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Mining Matters for Nova Scotia '98 - Opportunities for Economic Development

Edited by D. R. MacDonald

Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources
Mineral Resources Branch
Report ME 1998-2

Table of Contents

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Mining and Mineral Exploration in Nova Scotia: A Cornerstone of Our Economy

By M. A. MacDonald, mamacdon@gov.ns.ca, and H. V. Donohoe, Jr., Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

The mining industry has been, and continues to be, a cornerstone of Nova Scotia's economy. In 1997, mining contributed $309 million (constant 1992 dollars) to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the province, the highest value of any primary resource sector. Last year the value of mineral production was $503 million (Fig. 1). Approximately 3900 people were employed directly in the mining industry, and as many as two to three times that number employed indirectly who provided goods and services. The average weekly wages or salaries for mining sector employees in 1997 was $792, representing the highest average wages of any sector of the economy, as reported by Statistics Canada (Fig. 2). Where are these jobs? Most of them are focused in the rural parts of Nova Scotia where jobs are needed most.

The economic importance of the mineral industry to Nova Scotia is impressive. All of this economic impact is derived from one half of one per cent of the land area of the province. To place this fact in meaningful comparison, the 100 series highways in Nova Scotia use about twice as much of the land base as producing mines do.

History

Nova Scotia has a rich and vibrant history of mining that spans more than 300 years!

  1. Some of the earliest mining activities included extraction of coal from the Sydney Coalfield by the French military in 1685, for use in the Fortress of Louisbourg.

  2. The birthplace of gypsum mining in North America was the Windsor area, in approximately 1760, where gypsum was first mined for the production of plaster for house construction.

  3. Gold was first discovered in Nova Scotia in the Tangier area in 1860. This led to Nova Scotia's first gold rush, more than 30 years before the famed Klondike gold rush. From the 1860s to the mid-1900s, more than 1 million ounces of gold were mined from 64 gold districts throughout the southern part of the province.

  4. Building stone has been quarried throughout the province for more than 200 years. Sandstone from the Wallace area has been used in numerous buildings throughout the Maritimes, central Canada and New England. Some of the sandstone in the Peace Tower and Central Block of the Parliament Buildings was produced from the Wallace quarry.

  5. The first underground salt mine in Canada operated from 1918 to 1959 in the Malagash area of northern Nova Scotia.

  6. Aggregate has been extracted for several hundred years, commencing with sand and gravel deposits and more recently crushed stone for use in the construction industry.

  7. Barite has been mined nearly continuously since 1865. Production statistics indicate that Nova Scotia was responsible for most of the Canadian production between 1904 to 1920.

  8. More recently, tin, copper and zinc were mined at the East Kemptville Mine near Yarmouth. The deposit represented the only primary producer of tin in North America when it closed in 1992.

  9. Deposits of limestone have been used in the manufacture of cement and in agriculture and industry for many years. More recently, concrete for building the Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island was supplied by a Nova Scotia company. The concrete products were made with crushed rock from Folly Lake and cement from Brookfield.

Over the years mining has played an integral role in the development of our province. Many of the communities in southern Nova Scotia began their existence as gold mining centres in the early 1860s. Other towns, such as Springhill, Joggins, Glace Bay, Stellarton, Sydney Mines and Inverness, owe a major part of their initial settlement and development to coal mining.

Current Production

Today Nova Scotia continues to have a vibrant mineral industry.

  1. Nova Scotia gypsum mines account for 80% of Canadian production and 7% of world production. The East Milford quarry, owned and operated by National Gypsum Canada Ltd., is the largest gypsum mine in the world.

  2. Coal continues to be mined from two underground mines in the Sydney area and several surface mine operations in northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island.

  3. Building stone, including granite and sandstone, is currently produced from several quarries throughout the province.

  4. Salt is produced from an underground mine in Pugwash (Canadian Salt Company Ltd.) and a brining operation in Nappan (Sifto Canada Inc.). Salt production in Nova Scotia was approximately 1 million tonnes in 1997 which accounts for 7% of the Canadian production.

  5. Several aggregate operations produce products for the local and international markets.

  6. Pharmaceutical-grade barite is produced from a surface mine near Upper Brookfield.

New Projects

There are several mineral-related projects currently under development.

  1. KaoClay Resources Inc. is evaluating the kaolin potential of the Musquodoboit Valley. Kaolin is a whitish clay mineral that has a plethora of industrial applications, including the manufacture of paper, ceramics and tiles, rubber and pottery.

  2. Lynx Minerals Inc. is evaluating the economic viability of the Lake Ainslie-Scotsville barite-fluorite deposits for use in offshore drilling projects, as well as pharmaceutical and industrial applications.

  3. Tusket Mining Ltd., and their international partner Knauf, are in the early production stage at their 300 million tonne gypsum deposit at Murchyville, in the Musquodoboit Valley.

  4. Georgia Pacific is in the early stages of developing their gypsum deposit at Melford, Cape Breton Island. The company plans to phase in the Melford deposit as their current operation at Sugarcamp nears completion.

  5. The Sable Offshore Energy Project is slated to come into production in the fall of 1999. This project will provide opportunities for mineral development, including barite for producing heavy drilling muds and cement for coating the gas pipeline. In addition, the gas project will provide an affordable, efficient energy source that may improve the viability of secondary mineral processing.

  6. The Sable Offshore Energy Project will also provide an opportunity to develop underground gas storage facilities in salt domes.

  7. The Strawberry Hill Mine of Tangier Limited Partnership is continuing to develop gold reserves and improve the efficiency of mill circuits at their Tangier mine site.

  8. Savage Resources Canada Company is continuing with their plans to acquire all the necessary permits for their Scotia Mine. The mine is on the site of the former Gays River lead-zinc mine of Canada Wide Minerals (Imperial Oil) and WMC Canada Ltd.

  9. Berichan Resources has received environmental approval for their planned surface coal mine at Debert, south of the Cobequid Mountains in the Debert-Kemptown coal field.

Exploration

Each year prospectors and exploration companies large and small stake claims and search for minerals. Over the past ten years mineral exploration has represented an investment ranging from $5 million to $45 million per year. During 1997 approximately $7 million were spent by prospectors and companies in the search for mineral wealth. Most of the money is spent in rural areas of Nova Scotia for goods and services such as accommodation, food, supplies and vehicle maintenance. Here are some of the exploration projects underway now in the province.

  1. Zeolites are an essential but little known mineral for modern life. They are used as filters, controls for pollution, and water softeners. The North Mountain area of the Annapolis Valley is the location for extensive exploration for several types of zeolite minerals.

  2. Companies and prospectors hold a large number of claims in the search for base metals (copper, lead and zinc). Many areas in Cape Breton Island are now being explored for these base metals with emphasis on zinc.

  3. Another interesting prospect is tantalum and other rare earth elements. Several areas in the large granite body in southern Nova Scotia are under active exploration.

  4. Gold, in spite of a low world price, still has lustre for exploration. All of the province's sixty-four gold districts are staked and many other areas in northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island are actively being explored.

  5. Kaolin continues to be an important commodity for exploration. KaoClay Resources, a local company, has a large group of claims in the central part of the province. Millions of dollars will be spent to test the extent and quality of the kaolin.

Mineral exploration and mining activities are important to Nova Scotia. The thousands of people directly and indirectly employed through the mineral industry have a strong impact on the economy of local areas. Members of the industry earn the highest wages of any industrial activity, using less than one half of one per cent of the land base and contributing more than two per cent of the gross provincial product. All of this spells positive economic impact with a strong environmental sensitivity.

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Figures: (Not presently available):

Figure 1. Review of Nova Scotia's mineral production, 1985-1997.

Figure 2. Average weekly wages and salaries by industry, Nova Scotia, 1997.

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Creating a Learning Experience Using Nova Scotia's Geological Resources

By K. Adams, Fundy Geological Museum, Two Islands Road, Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, Canada B0M 1S0.

