Field Excursions
There are 2 pre-meeting excursions (May 27th to 30th) and 3 post-meeting excursions (June 5th to 7th).
Pre-Meeting Trips
1) Trip South NB-1: Intrusion-related polymetallic deposits in southwestern and central New Brunswick; May 28th to May 30th
Mineral deposits related to felsic intrusions in southwestern and central New Brunswick have long been the focus of exploration activity for such commodities as Sn, W, Mo, Au, Sb, Bi, In, and Be. In fact, several polymetallic deposits have been mined in this area in the past, which include the former Mount Pleasant Sn-W-Mo-Bi-In, Lake George Sb-W-Mo(-Au), and Burnthill Sn-W-Mo mines. This area continues to be the hub of much exploration and with soaring metal prices, imminent rejuvenation of these pre-existing mines is currently being evaluated. This three day pre-meeting trip will focus mainly on the geological setting and metallogeny of various ore deposit types associated with felsic intrusions in southwestern and central New Brunswick.
Day 1 (May 28th) Visit to the Zealand W-Mo-Be prospect to examine the endogranitic and vein-hosted mineralization associated with granitic phases of the Pokiok Batholith. The Sisson Brook W-Mo deposit in central New Brunswick (now in the advanced stages of exploration) will be visited in the afternoon. The regional bedrock and surficial geological relationships, the nature of the host rocks, structural features, and the styles of mineralization at zones I and II of the deposit will be examined. A presentation and drill core display for the past-producing Lake George Sb-W-Mo (-Au) will take place during the evening.
Day 2 (May 29th) Visit surface tour of the world renowned past-producing Mount Pleasant Sn-W-Mo-Bi-In mine in southwestern New Brunswick, which is currently undergoing a feasibility study. Outcrops of volcanic and subvolcanic intrusions within the Late Devonian Mount Pleasant Caldera and recent drill core featuring the various styles of mineralization will be observed. An evening presentation and drill core display is scheduled for the former Burnthill Sn-W-Mo mine.
Day 3 (May 30th) Site visit and drill core display of the Clarence Stream intrusion-related Au(-Sb) deposit (Freewest Resources). In addition to examining the structurally-controlled mineralization in trenched exposures at Clarence Stream, the trip will include a comprehensive look at the stratigraphy and structure of the Ordovician and Silurian sedimentary and volcanic host rocks and various intrusive phases of the Late Silurian to Late Devonian Saint George Batholith.
Dates: Beginning the morning of May 28th and ending the evening of May 30th departing from and returning to Fredericton all 3 days.
Cost: $300.00 (Cdn) Includes local transportation to and from the field area, boxed lunches for three days, and guidebook. Price does not include accommodation or morning and evening meals.
Notes- Participants are responsible for their own accommodations, breakfasts and evening meals in Fredericton. It is recommended that accommodations be booked at UNB as evening talks will be held on campus. Steel-toed safety boots are required on all mine sites.
For additional information, contact:
Kay Thorne: New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5H1 Tel.: 506-453-2206, Email: kay.thorne@gnb.ca
2) Trip South NB-2 Coal mining operations in Central New Brunswick; May 30th
Coal mining has been ongoing in central New Brunswick since 1639. This area has the records for the earliest coal exports in North America Mining originally occurred with First Nations and early residents following the seams in from outcrops. Underground mining became popular in the early to mid-1900's. Surface mining with steam shovels and diesel draglines became extremely important in support of the war efforts in the 1940's. The legacy of this mining history is evident throughout central New Brunswick.
Current mining operations have implemented reclamation strategies to minimize the impact of mining on the landscape. This tour will encompass views of historical mining operations, an acid mine drainage site which is investigating a unique method to minimize its footprint, recently reclaimed mining operations and a currently operating surface coal mine.
Dates: One day May 30th
Cost: $85.00 (Cdn)
Note: Price of field trip includes transportation, boxed lunch and guide book. It does no include accommodation for the night of May 29th.
For additional information, contact:
Michelle Coleman (Field trip leader), NB Coal Ltd. 12 Tower Road, Minto NB, E4B 3V1; Email: MColeman@nbpower.com
Post-Meeting Trips
3) Trip Bath 3: Uranium Occurrences in the Late Devonian an Carboniferous basin of SW New Brunswick. June 5th, 2009
This field trip departs from Fredericton and returns to Fredericton. We will visit several Late Devonian Volcanic-associated Uranium and Early Carboniferous (Maritimes Basin) sedimentary U-Cu occurrences in southwestern New Brunswick, as well as examine drill core from other areas in the Maritimes Basin.
Dates: Leaving Fredericton June 5 and returning June 5.
Cost: $85.00 (Cdn) Includes transportation to and the field area and lunch June 5 and guide book.
For additional information, contact:
David Lentz (Trip Leader) University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Tel.: 01-506-453-4803; Email: dlentz@unb.ca
4) Trip Bath 1: Tectono-stratigraphic setting of VMS deposits of the Bathurst Mining Camp, New Brunswick; June 4th – 7th, 2009 (max. 12 participants)
This field trip departs from Fredericton after the technical sessions are over on Thursday afternoon (June 4th). This is necessary because the drive from Fredericton to Bathurst takes approximately three hours. The trip includes an underground tour (no beards allowed) of the famous Brunswick No. 12 Mine for the first 10 registrants. The registration fee covers ground transportation, accommodation for 3 nights, including breakfasts and lunches; however, participants are responsible for their own suppers. All participants will be driven back to Fredericton but it will be a late night (circa 10:00 PM Atlantic) arrival on Sunday, June 7th. Therefore, you will probably need hotel accommodation (not covered) if you are flying out of the Fredericton airport. Conversely, there is a small airport in Bathurst (connecting to Montreal) and an international airport in Moncton. The itinerary follows:
June 5: Underground tour of Brunswick 12 Mine for first 10 participants (others look at drill core) in morning; type section, Austin Brook and Brunswick 6 mine areas in afternoon
June 6: Road trip through northwestern part of BMC including stops at Caribou and/or Restigouche mine sites.
