paleogeology, mapping, geological history, exploration, drilling
| Principal Investigator: | Lane, Larry S (8) |
| Licence Number: | 13193 |
| Organization: | Geological Survey of Canada |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2001
|
| Issued: | May 22, 2001 |
| Project Team: | Dr. Poulton, Ms. Barnett, Dr. Pemberton, Dr. Balkwill, Dr. McDonough, Mr. Bever, Dr. Knight, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Meloche |
Objective(s): The project is designed as a small, low-impact effort to gather geological data from the Aklavik Range map area (NTS 107B/4). This area is ideally located to provide information relative to two important periods in the geological evolution of the Beaufort Sea continental margin. The first period, in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, was a time when the rocks currently exposed in the mountains were deposited in a shallow sea. The second period, during the Tertiary period, was when the mountain ranges formed, and the rocks formerly under water were pushed upward, folded and faulted. Understanding these processes is important, because the geological evolution of this area is relatively poorly known. Especially poorly known is how these local crustal movements relate to large scale regional economic development, because this area can provide information about how the geology might look beneath the Mackenzie Delta where the petroleum industry is currently preparing exploration and development programs.
Project Description: The research team proposes three activities. Geological mapping at a 1:50,000 scale, carried out by the Geological Survey of Canada, will provide an updated and detailed geological map of the Aklavik Range, which was previously mapped at reconnaissance scale in the 1960's and 70's. Stratigraphic studies will consist of detailed measurement and description of specific rock units of Jurassic and Cretaceous ages, to identify sedimentary features that allow the researchers to interpret the environment in which the rock formations were deposited. Detailed studies will be carried out to measure and describe the faults and folds that have deformed the rocks in the Aklavik Range. The research team will operate from fly camps mobilized by helicopter from Inuvik. The actual location of the fly camps will depend on local terrain and vegetation, as determined on site. All travel in the field will be on foot. All garbage will be packed out, and all human waste buried.
