Detrital Mineral Geochronology of the Wernecke Supergroup in the Yukon: Enhancing the Framework for Mineral Exploration

This project is designed to provide new information on the source of the sediment in the Wernecke Supergroup, a widespread geological formation in northern Yukon that was deposited approximately 1.8 billion years ago. This formation is important because it hosts numerous mineral occurrences that are attracting considerable mineral exploration activity. The source of the sediment will be identified by ion probe analysis on detrital (sedimentary) grains of the mineral zircon. Determining the sediment source is important because it will help to develop a comprehensive model of the geological environment of the Wernecke Supergroup at the time it was deposited. Specifically, the information may be used to determine which continent lay next to western North America (e.g., Australia, South China or Siberia), what types of mineral deposits may be expected to be found in Yukon and how exploration strategies may be adjusted to increase their effectiveness.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Derek Thorkelson

Student:

Francesca Furlanetto

Partner:

Yukon Geological Survey

Discipline:

Geography / Geology / Earth science

Sector:

Mining and quarrying

University:

Simon Fraser University