The Fundy Geological Museum, located on the Glooscap Trail in Parrsboro, is operated by the Cumberland Geological Society as a part of the Nova Scotia Museum. Since its opening in 1993, the museum has produced exhibits and interpretive programs based on the geological resources of the Bay of Fundy and northern Nova Scotia. The facility provides a focal point for people to learn about the region's tremendous paleontological and mineralogical treasures. The Fundy Geological Museum experience offers visitors self-guided gallery tours, audio-visual presentations, "behind the scenes" tours of the laboratory, interpretive programs, beach tours, hands-on activities, and a variety of temporary exhibits. These programs have attracted 110,000 visitors from around the world, including 10,000 school and university students. Museum operations directly contribute over $300,000 annually to the local economy in salaries and purchases of goods and services. The annual impact of over 20,000 museum visitors has not been fully evaluated, but is estimated to exceed $500,000 when purchases of fuel, restaurant meals, supplies, souvenirs, overnight accommodations and other goods and services from local businesses are factored in. The continued success of the Museum is crucial to maintain this important economic and educational force in the community.

Admissions, gift shop sales, programming fees, employment grants, Nova Scotia Museum grants, and special events like Nova Scotia's Gem and Mineral Show all contribute to the annual operating budget of $300,000. Most important, however, are corporate and personal donations, since this revenue often makes the biggest difference in the quality of the educational experience the Museum provides. Corporate sponsorship, grants for tourism development and research, public fund raising, and local partnerships for cooperative marketing and product development, all play a significant role in achieving the Museum's financial goals.

How can these new resources impact on the Museum? One recent example is the hiring of a fossil preparator on a six month contract. This placement allowed field collecting at Wasson Bluff that led to a new dinosaur discovery, the preparation of a dinosaur skeleton (providing a living exhibit), the installation of a new dinosaur exhibit, exciting additions to the Museum's web site, press releases that generated a variety of media coverage, a fund-raising dinner, and the opportunity for Museum staff to interact with staff from sister institutions.

The public response to these activities confirms the widespread interest in dinosaurs and fossils. In response to this interest, the Fundy Geological Museum has launched the "Buy-a-Bone" campaign to seek financial support for the purchase of a reproduction of a prosauropod skeleton. Mounted and installed, the skeleton will cost $23,500(US), or approximately $37,000 (CDN). The skeleton is made up of over 375 bones and teeth, and the Museum needs a sponsor for each one. Schools, corporations and individuals are invited to help the Museum purchase this exciting new display one bone at a time. The skeleton will create an exhibit that will satisfy the public demand for exciting educational opportunities, and will be the only one of its kind in the Atlantic Provinces.

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Geological Maps for the General Public - An Example from the Parrsboro Area

By K. Adams, Fundy Geological Museum, Two Islands Road, Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, Canada B0M 1S1; J. H. Calder, T. A. Costain, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9; P. S. Giles, Geological Survey of Canada (Atlantic), P. O. Box 1006, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada B2Y 4A2; R. D. Naylor, rdnaylor@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9; R. Stevens, Fundy Geological Museum, Two Islands Road, Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, Canada B0M 1S1; and J. W. F. Waldron, Department of Geology, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3C3.

Historically, geological maps produced by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (NSDNR) have been designed to meet the needs of mineral exploration companies and geological researchers. However, with the advent of more sophisticated GIS and CAD programs, NSDNR now has the flexibility to tailor geological maps to a wider range of client groups. Recently, NSDNR initiated a project with a variety of other agencies to create an interpretive geological map for the Parrsboro area that will be used by the Fundy Geological Museum in Parrsboro. The coastal exposures near Parrsboro are internationally recognized as important sites for fossil and mineral collecting. Featured on the map will be the paleontology of the Parrsboro and West Bay formations, highlighting the discoveries of Mr. Eldon George. Mr. George has made many important fossil discoveries in the Parrsboro area that are widely known and have been published by international paleontologists.

More than 20,000 visitors call on the Fundy Geological Museum each year and hundreds of individuals interested in the area's geology attend Parrsboro's annual "Gem and Mineral Show." Museum staff have long recognized the need for a map that would provide visitors with information about the geology of the Parrsboro area. In response to this need we are creating a 1:10 000 scale map for the museum that will include: general stratigraphic and structural information, margin notes that describe the geological evolution of the Parrsboro area, locations of geological features of interest, scanned images of plant and animal fossils, and a simplified cross-section of the map area. The geological data used to help create this map form part of NSDNR's Late Carboniferous mapping project south of the Cobequid Highlands. The standard geology map version will convey stratigraphic and structural data in fuller detail.

The only map specifically designed for use by the general public that is currently available in Nova Scotia is the Geological Highway Map of Nova Scotia. Currently over 2000 copies of this map are sold annually. The increasing popularity of ecotourism and the fascination of the public with fossils suggests demand for maps similar to the one we are creating for the Fundy Geological Museum will continue. NSDNR hopes to be able to produce geological maps tailored for use by the general public for other geologically interesting areas of the province. Other areas of the province are excellent candidates for future mapping projects, such as the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, for which the community is actively pursuing designation as a United Nations World Heritage Site.

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Buried Treasure at the Doorstep: Community-based Economic Development of World Class Fossil Sites in Nova Scotia

By J. H. Calder, jhcalder@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

Nova Scotia has been blessed with some of the world's great fossil sites. Long known to the scientific world, earth history has bequeathed to Nova Scotia a geological heritage with considerable economic potential. Our present setting as a maritime province combines with our geologic past to provide Nova Scotia with spectacular cliff sections of rocks from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras; active coastal erosion continually replenishes our shores with fresh exposures of these cliffs, and with them, the potential for new fossil discoveries.

In 1996, the innovative step was taken at the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources to formally initiate a project based on direct liaison with community development agencies to realize this economic opportunity. NSDNR provides scientific documentation of the site, in essence establishing its 'pedigree', and also provides logistical support and liaison with other agencies. The 'geocratic', decentralized distribution of fossil resources ensures that rural and smaller communities benefit directly from the geological heritage at their doorstep. In turn, it is incumbent upon the community to adopt a stewardship role by participating in maintaining the integrity of the site once it is made public. This concept is integral with the fossil heritage strategy of the Nova Scotia Museum.

At Joggins, Cumberland County, famous since the visits of Sir Charles Lyell in the mid nineteenth century, the current focus is on a community initiated application to the United Nations for designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once achieved, this status will bring the renewed attention of the world and enhanced community infrastructure to accommodate and benefit from the expected long term increase in site visitors from the current, estimated number of 20,000 annually. Continuing interpretive assistance to the Joggins Fossil Centre and documentation of the fossil collection is a key element of the scientific accreditation of Joggins.

At Brule, Colchester County, research and excavation of a unique Permo-Carboniferous fossil forest and vertebrate trackway site has contributed since 1994, with the support of the Colchester Regional Development Association (CoRDA) and Economic Renewal Agency. The focus currently is on obtaining funds required for construction of an interpretive centre to house the prolific and exquisite mosaics of rock painstakingly retrieved from this site, which occurs within the intertidal zone and is imperiled by erosion more so than other sites.

At Sydney Mines, Cape Breton County, an important fossil locality at Sutherlands Corner is currently being evaluated by the New Deal Development Agency after having been brought to the attention of the community through this project. The site, originally described by Richard Brown in the 1840s, was rediscovered only recently. The splendid fossil trees of the 'Coal Age' forests exposed in the cliffs stand like great pillars supporting the town above, a fitting tribute to the role that coal has played in building the communities of Cape Breton. In areas where the traditional resource base has been depleted, the truly sustainable geological resource found in our world class fossil sites holds new promise for Nova Scotians.