June 7: Southern part of BMC including the former Wedge and Heath Steele mine sites.
Dates: Leaving Fredericton June 4 and returning June 7.
Cost: $600.00 (Cdn) Includes accommodations on the nights of June 4-6, and transportation to and from the field area, breakfast and lunch June 5-7 and guide book.
Note - The cost of the evening meals are the responsibility of the participant as is the cost of lodging upon return to Fredericton June 7. Steel toed boots are required on all mine sites, and full beards are not permitted (moustaches, goatees are OK) on the underground tour.
For additional information contact:
Steve McCutcheon (Trip Leader) New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 50, 495 Riverside Drive, Bathurst, New Brunswick E2A 3Z1, Tel.: 01-506-547-2070 Email: steve.mccutcheon@gnb.ca
5) Trip Bath 2: Environmental geochemistry and reclamation and remediation techniques as applied in Bathurst Mining Camp, New Brunswick; June 4th – 7th, 2009
The Bathurst Mining Camp is one of the world’s great volcanogenic massive sulphide districts and contained a total pre-mining massive sulphide resource approaching 500 MT.
This trip will visit present- and past-producing mines, including: Brunswick No, 12, Heath Steele and Murray Brook (precious metal rich VMS gossan) to see remediation process and techniques as applied to treatment of tailings from exploited VMS deposits in northern New Brunswick.
The registration fee covers ground transportation, accommodation for 3 nights, including breakfasts and lunches; however, participants are responsible for their own suppers. All participants will be driven back to Fredericton but it will be a late night (circa 10:00 PM Atlantic) arrival on Sunday, June 7th. Therefore, you will probably need hotel accommodation (not covered) if you are flying out of the Fredericton airport. Conversely, there is a small airport in Bathurst (connecting to Montreal) and an international airport in Moncton. The itinerary follows:
June 5: Surface tour of Brunswick 12 Mine in morning; type section, Austin Brook and Brunswick 6 mine areas in afternoon
June 6: Murray Brook and Restigouche mines.
June 7: Southern part of BMC including the former Wedge and Heath Steele mine sites.
Dates: Leaving Fredericton June 4 and returning June 7.
Cost: $600.00 (Cdn) Includes accommodations on the nights of June 4-6, and transportation to and from the field area, breakfast and lunch June 5-7 and guide book.
Note- The cost of the evening meals are the responsibility of the participant as is the cost of lodging upon return to Fredericton June 7. Steel toed safety boots are required on all mine sites.
For additional information contact:
Jim Walker (Field Trip coordinator): New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 50, 495 Riverside Drive Bathurst, New Brunswick E2A 3Z1 Tel.: 01-506-547-2070, Email: jim.walker@gnb.ca
6) Trip South NB-4 Geology and development of Middle to Late Viséan, marine evaporties in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada (min. 6 & max. 24 participants)
In Atlantic Canada, Early Carboniferous (Middle to Late Viséan) marine evaporites and associated sedimentary rocks of the Windsor Group have been the subject of considerable study. These rocks host the thickest and most widespread, evaporite deposits in eastern North America. Limestone, gypsum, and salt have been mined from the Windsor for generations. Over the past thirty years, economic deposits of potash in New Brunswick have been and continue to be developed into world class mining and processing facilities. Interest in Windsor evaporites also stems from their potential as underground storage sites for hydrocarbons.
This two day, post-meeting field trip will examine the stratigraphic succession and address other geologic curiosities of the Windsor sequence, throughout southeastern New Brunswick. Special emphasis will be directed to some the interesting enterprises that make or have made productive use of its important mineral deposits, featuring an underground visit to a one-of-kind, potash/salt mine near Sussex. The following itinerary is proposed:
June 5th. Examine base of the Windsor sequence and visit operating flagstone operation and past-producing gypsum workings (surface and underground) as well as examination of reclamation procedures at former gypsum operation. Visit Hopewell Cape and “The Rocks” (http://www.thehopewellrocks.ca/): walk on the ocean floor, exploring awesome Carboniferous, “flowerpot” rock formations on the way to some youngest Windsor strata in New Brunswick (clastic and carbonate rocks with interesting fossils). Evening accommodation in Moncton.
June 6th. Windsor Group, platformal and algal carbonates (limestone and dolomite) and contact with overlying red beds of the Mabou Formaton; 2) visit to the only lime calcination facility in Atlantic Canada. Underground tour of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. mine (New Brunswick Division) located near Sussex. Arrivial in Fredericton approximately 6:30 pm and end of excursion.
Dates: Departing from Fredericton June 5th and returning June 6th.
Cost: $350 (Cdn) Includes one night accommodation (June 5th), ground transportation from UNB to and from the field area, one breakfast, two lunches, field trip guide book and safety equipment. Does not include cost of accommodation June 6th or evening meals.
Note: As per New Brunswick workplace safety regulations, full beards are not permitted (moustaches, goatees are OK) for the underground potash/salt mine tour. Steel-toed boots are preferred, but good quality hiking boots are acceptable. Safety glasses and hard hats will be provided as required. Appropriate clothing for cool inclement weather is recommended.
For additional information contact:
Tim Webb or Serge Allard (Field Trip Leaders): New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, Geological Surveys Branch, P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5H1, Tel.: 01-506-453-2206, Email: Tim.Webb@gnb.ca or Serge.Allard@gnb.ca
