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Activity Reports
MAP Presence at Cordilleran Roundup 2001
The 2001 Cordilleran Exploration Roundup in Vancouver B.C. took place from January 23 to 26 of this year. MAP participated at the poster session with the display of 5 posters on various aspects of the project including:
- A General Overview of MAP
- MAP Samples Database
- MAP Airborne Geophysical Survey
- MAP Geochemical Reference Material Program
- MAP Metallogenic Map
It is estimated that attendance this year was around 2100 people from the Canadian and international mining community as well as representatives from the various Canadian federal and provincial government geological surveys. Also in attendance were the Minister of Mines and Energy for Peru, Ing. Carlos Herrera Descalzi, and the Vice Minister of Mines for the Peru, Ing. Humberto Montes. Of particular interest to MAP participants was the special session on Peru " Exploration in Peru" held on Friday, January 26. Approximately 700 attendees from industry and government were treated to presentations on the geological setting of Peru, Antamina, Magistral, the Cerro Lindo Deposit, VMS deposits in the Tambo Grande region, and the investment climate in Peru. Minister Herrera opened the session with a discussion on the recent history of mining in Peru and Peruvian government's commitment to the growth of the economy and in particular its commitment to the mining sector.
Dr. Ramon Aravena in Chile for Hydrogeological Work
From December 3 to 16, 2000 Dr. Ramon Aravena of the University of Waterloo Department of Earth Sciences was in Santiago, Chile to work at the offices of SERNAGEOMIN on evaluating the hydrogeology program as well as to collaborate on the preparation of several manuscripts for national and international journals.
The hydrogeology group at SERNAGEOMIN has been involved in different initiatives organized by Corporación Nacional del Medio Ambiente (CONAMA) including the development of policies for groundwater protection as well as the evaluation of Environmental Impact Assesment reports from industry. The final phase of the program will include field studies in Northern Chile's Region III (Altiplano) for completion of the hydrological map of the Region III and preparation of manuscripts resulting from the project.
Airborne Survey Update
The airborne survey in Bolivia, Chile and Peru is proceeding with only the expected delays due to weather. Two industry shares are still available in the project. The Argentina-Chile survey is expected to resume shortly as the snow cover in the high mountains is quickly receding.
Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)
The 2001 Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) International Convention and Trade Show will take place in Toronto, Canada from March 11 through 14, 2001. As has been the case on a number of occasions in the past, MAP will take advantage of the event to hold its year-end Executive Council Meetings. Meetings are also planned on the Metallogenic Map and on the Samples Database. MAP will host a booth at the trade show to display draft examples of MAP products to be released in November of 2001 at the XI Geological Congress in Montevideo, Uruguay.
The MAP Executive Council Meetings are to take place on Wednesday March 14 and Thursday March 15. The meeting for the Metallogenic MAP Standards Committee will take place in the morning of March 13 and the Samples Database meeting will take place in the afternoon of the same day.
Please forward names of PDAC and Execuive Council Meetings attendees along with their itineraries to Mike Ellerbeck.
MAP Executive Council Meetings
Suggested Agenda Items:
1) Metallogenic MAP
" Technical Issues
- Report on outcome of the Metallogenic Map meeting on March 13
- Characteristics of Final Product (Paper Copy + CD)
- Time line for final presentation in Uruguay in November 2001
" Adminstrative & Legal Issues
- Pricing and Distribution
- Archiving
2) Samples Database
" Technical Issues
- Report on Database Meeting held on March 13
- Final Distribution of Database
" Administrative Issues
- How will the software be maintained once MAP has concluded?
- Intellectual property rights
- Data distribution agreement between all countries?
3) Airborne Surveys
" Argentina / Chile Survey status report
" Bolivia / Chile / Peru Survey status report
4) Geochemical Reference Material
" Status Report
" ISO Certification of Samples?
5) MAP II
" Status of initial proposal
" Status of new members
" Time line
" What is the next step?
6) Work plans
" 2001/02 fiscal year:
" Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru
7) Other unfinished business
INGEMMET Welcomes New President
The Instituto Geológico Minero Metalúrgico of Peru recently welcomed Ing Victor R. Eyzaguirre as its new president replacing Ing. Juan Mendoza Marsano. MAP management wishes to extend its best wishes to Ing. Mendoza who, having been with the project since its inception, was an invaluable contributor to the success of the project. Management would also like to extend a warm welcome to the new President and looks forward to continued strong and productive relations with the Peruvian Geological Survey.
MAP Sample Update
MAP now has data from thousands of geological samples of various types, and some are still undergoing analysis. In order to have all the sample data ready for the publication of the MAP sample database and for publication in 2001, countries are requested to complete their projected sampling programs soon. Samples that have already been sent to Vancouver and are in process for geochemical analyses and radiometric dating are expected to yield results before the necessary project deadlines. However, due to time requirements for radiometric dates and a planned routine maintenance shutdown of the mass spectrometer at the GSC Geochronology Lab, no samples will be accepted by MAP for Argon-Argon dating after February 1, 2001. MAP is already sending many samples to the Chilean Geochronology Lab at SERNAGEOMIN for K-Ar dating instead, and that lab is also working close to capacity.
...no samples will be accepted by MAP for Argon-Argon dating after February 1, 2001. The MAP sample standards program has been extremely successful, with 3 geochemical reference materials produced so far. Over 100 bottles (each containing 60g of rock powder) of Basalt from Argentina, Andesite from Chile, and Rhyolite from Peru, are now being sent to the participant countries, along with reports containing statistical analyses of whole rock major and trace elements, as well as descriptions of standard operating procedures used in the lab. Some additional types of analyses might also be performed on the MAP sample standards in Canada for further characterisation of their geochemistry.
To add to the range of compositions included in this standard volcanic suite, a basaltic andesite sample has been received from Chile and will be sent shortly to Ontario for processing after a brief evaluation to confirm suitable composition and texture. The final planned standard, dacitic rock from Bolivia, is expected as soon as enough sample material (100 kg) can be collected and shipped to Vancouver.
MAP countries are requested to consider also (as an issue for the upcoming Executive Council meeting) having these geochemical reference materials certified to ISO standards, which will require additional time and resources ($5,000 each for additional laboratory costs).VMS Deposits of Latin America
The Geological Association of Canada Mineral Deposits Division Special Publication No. 2 "VMS Deposits of Latin America" edited by Ross Sherlock and M. Amelia V. Logan has been completed and printed. With particular attention focussed on Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) deposits, the publication covers a range of issues from the history of Mining and Metallurgy in Latin America, 1500 BC-1600 AD to descriptions of VMS characteristics of various deposits and on to the VMS potential of specific regions. All MAP countries are covered in the publication and a number of MAP scientists contributed to the publication. Copies can be obtained from the GSC Vancouver Map sales office for $60.00 Canadian plus applicable taxes, shipping and handling.
GSC Pacific Map Sales Office
101-605 Robson Street
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada, V6B 5J3
Tel: (604) 666-0271
Fax: (604) 666-1337
Copies can also be purchased from the GSC Vancouver on-line virtual bookstore at: http://www.rodus.com/shop/
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