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Cretaceous Lignites of Nova Scotia: Petrography, Geochemistry and Paleobotany

By J. H. Calder, jhcalder@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9; G. Dolby, Graham Dolby and Associates, 6719 Leaside Drive SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3E 6H6; P. W. Finck, pwfinck@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9; P. K. Mukhopadhyay, Global Geoenergy Ltd., P. O. Box 9469, Station A, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3K 5S3; A. C. Scott, Royal Holloway, University of London, Department of Geology, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, United Kingdom of Great Britain; and R. R. Stea, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

Lignite beds of the latest Lower Cretaceous Chaswood Formation have been intersected in the course of exploration for kaolin clay deposits in the Shubenacadie and Musquodoboit basins of central Nova Scotia. Drillhole correlations and seismic signatures suggest that the lignite beds persist in excess of 10 km across the thin, remnant Cretaceous structural valleys. The lignites are best developed within the middle member of the Chaswood Formation and are gradationally interstratified with organic-rich, dark grey claystones remarkable for their paucity of compression flora. The macroscopic character of the lignite beds is marked by an abundance of fusain (fossil charcoal), commonly with scattered quartz grains, visible pyrite and kaolin vesicules. Dull, nonbanded sapropelic lignite occurs as thin, discrete beds. Specimens from the Shubenacadie Basin are variably permineralized by pyrite. Petrographic analysis under reflected and blue light excitation reveals a co-dominance of huminite (18.0-47.4%), both degraded and well preserved, and inertinite (23.8-45.4%) macerals, with subordinate liptinite (4.8-13.6%) and mineral matter (6.6-37.0%). Where siliciclastic-rich (18.2-86.4% mm: Musq 95-2), however, these proportions shift, with inertinite predominating (5.0-50.6%) and liptinite (0.2-21.6%) elevated over huminite (1.4-45.2%). Pyrite occurs as discrete cubic crystals, but also as large masses permineralizing cellular structure. Mean random reflectance of the lignites ranges from Ro0.35 to 0.40%. Ply analyses of the lignites show them to be highly variable but typically of high ash yield, ranging upward from as low as 11.12% (db). Sulphur contents are similarly variable, ranging from less than 2% to as high as 29.00% (db) in mineralized sections, with variable participation of sulphate, pyritic and organic forms. Organic sulphur dominates where total sulphur is lower than 4%, but is subordinate to pyritic and sulphate forms at higher levels. Equilibrium moisture content varies from 13.7 to 26.6% in samples of less than 50% ash (db).

The palynology of the lignites records a diverse mid-Cretaceous flora including ferns ( Cyathidites spp. 33-50%; Gleicheniidites senonicus 14-40%), gymnosperms and the first report of rare tricolpate angiosperm pollen. These palynoflora constrain the age of the Chaswood Formation lignites to the late Albian. Scanning electron microscopy of the lignites provides a record of recurring, intense wildfires that razed the mid-Cretaceous Nova Scotian landscape. Growth rings and xeromorphic features of conifer and fern leaves suggests pronounced seasonality. The composition of these mid-Cretaceous lignites is evocative of low lying, rheotrophic mires requiring the sustenance of groundwater in the face of a dauntingly seasonal climate, near the dry seasonal threshold of peat formation. It is probable that a considerable degree of post-fire runoff contributed to the organic deposits and their mineral matter, although their very extent would seem to argue against an entirely allochthonous origin.

The lignite beds provide a previously unavailable window to the mid-Cretaceous paleoenvironment in Nova Scotia, and add an important element to the modelling of coeval hydrocarbon fields of the Scotian Shelf. They further serve to constrain interpretations and modelling of the stratigraphy in which they occur, including economic deposits of kaolin clay. Their areal persistence, as indicated by regional drilling and seismic surveys, and the range of their quality suggest that the lignite beds have potential to develop locally as a co-commodity of kaolin production or as an economic resource in their own right, although the areal restrictions of the remnant Cretaceous basins onshore will be a limiting factor.

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Freshwater Microfossils from the Late Triassic Blomidon Formation (Fundy Group) of Nova Scotia

By B. Cameron (cameron@acadiau.ca) and A. Ford, Department of Geology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B0P 1X0.

Freshwater bivalved crustaceans (ostracodes and conchostracans) are rare in the Late Triassic Blomidon Formation (Fundy Group) in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. Only a few authors have noted them, and they have never been studied systematically. Collections have been made from finely laminated and mudcracked playa lake deposits at several localities near Delhaven (Minas Basin) and one near Rossway (St. Marys Bay). The preservation of the calcitic ostracode valves is good and that of the conchostracans is excellent. The original chitinous carapace of the conchostracans is either replaced by calcite or it is preserved as an external mold in fine-grained, laminated, reddish-brown claystone. Associated fossils include invertebrate trace fossils, rare whole fish, and isolated fish bones and scales.

The ostracodes are typical of most freshwater species in being smooth and unornamented. Preliminary studies using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) suggest the presence of Darwinula. Two conchostracan genera (Subphylum Crustacea, Class Branchiopoda) are represented in the collections. The larger and more abundant form is up to 7 mm long and appears smooth except for micro-ornamentation visible with SEM. It resembles Cyzicus ovata that is common in the Late Triassic rift basin deposits of Connecticut and New Jersey. The second form appears to be a new species and may be an estheriid. It averages less than 4 mm in length and is characterized by radiating rows of megascopic nodes. SEM studies indicate granular and costate surface micro-ornamentation and small spines along the edges of growth lines.

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Vertebrate and Invertebrate Trace Fossils from the Horton Bluff Formation (Lower Carboniferous) of Nova Scotia

By B. Cameron, (cameron@acadiau.ca)
D. Wood, Department of Geology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B0P 1X0; and R. Van Dommelen, Technical University of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Member of the Horton Bluff Formation (Horton Group) contains a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate trace fossils from Tournaisian sandstones and shales. They are best preserved as convex hyporeliefs on the undersides of indurated sandstones. The present study is concentrating on fish, amphibian and certain arthropod traces from the eastern Annapolis Valley region.

Fish swimming too close to the bottom were responsible for sinusoidal traces left by tail, fin, and spine drags. These trails are attributable to the ichnogenus Undichna Anderson and are associated with arthropod traces, amphibian footprints, coprolites, fish scales, and acanthodian fish spines. U. britannica. Higgs is represented by two unpaired waves with different amplitudes but similar wavelengths that were produced by the caudal and anal fins. U. bina Anderson is represented by one set of paired waves produced by pelvic fins. Three additional trails are not attributable to any known ichnospecies. U. sp. 1 is a solitary wave that may represent an anal or caudal fin marking. U. Sp. 2 consists of two discontinuous waves 180° out of phase that may represent scallop-like marks of pectoral fins. U. sp. 3 consists of three sets of paired asymmetric waves bounding an unpaired medial wave. These markings were probably made by paired pelvic fins and an anal fin.

Several trackways resembling those of modern and fossil scorpions and spiders are found in association with sinuous trails and other arthropod traces, suggesting that they were made in an aquatic environment. (The earliest fossil scorpions did have gills!) These traces are believed to be the oldest known of their kind in Canada. Most of these trackways are attributable to Paleohelcura Gilmore (= ?  Kouphichnium Nosca) and consist of clusters of 2-4 circular or oval pits with or without a medial tail(?) drag mark. Only one ichnospecies has been tentatively identified, but at least one larger form may also be present. P. cf. tridactyla Gilmore consists of alternating groups of 2-3 pits arranged in a line so that their long axis is diagonal to a medial tail(?) drag mark.

The amphibian traces are being studied at present. They consist of several kinds of footprints and trackways and include rare tail drag marks.

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Granite-hosted Mineral Deposits of the New Ross Area, South Mountain Batholith (SMB), Nova Scotia: Field Observations and Preliminary White Mica Dating

By S. Carruzzo, P. H. Reynolds, D. B. Clarke, Department of Earth Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3J5; G. A. O'Reilly, gaoreill@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9; and R. H. Speller, Department of Earth Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3J5.

Supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) grants to D. B. Clarke and P. H. Reynolds

The New Ross area (west-central Nova Scotia) of the South Mountain Batholith (SMB) shows abnormal concentrations of polymetallic mineral deposits (Sn, W, U, Mo, Cu, and Mn). Recent field investigations provide new geographical and geological maps, and consistent sampling of nine mineral deposits. These mineralized zones are associated with pegmatitic granitoid rocks (Reeves, Keddy, Morley's, Walker), shear zones (Power Line, Dean and Chapter mines, Cain and Riddle mines), or greisen zones (Long Lake, Turner). These different types of association all involve abundant circulation of fluids, the origins of which require clarification. Although outcrop is poor and contacts are rare, each of the investigated deposits is either hosted by, or closely related to, the most differentiated fractions of the SMB (i. e. leucomonzogranitic or leucogranitic rocks of the New Ross - Vaughan Complex).

Petrographic observations and microprobe analyses do not show any distinction between white micas of primary (magmatic) or secondary (hydrothermal) origin. All white micas appear to be secondary, and high concentrations of fluorine in the white micas of some samples suggest circulation of fluorine-rich fluids in those specimens.

New40Ar/39Ar incremental heating data for white micas, as well as laserprobe data (for both total fusion of grains, and spot analysis), provide new insight into the age of the mineralized zones. The argon release spectrum ages obtained for two localities (Long Lake and Walker) are in the same range (363-369 Ma), and are concordant except for the first and last steps. The laser spot ages on selected large muscovite grains from the Long Lake greisen show no differences between core and rim measurements, but appear to be somewhat higher than the 367±2 Ma spectrum age. The laser spot ages on uniform-sized white mica grains from an aplite from the Walker deposit (369±3 Ma) show close agreement with the spectrum age (365±2 Ma). The ages obtained in this preliminary study are, within error, identical to previously acquired ages for the SMB (372±3 Ma), and suggest that magmatic and mineralization events are closely related in time.

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Mineral Exploration Helping Rural Development

By H. V. Donohoe, Jr., Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

Every advance in the history of civilization has been mirrored by an accompanying advance in finding and using mineral resources. The metals, nonmetals and fuels that we find and mine have sustained our development of technology, the arts, and even our personal lives. Our present society requires an abundance of minerals. Finding and developing these mineral resources are important to countries, provinces and rural communities.

Before the search for minerals begins, companies and individuals require access to land and assurance from government that they may develop their mineral finds. Large areas of land are initially explored for the right combination of rocks, geological structures and minerals with very little environmental disturbance. As mineral exploration proceeds the search is concentrated in smaller areas. After extensive exploration and testing, a mineral deposit may be defined with a definite grade and tonnage.

Reaching the decision to build a mine and go into production is a complicated and lengthy process. Financing the mine construction, seeking world markets, and planning for the eventual reclamation of the mine site are only a few of the decisions needed. In Canada, all mining ventures are subject to a mandatory environmental review. If governments give approval, the mineral deposit may be brought into production as a mine. At the close of mining the site is reclaimed and the land is available for another use.

Throughout this process of mineral exploration and development, rural communities benefit from increased employment and newfound wealth. Prospectors invest money in local areas as they explore their claims. Larger companies spend money for goods and services such as booking motel rooms, hiring local people to cut lines, and engaging a backhoe for soil tests. Advanced exploration requires a significant commitment of resources by a company, which includes procuring goods and services from the local area. Historically mineral exploration companies in Nova Scotia have spent as much as $45 million in a year for all of the required services and materials needed in the search for minerals. During 1996 and 1997 companies spent $6 million and $7 million, respectively, for mineral exploration, mostly in rural areas of the province. Mineral exploration, either by prospectors or exploration companies, contributes significantly to economic development in rural areas in Nova Scotia.

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Age and Thermal History of the Port Mouton Pluton, Southwest Nova Scotia: A Combined U-Pb,40Ar/39Ar Age Spectrum, and40Ar/39Ar Laserprobe Study

By R. P. Fallon, P. H. Reynolds, D. B. Clarke, Department of Earth Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3J5; and L. M. Heaman, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E3.

Funded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada grants to Clarke and Reynolds

Previous40Ar/39Ar geochronology indicates a complex post-intrusion thermal history for the Port Mouton Pluton (PMP) with most ages lying between ca. 350 and 310 Ma, suggesting either younger Carboniferous plutonism, slow cooling, or subsequent resetting of an older crystallization age. New U-Pb data for monazite and titanite, and new40Ar/39Ar incremental heating data for muscovite and K-feldspar, coupled with the first reported laserprobe data (total fusion and spot analysis of muscovite) from Meguma Zone plutons, provide clarification of the age and thermal history of the PMP. U-Pb dating of monazite constrains the crystallization age of the main intrusive units to 373±1 Ma. Magmatic muscovite ages of ca. 373 Ma (40Ar/39Ar laserprobe) from undeformed samples suggest rapid post-crystallization cooling. Laserprobe muscovite ages of ca. 360 Ma to 345 Ma (with core ages generally older than rim ages) reflect partial loss of accumulated argon from muscovite between ca. 330-300 Ma. Recrystallized grain margins and core-rim element variation suggest that argon loss from deformed samples occurred by a combination of reaction and deformation mechanisms. Ages of ca. 360-345 Ma from some undeformed samples suggest that other mechanisms may have contributed to argon loss from these samples. Muscovite incremental heating spectra generally yield ages of ca. 360-350 Ma and do not show the apparent age gradients revealed by laserprobe spot fusion analysis. Total fusion ages from all samples are highly variable, possibly reflecting the complex age gradients preserved within PMP muscovite. The oldest ages recorded in the highest-temperature increments of K-feldspar spectra suggest a distinct argon loss event between ca. 280-260 Ma. A U-Pb titanite age of ca. 260 Ma also records this event. Younger ages recorded in low-temperature increments suggest reheating events at ca. 230-210 Ma and ca. 200 Ma. The incremental heating spectra from a sample of pegmatite suggests that argon loss from the least retentive K-feldspar domains occurred fairly recently probably at ambient temperatures. The muscovite laserprobe data presented here are compatible with an argon loss event at ca. 330-300 Ma, a result consistent with previous studies in southwestern Nova Scotia. However, no clear distinction exists between possible separate argon loss events at ca. 330-315 Ma and 300 Ma, a single protracted event lasting ca. 30 million years, or a single argon loss event at ca. 300 Ma. Argon loss at ca. 330-300 Ma is linked to Alleghanian deformation in the Meguma Zone associated with Laurentian-Gondwanan collision. Although K-feldspar ages ca. 280 Ma could record cooling following thermal resetting at ca. 300 Ma, similar K-feldspar ages from several other plutons in the southwestern Meguma Zone suggest that argon loss was widespread in this part of the Meguma Zone at this time. Feldspar ages of ca. 230-200 Ma correlate well with the timing of mafic magmatism in Nova Scotia associated with North Atlantic opening and elevated temperatures during intrusion could have reset feldspar ages.

This study demonstrates the value of integrated geochronological studies involving several techniques on a variety of minerals in elucidating complex thermal histories. In particular,40Ar/39Ar laserprobe studies are more effective than conventional incremental heating analysis in revealing complex age gradients in minerals from complex geological regions.

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Post-Triassic Thermotectonic Evolution of the Atlantic Margin: Apatite Fission Track Constraints on Cretaceous Heating

By A. M. Grist, and M. Zentilli, Department of Earth Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3J5.

These results (A. M. Grist, Ph. D. thesis, in progress) have important implications for both the oil and gas potential of Mesozoic and upper Paleozoic strata, as well as for tectonic models of the Atlantic margin of Canada.

Apatite fission track (AFT) studies have determined that the Atlantic margin, including the Maritimes Basin, was buried under at least 4-5 km of strata in late Paleozoic times, and that basin inversion removed much of this cover by Triassic/Jurassic times (e. g. Ravenhurst et al., 1990; Ryan et al., 1992; Ryan and Zentilli, 1993; Hendriks et al., 1993; Grist et al., 1995).

