NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Tags: tectonic movement, diamond exploration, mineral exploration

Objective(s): To make diamond exploration more efficient in remote northern regions in order to encourage further investments by multi-national diamond exploration companies and enable local communities to better assess their natural resource potential.

Project Description: The objective is to make diamond exploration more efficient in remote northern regions in order to encourage further investments by multi-national diamond exploration companies. Also to enable local communities to better assess their natural resource potential. The research team will record earthquake waves at several widely-spaced locations in the NWT in order to map deep (100-300 km depths) structures that might provide clues as to where diamond have formed. Each station consists of a sensor buried <1 m in gravel, some have a satellite dish, solar panels and battery/electronic boxes. Seismic waves from earthquakes around the globe are recorded by the sensor and transmitted to Ottawa using a satellite telemetry link (same as TV signals) or are recorded locally on a memory card (as at Banks Island). The research team will be monitoring and repairing remote field stations and analyzing data. Data is used by diamond exploration companies to help them assess and plan field work and exploration programs. Results of this research will be made available as publications, presentations at Yellowknife Geoscience Forum and by visits to communities by the research team. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from September 6, 2014 to December 31, 2014.