| Title | Into the unknown part 2: Surficial geological investigations in the South Rae, Northwest Territories |
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| Author | Campbell, J E; Lauzon, G; Dyke, A S; Haiblen, A M |
| Source | 2016 Yellowknife Geoscience Forum, abstract and summary volume; by Irwin, D; Gervais, S D; Terlaky, V; Northwest Territories Geological Survey, Yellowknife Geoscience Forum Abstract and Summary Volume
2016, 2016 p. 8-9  Open Access |
| Links | Online - En ligne (complete volume - volume complet, PDF, 1.72 MB)
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| Image |  |
| Year | 2016 |
| Alt Series | Earth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20160258 |
| Publisher | Northwest Territories Geological Survey |
| Meeting | 44th Annual Yellowknife Geoscience Forum; Yellowknife, NT; CA; November 15-17, 2016 |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Northwest Territories |
| NTS | 75I/01; 75G; 75H |
| Lat/Long WENS | -104.5000 -104.0000 62.2500 62.0000 |
| Subjects | surficial geology/geomorphology; geochemistry; bedrock geology; tills; indicator elements; ice flow; erosion; deglaciation; drift deposits; eskers; glaciofluvial deposits; mineral exploration; South Rae
Craton |
| Program | GEM2: Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals South Rae Province Bedrock/Surficial geology |
| Released | 2016 01 01 |
| Abstract | The Geological Survey of Canada, as part of its Geo-Mapping for Energy and Minerals Program (GEM2), in partnership with the Northwest Territories Geological Survey, is in the second year of a project to
upgrade the bedrock and Quaternary geoscience knowledge for the underexplored and predominantly drift-covered South Rae Craton in southeastern Northwest Territories. During the 2016 field season, surficial geological mapping and till sampling was
conducted in NTS map sheets 75G and H. Targeted reconnaissance sampling (~15 km spacing) resulted in 109 till samples collected at 103 sites for provenance, geochemistry, indicator minerals and gold grains. Multiple small and meso-scale erosional
ice-flow indicators (e.g. striations, grooves, roche moutonnée) were measured at 109 locations. To help establish a minimum age for deglaciation in this area, samples were collected for age dating from 3 beach or delta sites (optically stimulated
luminescence) and 5 boulder sites (terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides).
Preliminary mapping has identified at least 4 phases of ice flow with 2 main flowsets variably affecting the entire study area. An old flow of unknown sense (SSE/NNW) and
temporal relationship was recorded at a few sites. An old regional southward flow is overprinted by the main regional southwest flowset (Late Wisconsin deglaciation). A late (youngest) west flow overprints this southwest flow.
Distinctive
erratics, such as Dubawnt Supergroup lithologies derived from sources located to the north-northeast are more prevalent than in the 2015 map area to the south. This is consistent with sustained transport and dispersal of glacial debris by the older
southward flow.
Drift cover of variable thickness is extensive, with bedrock exposure ranging from 0 to 30%. The dominant surficial material is till of varying composition, thickness and genesis. The till becomes sandier northward likely
reflecting an increased Thelon sandstone component in the till. The landscape, particularly in northeastern 75G and much of 75H is dominated by streamlined landforms with organic terrain in the lows. Numerous parallel NE - SW trending eskers systems
and subglacial meltwater corridors cross the map area with two types of signature landform/deposits assemblages: 1) eskers, parallel trains of either ice-contact glaciofluvial (hummocks and ridges) deposits or terraced glaciofluvial deposits, and 2)
trains of hummocky till, boulder lags, exposed bedrock with small discontinuous eskers and related deposits. New mapping has continued to delineate the extent of glacial lakes in this region. The reworking of the existing glacial and glaciofluvial
deposits below 410-420 m elevation has resulted in a widespread veneer of sands and sandy diamictons over the low relief terrain.
The 1:100 000 scale surficial geological mapping, together with reconnaissance-scale till sampling, will provide new
data and improved understanding of the glacial history in support of mineral exploration, sustainable resource development and land-use management for the South Rae region. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
This poster highlights the results from the GEM2 South Rae surficial mapping sub-activity. This data will provide the framework for mineral exploration
and baseline assessments to inform land management decisions in this region. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 299415 |
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