The observation that Cretaceous lignite in the Gays River "trench" sinkholes had a vitrinite reflectance (Ro) value of 0.44%, suggesting post-depositional heating (Davies et al., 1984), indicates that some Mesozoic burial/heating has also occurred. Maturation parameters in the Jurassic sequence of the Bay of Fundy (David Brown, personal communication, 1997) also imply substantial burial in late Mesozoic times. AFT data from basement rocks at Gays River by Arne et al. (1990) suggested a heating pulse occurred in the Cretaceous, and this concept was further documented by Stea et al. (1995). AFT studies on the Scotian Basin (Grist et al., 1992; Li et al., 1995) confirmed a late Cretaceous heating pulse in most wells, meaning that the Cretaceous sediments were at one time hotter than their present temperature in the wells.

New AFT data, and better constrained time-temperature modelling on samples from outcrops (pre-Carboniferous basement, Permian strata, Mesozoic dykes, Triassic unconformity sediments) and drillholes onshore and wells offshore Nova Scotia indicate that the region was buried under a considerable cover of post-Triassic strata, with a maximum heating during the late Cretaceous. Modelling of new data from the Digby D1 drillhole in the South Mountain Batholith, indicates that surface rocks (close to the Triassic unconformity) were heated to temperatures in the order of 60-70°C during late Cretaceous times. The geothermal gradient computed for samples taken between depths of 60 and 1437 m is ca. 25°C/km, suggesting ca. 3 km of burial.

References

Arne, D. C., Duddy, I. R. and Sangster D. F. 1989:
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 27, p. 1013-1022.

Davies, E. H., Akande, S. O. and Zentilli, M. 1984:
Current Research, Part A., Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 84-1A, p. 353-358.

Grist, A. M., Reynolds, P. H., Zentilli, M. and Beaumont, C. 1992:
Canadian Journal of .Earth Sciences, v. 29, p. 909-924.

Grist, A. M., Ryan, R. J. and Zentilli, M. 1995:
Bulletin of Can. Soc. Petroleum Geol., v. 43, 2, p. 145-155.

Hendriks, M., Jamieson, R. A., Willett, S. D. and Zentilli, M. 1993:
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 30, p. 1594-1606.

Li, G., Ravenhurst, C. E. and Zentilli, M. 1995:
Bull. Can. Soc. Petroleum Geol., v. 43, 2, p. 127-144.

Ravenhurst, C., Donelick, R., Zentilli, M., Reynolds, P. and Beaumont, C. 1990:
Nuclear Tracks Radiat. Meas. v. 17, p. 373-378.

Ryan, R. and Zentilli, M. 1993:
Atlantic Geology, v. 29, p. 187-197.

Ryan, R. J., Grist, A. M. and Zentilli, M. 1992:
M. Zentilli and P. H. Reynolds (Editors) Short Course Handbook on Low Temperature Thermochronology, Mineralogical Association of Canada, v. 20, p. 141-155.

Stea, R., Finck, P., Arne, D., Grist, A. M. and Mukhopadhyay, P. 1995:
Atlantic Geology, v. 31, p. 60

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Development Planning and Earth Resources: Why do Earth Resources Matter to Communities and Regions?

By M. J. Haggart, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, 626 College Road, Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Canada B2N 2R2; D. B. Hopper and F. J. Bonner, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

Earth resources matter to communities and regions because wealth is created from mineral resources and earth science information helps protect the environment and infrastructure. When communities are looking for economic opportunity, and planning how land is best used, there are many reasons to know about the earth resources around them.

The potential to use and add value to the earth's resources can provide great benefits to communities. Small businesses can bring new income to communities by developing products from raw mineral resources in their area. Gravel and sand can be used in road building and playgrounds; stone in landscaping and monuments; limestone in fertilizer; clay in bricks and pottery. Nova Scotia's rich geological diversity is also being tapped by the tourist industry. Dinosaurs, fossils, and world-class mineral collecting sites already attract travellers from all over the world. The province has gathered a wealth of geological information that can be made available to small businesses so they can diversify and augment their products.

The business of looking for and extracting minerals continues to be an important economic activity in Nova Scotia. Mineral exploration and mining creates new wealth for the province and provides direct benefits to communities. The mineral industry invests in the goods and services of communities, often with externally derived investment dollars. Exploration and mining provides high-paying jobs and profitable spin-off earnings for local businesses and entrepreneurs in all sectors of the economy.

Reclaiming the land is also part of the mining cycle. Mining companies and communities have the potential to form cooperative linkages to determine the future use of mined land. With adequate planning, value can be added to the land base by turning used mine sites into community parks, or restoring lands to their natural state.

The use of earth resource information in planning can reduce costs related to infrastructure development. For example, the identification and protection of suitable gravel deposits near developing communities will reduce development costs for roads and other infrastructure. Property and environmental quality can be better protected from geohazards like subsidence, erosion, and natural occurrences of acid-generating rock, if geological information is used to anticipate potential problems.

Knowledge of earth resources, opportunities and geohazards are used by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources in planning and management of Crown land. Planners, development agencies, communities, and businesses can obtain earth resource information from several sources in the Department of Natural Resources. Regional Geologists are based in the western, central and eastern parts of the province. The Land Use group of the Mineral Resources Branch is based in Halifax. Both groups are available to provide communities with earth resource information and assistance upon request.

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Musquodoboit Batholith Project Activities

By L. J. Ham, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

Work has continued toward the completion of two open file geological maps (scale 1:50 000) of the Devonian Musquodoboit Batholith. This batholith, the second largest (approximately 800 km2) in mainland Nova Scotia and the Meguma Terrane, is located in south-central Nova Scotia and has been the subject of a recent study which compares and contrasts it with the larger (approximately 8000 km2) South Mountain Batholith of southwestern Nova Scotia. The two batholiths have numerous similarities in their mineralogical, petrological, geochronological, and geochemical characteristics.

Field mapping was undertaken at a scale of 1:10 000, and information was digitally compiled on bases of the same scale using the FIELDLOG® computer-based mapping program. Work undertaken this past year has been devoted to this process, culminating in merging the larger scale bases and information into 1:50 000 scale maps. The batholith covers portions of three 1:50 000 NTS map sheets, 11D/13, 11D/14 and 11D/15. Two open file maps (1:10 000) were released covering the portion of the batholith underlying 11D/13, incorporated with geological mapping results of the metasedimentary rocks from the Central Meguma Mapping Project (Feetham et al., 1998; Horne et al., 1998).

The Musquodoboit Batholith was mapped using the terminology and methodology used to map the South Mountain Batholith. Rocks underlying 11D/14 are grouped into three map units ranging from biotite monzogranite to leucogranite. The majority of the batholith is composed of medium- to coarse-grained, biotite-muscovite leucomonzogranite (biotite content average 6%), with more biotite-rich monzogranite (biotite content up to 10%) concentrated at or near the metasedimentary/granitic rock contacts. The western portion of the batholith (11D/13 and 11D/14) contains appreciable amounts of cordierite (up to 4%) with trace amounts visible throughout the rest of the batholith. Individual bodies of specialized granites (with increased amount of muscovite; texturally different units comprising fine-grained rocks, those with porphyritic textures, those with variable textures ranging from fine grained to porphyritic) were outlined during the mapping and enhanced by the geophysical radioelement work of Ford (1991).

Contacts with the surrounding Meguma Group rocks were incorporated both from Faribault's early work in the late 1800s and geophysical interpretation of King (1997), who produced maps of enhanced, second vertical derivative aeromagnetic data. Drillholes and mineral occurrences were also compiled on the 1:50 000 maps. The 1:50 000 scale maps of NTS areas 11D/14 and 11D/15, and an accompanying report of the batholith, will be released early in 1999.

References

Feetham, M., Horne, R. J., Baker, D. E. and Ham, L. J. 1998:
Geological map of Soldier Lake (part of NTS sheet 11D/13), Halifax County, Nova Scotia; Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Open File Map ME 1998-5, scale 1:10 000.

Ford, K. L. 1991:
Radioelement mapping of parts of the Musquodoboit Batholith and Liscomb Complex, Meguma Zone, Nova Scotia; in Mineral Deposit Studies in Nova Scotia, v. 2; Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 91-9, p. 71-111.

Horne, R. J., Baker, D. E. and Ham, L. J. 1998:
Geological map of Waverley (part of NTS sheet 11D/13), Halifax County, Nova Scotia; Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Open File Map ME 1998-9, scale 1:10 000.

King, M. S. 1997:
Meguma Terrane, Enhanced (Second Vertical Derivative) Aeromagnetic Data, NTS 11D/14, Musquodoboit Harbour, Halifax County, Nova Scotia; Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Mineral Resources Branch, Open File Map 97-010, scale 1:50 000.

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Nonmarine Silicified Ostracodes from the Jurassic Scots Bay Formation (Fundy Group) of Nova Scotia

By S. Hassan, and B. Cameron, (cameron@acadiau.ca), Department of Geology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B0P 1X0

Fossils in the Jurassic Scots Bay Formation are rare but silicified species include ostracodes, small gastropods, small clams, fragments of charophyte stems, and freshwater stromatolites. Very rare fish, reptile bones, freshwater shark coprolites and dinosaur footprints have also been reported. The silicified invertebrates and algae are found in thin to thick beds of mixed carbonate and siliciclastic units deposited in erosional paleotopographic lows on the top of the Early Jurassic North Mountain Basalt. Lithologically, the Scots Bay Formation is dominated by clastic sediments, including sandstone, silty sandstone, conglomeratic sandstone, and shale. Carbonate and silicified carbonate rocks include calcareous sandstone, packstone, mudstone, wackestone, and stromatolitic limestone. Four facies are represented: (1) marginal channel facies, (2) shoreline facies, (3) nearshore facies (basal and upper units), and (4) offshore facies.

Ostracodes are the most common type of fossil in the Scots Bay Formation. Nearly 1000 specimens have been extracted. They are widely common in bioclastic sandy limestone units in Woodworth Cove, Central Broad Cove and East Broad Cove. These ostracodes are moderately to well preserved, thin-shelled, and occur as whole carapaces, separated valves, and internal molds. A "giant" thin-shelled, ovate ostracode 4.5 mm long is unique.

Three genera of small ostracodes have been identified: Darwinula, Timiriasevia, and Metacypris. Darwinula is represented by at least three species: D. sarytirmenensis, D. aff. D. liassica, and Darwinula n. sp. Darwinula liassica is a known Early Jurassic freshwater ostracode, while D. sarytirmenensis has been reported from the late Early Jurassic of South China and the Middle Jurassic of India. Timiriasevia was originally reported from the Middle Jurassic of the former U. S. S. R. and from Bathonian beds of the Paris Basin. Metacypris has also been previously reported from younger Jurassic occurrences elsewhere in the world.

According to its stratigraphic position, the Scots Bay Formation could be Early Jurassic in age and correlative with the McCoy Brook Formation along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy. Its Early to Middle Jurassic age uncertainty using biostratigraphic techniques may be resolved by further work. The time range of several of these ostracode genera and species may extend back to Early Jurassic, but there are very few Early Jurassic freshwater fossil assemblages known throughout the world for comparisons with the Scots Bay fauna.

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Three-dimensional Computer Model of Roof Rocks in the Phalen Mine, Cape Breton Island: Understanding Geology for Enhanced Mine Safety

By J. D. Hughes, Geological Survey of Canada - Calgary, 3303-33 St. NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2L 2A7; C. M. Kennedy, and R. D. Naylor, rdnaylor@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

Funding for Geological Survey of Canada portion provided by the Federal Panel on Energy Research and Development

The Phalen Mine in the Sydney Coalfield of Cape Breton Island has been hampered by roof falls and other problems causing lengthy shutdowns which could affect the long term viability of the operation. In order to understand the nature of the roof rock in the mine the operator, Cape Breton Development Corporation (CBDC), drilled 204 continuous core holes of up to 25 m in length as well as 206 non-core holes which recorded the position of the base of a major sandstone unit above the mine workings. In conjunction with CBDC, the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources logged available cores in detail and developed a correlation framework for all rock units. The Geological Survey of Canada integrated these data, along with data from non-core holes and from survey information on the roadways, to develop a three-dimensional computer model which can be visualized to develop a comprehensive understanding of roof rock geology.

The roof rock in the mine comprises two main packages, each composed of a number of lithological units: a lower package, comprising mainly interbedded shale, siltstone and fine-grained sandstone; and an upper package, comprising a multi-story sandstone body deposited by a major fluvial channel system, which is incised into the underlying strata on an unconformity with relief of more than 10 m. Visualization of the position of this unconformity with respect to the Phalen Seam reveals an ancient river valley trending east in the western part of the mine, then bending to the north farther east along the deepest part of the main drivages. Along the axis of this valley the fluvial channel system lies very near the roof of the Phalen Seam, and at some localities has incised into it, removing all of the strata in the lower package. Along the flanks of this valley, the unconformity lies 20 or more metres above the coal, and a complete sequence of lower package lithological units is preserved. The position of the unconformity surface relative to the coal and the nature of rocks in the lower package that are intersected by the unconformity, can be expected to profoundly affect both the mechanical behaviour of the roof during mining and the hydrogeological properties of the roof rocks.

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Stirling Massive Sulphide Deposit, Southeast Cape Breton Island: Footwall Alteration and Hydrothermal Vents in a 680 Ma Sea Floor Setting

By D. J. Kontak, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

The Stirling volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit (1.2 Mt of 6.4% Zn, 1.5% Pb, 0.74% Cu, 2.2 oz./t Ag, 0.03 oz./t Au) is hosted by a mixed package of intermediate pyroclastics and finely laminated volcaniclastics, which form part of the Late Hadrynian (680 Ma) Stirling Group of SE Cape Breton. These rocks represent part of a mixed succession of subaqueous mafic to felsic volcanics and volcaniclastics deposited in small basins within a continental arc setting, as indicated by polymictic conglomerates intercalated with basalt in the basal part of the succession and by whole-rock geochemistry. The rocks were polydeformed along NE-trending, shallow- to steeply-inclined fold axes, causing local high strain zones. Although the Stirling Group is cut by intrusions and dykes of mafic to felsic composition, most of these rocks represent younger magmatic events, except for synvolcanic basaltic dyke rocks and quartz-feldspar porphyry units (e. g. the Stirling rhyolite). Recent logging of drill core and surface mapping at the deposit have revealed the following important geological relationships. (1) Host intermediate volcaniclastics are debris flows from cm to m (maximum 3 to 4 m) in thickness. Sedimentary features indicate tops are NW, but rare inversion occurs. (2) The Stirling rhyolite is a high-level, multiple-phase intrusion with possible effusive equivalents (i. e. coarse crystal tuffs) present in the highest part of the volcaniclastic stratigraphy. Preliminary geochemistry indicates at least two distinct felsic magmas. (3) The entire stratigraphic sequence is overturned (dips 70-80°SE for tectonic layering) and the Mine Shear, as exposed on surface, may have modified primary relationships. (4) Intense deformation has dismembered the massive sulphide layers. (5) The immediate hanging wall and footwall are intensely altered talc±carbonate schist and not felsic rocks, as previously considered by some workers. (6) A pod-shaped mound of vuggy to chalcedonic quartz, veined by sulphides and capped by colloform-textured Fe- and Mg-rich carbonate, lies immediately beneath massive-sulphide rock. This mound may represent a paleo-sinter or travertine deposit formed on or near the ocean floor. (7) Extensive zones of silicification/chert, as represented by fine-grained, leached buff to white sections of both intermediate volcaniclastics and rhyolite porphyry, occur throughout the footwall strata. These zones are epigenetic and do not represent primary exhalative horizons. Minor disseminated calcite occurs as alteration in the hanging wall rocks. (8) A quartz-talc-carbonate rock (QTC) of highly variable modal mineralogy is up to 10s of m thick and in some cases is an alteration of the intermediate volcaniclastics. The QTC is generally barren, but rare zones of disseminated to massive pyrite (±sphalerite, galena) occur. The geological observations, summarized in diagrammatic form above, are interpreted to indicate that VMS formed from fluid focusing of heated sea water which permeated and altered (silicified, carbonatized) the volcaniclastic strata due to intrusion of rhyolite porphyry. The sinter and QTC rocks may reflect the presence of temporally- and spatially-related, low-temperature (ca. 100°C) hydrothermal events that have no genetic relationship to the higher temperature (ca. 250°C) VMS mineralization.

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Figure: (Not presently available)

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Mineral-related Opportunities for the Sable Offshore Energy Project

By D. J. MacDonald, macdondj@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Petroleum Directorate, Suite 400, 5151 George Street, P. O. Box 2664, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 3P7.

The mineral industry has long been looked to for the supply of quality raw materials for use in the petroleum industry. From the initial exploration stages through production, transportation and finally storage, there are synergies between the mineral sector and the needs of the petroleum industry.

The petroleum industry uses a number of raw materials in drilling an exploration well. Barite, as a weighting agent, and various fillers are used in the drilling mud. Clean, fine silica aggregate may be used as frac sand during operations that will put the wells into production. With petroleum product transportation, there are coating materials used on pipelines which involve specialized cement and often weighting agents.

Storage of petroleum products often involves the use of abandoned hardrock mines and salt mines. Specially shaped caverns are often created within a salt body by brining, which removes the salt and leaves behind cylinder-shaped storage caverns.

Nova Scotia has a number of opportunities to support and partner with the petroleum industry as the $2 billion offshore natural gas development prompts onshore exploration activity. The building of a pipeline next year with anticipated gas delivery by November 1999 is proof that the oil and gas industry has arrived.

Opportunities for additional development in both the offshore and onshore arena will bode well for those mineral sector companies who take the initiative to explore opportunities related to the petroleum industry.

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Underground Storage for Natural Gas in Nova Scotia

By D. J. MacDonald, macdondj@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Petroleum Directorate, Suite 400, 5151 George Street, P. O. Box 2664, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 3P7.

In areas where oil and natural gas are produced and transmitted by pipeline, it is common to find underground storage as an integral part of the transmission and distribution system. Storage is desired for the periods when supply may be interrupted and may be accomplished with surface storage or underground geostorage. Geostorage may utilize petroleum reservoirs (typically high volume with lower delivery rates) or purpose-built caverns in salt deposits through solution mining techniques (typically lower volume but very high delivery rates). Storage capacity avoids interruption of supply due to planned maintenance on a number of the components which constitute the production and transportation systems. There may be periods when continuity of supply is affected by natural conditions (e. g. cold weather) or disaster. In any case, customers demand uninterrupted service. This is often accomplished by constructing pipelines that are able to flow both ways (i. e. able to be supplied from either end). Where natural gas is used as the primary fuel for power generation, storage caverns provide the flexibility of temporarily increasing flow to meet periods of higher power demand, peak shaving periods, and interruptions in the flow from the pipeline, as previously identified.

Proponents of the offshore gas project have planned interruptions in supply and Nova Scotia is well positioned to meet the challenge of geostorage because of numerous major salt deposits extending through parts of central and northern mainland Nova Scotia and central Cape Breton Island. There are currently two developed salt caverns in the Port Hawkesbury area under evaluation for storage purposes. Two other companies have acquired rights to pursue storage opportunities elsewhere in the province. These sites are located in proximity to the planned onshore pipeline route through the province to New Brunswick as, and in positions along the proposed laterals to Cape Breton Island and Halifax.

As mineral resource manager, the province administers both the mineral rights and the rights to develop and use storage caverns through several acts and accompanying regulations. These have been reviewed and are being revised to reflect a need to prepare for this new activity.

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Field Relations and Petrology of the White Rock Formation in the Yarmouth Area, Nova Scotia

By L. A. MacDonald, and D. A. Wood, Department of Geology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B0P 1X0.

Funded by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources

The White Rock Formation and Brenton Pluton in the Yarmouth area were mapped and sampled during the summer of 1998 as part of the Department of Natural Resources Southwest Nova Mapping Project and as the basis of an M. Sc. project at Acadia University. The purpose of the study is to update and re-evaluate previous petrological and geochemical studies of these rocks and to investigate relationships with other areas of the White Rock Formation.

The White Rock Formation in the Yarmouth Syncline consists of a predominantly metavolcanic core with metasedimentary limbs, both underlain by the Halifax Formation. Preliminary subdivision of the metavolcanic rocks includes mafic flows, pillows and tuffs (welded, lithic and crystal) and felsic crystal tuff and ignimbrite. The metasedimentary unit includes quartzite, slate and phyllite. Both the metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks are intruded by mafic dykes and/or sills which also occur in the adjacent Halifax Formation.

Intensity of deformation as well as metamorphic grade increase toward the northern part of the syncline in the study area.

Petrographic and geochemical studies are currently in progress in order to improve lithological subdivision and metamorphic and tectonic interpretations. U-Pb dating of the ignimbrite is also planned.

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Mining in Nova Scotia: A Cornerstone of Our Economy

By M. A. MacDonald, mamacdon@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

The mining industry has been, and continues to be, a cornerstone of Nova Scotia's economy. Mineral production in Nova Scotia for 1997 (including petroleum) had a value of $503 million. There were 3860 people employed directly in the industry in 1997, with several times this number employed in supporting jobs. Average wages for the mining sector continue to be the highest for any provincial economic sector. In 1996, the average weekly salary was $826 for the mineral sector compared with $645 for transportation and communications, and $600 for manufacturing. Where are these jobs? Most of them are focused in the rural parts of Nova Scotia where jobs are needed most.

Nova Scotia has a rich mining history that spans over 300 years. The first gypsum mines in North America were located near Windsor. The first underground salt mine in Canada was located in Malagash near Tatamagouche. Coal was first mined in the Sydney coalfield by the French military in 1685. Sandstone from the Wallace area has been quarried since the early 1800s and was used in the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. Barite has been mined in Nova Scotia since 1865. In fact, Nova Scotia produced the majority of Canada's barite from 1904 to 1920.

Nova Scotia gypsum production in 1997 was over 7 million tonnes, accounting for 80% of Canadian production and 7% of world production. Salt production in 1997 exceeded 1 million tonnes, representing 7% of Canadian production. Several aggregate operations in Nova Scotia shipped crushed stone to markets throughout eastern Canada and the United States. In addition to the above commodities, several companies also produced coal, limestone, dolomite, barite, dimension stone and peat. Secondary value-added processing of mineral products included cement, clay products (e. g. bricks), pharmaceutical barite, wallboard, salt products, as well as, sand, crushed stone and dimension stone products.

Work is currently underway for several new mineral-related projects. Lynx Minerals Corp. is currently planning to develop two large barite-fluorite deposits for various uses, including drilling mud for offshore energy projects. Tusket Mining Limited and their international partner Knauf, are preparing to bring their gypsum deposit at Murchyville, in the Musquodoboit Valley, into production. KaoClay Resources Inc. is currently evaluating the economic viability of large kaolin and silica sand deposits in the Musquodoboit Valley. Kaolin is commonly used as a filler product in the paper-making process. A new gold mine at Tangier is in the pre-production stage of development. In addition, several projects are underway for other commodities including coal, aggregate sand for use in producing cranberries, gypsum, and building stone.

Mining continues to form a cornerstone of Nova Scotia's economy. The province's rich endowment of minerals, coupled with the advent of the Sable Offshore Energy Project, will undoubtedly provide many opportunities for economic development in the future.

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Cheverie Base Metal Project, Hants County, Nova Scotia

By J. MacIsaac, P. O. Box 451, Hantsport, Nova Scotia, Canada B0P 1P0.

GEOSEARCH is conducting two till sampling surveys for base metals on its holdings in the Cheverie area (one complete Sept. 98) to define targets for further work. GEOSEARCH consists of prospectors John MacIsaac, David Hutchings and Jim Burgess, all of whom have taken prospector training through NSDNR. Prospector John MacIsaac discovered promising mineralization in a small quarry on the New Cheverie Road in 1995. It was determined to be a new find in the Walton Camp and registered in the Nova Scotia Mineral Occurrence Data Base by George O'Reilly as the MacIsaac Pb, Zn, Ba Occurrence. Given our find is on strike with the Walton Mine, and the known potential of Walton, we feel this project has merit. Grab samples have assayed up to 7.6% Zn and 3.0% Pb, with consistent anomalous values of Ba, Ag, Cu and Mn. Mineralization occurs in shale, sandstone, quartzite, and gabbro. Interest has been shown by Noranda, Doe Run Co., Savage Resources and others. We believe the data from the till surveys will add further merit to the project. Geochemical data will be displayed on maps along with assays, samples, photos, and geological maps. Our surveys have been funded for $10,000 through the Prospector Assistance Program.

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North Mountain Zeolite

By S. Marshall, C2C Mining Corporation, 11 Calkin Drive, Unit 2, Annapolis Valley Industrial Park, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4N 3V7.

The Jurassic basalts of the North Mountain, Nova Scotia, are host to unique zeolite deposits. Recent exploration has determined that commercial quantities of zeolite are present in a number of locations, giving Nova Scotia an opportunity to become a commercial producer for the large East Coast markets of North America.

Zeolites were first discovered in the early 1600s during the settlement of Port Royal. F. Alger published the first paper discussing the mineralogy of the North Mountain in 1827. Geological investigations flourished during the 1800s and into the middle of the next century. The village of Morden, located on the northern shore of the North Mountain, is the type location for the zeolite mordenite that was discovered in 1881. In the 1920s, the Deputy Minister of Mines, an avid rock collector in the Bay of Fundy region, named the zeolite mineral stilbite the provincial mineral for Nova Scotia, which has remained to the present day. Research has been sporadic for the last 70 years, with the focus mainly on the basalts hosting a mineral oddity rather than a commodity. The goal of recent investigations on the North Mountain has been to outline areas of large commercial quantities of zeolite and to develop products for both the zeolite and basalt.

Demand for zeolite continues to expand with the increasing need for environmentally friendly materials. C2C Mining Corporation has advanced the technologies to the point where extraction of zeolite from basalt is not only possible but also highly effective. Zeolites are currently used in a broad base of industrial applications which include: purification of waste water streams for mining and industrial operations, radioactive water containment systems, as a gas absorbent and catalyst, in ion exchange processes, as well as in agricultural and animal nutrition products.

The most common zeolites found on the North Mountain are stilbite, heulandite and clinoptilolite. Laumontite, chabazite, gmelinite, mordenite, analcite and the natrolite family of zeolites are less common in this region.

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ineral Exploration Monitoring M

By P. D. McCulloch, mccullpd@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Core Library, 105-109 Acheron Court, Stellarton Industrial Park, Stellarton, Nova Scotia, Canada B0K 1S0.

During the first nine months of 1998 mineral exploration activity in Nova Scotia continued at approximately the same level as in 1997. Overall, the level of exploration has risen significantly over the past four years, with field exploration expenditures expected in the range of $5-6 million for 1998, compared with $6.7 million in 1997 and $5.7 million in 1996. Exploration was carried out for industrial minerals, base metals, gold and coal in a variety of geological environments throughout the province.

Exploration activities were highlighted by continued interest in exploration for and development of industrial minerals including kaolin, silica sand, gypsum, zeolites and barite. Work continued to focus on a detailed evaluation of Cretaceous kaolin and silica sand deposits by KaoClay Resources Incorporated in the Musquodoboit and Shubenacadie valleys of central mainland Nova Scotia. The company began work in the area in 1996 and recently completed large diameter bulk sample coring, additional diamond-drilling, seismic surveys and process testing. Georgia Pacific Corporation initiated a large drilling program in 1997 to evaluate gypsum resources near Melford, Inverness County. The company is currently making plans to begin production on the property which contains mineable reserves of 20 million tonnes of gypsum. Tusket Mining Limited completed additional development work on the Murchyville gypsum deposit in central mainland Nova Scotia and has carried out preliminary quarrying operations. WTC Resources Limited recently completed diamond-drilling for zeolite minerals on several properties on North Mountain in southwestern Nova Scotia and Lynx Minerals Corporation recently began a detailed evaluation of the Lake Ainslie barite-fluorite deposits in the Scotsville area, Inverness County.

Exploration for base metals focused on areas of known mineral occurrences. Savage Resources Canada Limited continued to evaluate the feasibility of re-opening the former Gays River Zn-Pb mine in central mainland Nova Scotia. Recent work on the property included de-watering the mine and underground development work. The company also carried out an exploration drilling program for base metals in the vicinity of the Jubilee Pb-Zn deposit at Little Narrows, Victoria County. Phelps Dodge Corporation of Canada, Limited completed an exploration program for base metals in the Stirling area along the southwest extension of the Late Precambrian Fourchu Group. The company completed diamond-drilling at the former Stirling mine property and at McKillop Pond, Richmond County. Regal Goldfields Limited began exploration for gold and base metals in the Faribault Brook and Trout Lakes areas in 1996 and recently completed additional diamond-drilling as part of their ongoing exploration program.

The lower Paleozoic Meguma Group of southern mainland Nova Scotia continued to be a focus for gold exploration. Tangier Limited Partnership continued development work on the former Coxheath Gold Holdings property at Tangier to determine the feasibility of re-opening the mine. The company completed milling and metallurgical tests during 1997 and has recently been issued a mining permit to begin underground mining operations. Moose River Resources Incorporated recently completed a detailed evaluation of the Touquoy deposit at Moose River, Halifax County. Current reserves are estimated at 5.74 million tonnes grading 2.2 g Au/t.

Exploration for coal was also undertaken in the Carboniferous rocks of northern mainland Nova Scotia. Berichan Resources Limited continued a detailed evaluation of known coal resources in the Cottam Settlement area east of Debert, Colchester County, and Brogan Mining Company Limited is currently undertaking a bulk sampling program for coal at Little Pond, Cape Breton County.

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he Drill Core Library T

By J. M. McMullin, mcmulljm@gov.ns.ca, D. F. Weir, weirdn@gov.ns.ca, and J. Horton, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Core Library, 105-109 Acheron Court, Stellarton, Industrial Park, Stellarton, Nova Scotia, Canada B0K 1S0.

Exploration for economic mineral deposits often involves drilling holes into the bedrock to acquire better geological information and to obtain samples for examination or analysis.

Most exploration drilling is done using diamond-drills, so-named because the bits derive their cutting power from fine industrial diamonds impregnated into the cutting edges. The circular bit is attached to the end of hollow steel rods, which are rotated at high speed to cut a circular groove into the rock. The remaining core of rock stays inside the hollow rods and is recovered as "drill core." Holes are commonly drilled to, and continuous cores recovered from, depths of hundreds of metres. The drill cores are placed in sequence in wooden trays, which are labelled with hole numbers and depth markers, for later 'logging' (examination and description) and analysis. Normally the cores are split lengthwise with a diamond saw or a steel blade splitter prior to any destructive analysis so that one half can be preserved for future reference and further examination.

The purpose of the department's Drill Core Library in Stellarton is to preserve drill cores that are no longer required by mining exploration companies or others - diamond-drilling is expensive, and much valuable information can be obtained from existing drill core prior to embarking on further exploration work or geological surveys. We currently have about 640 000 m of core from more than 7000 holes drilled throughout Nova Scotia during the last 40 years. This core (and other sample materials) is available for examination at the Core Library by contacting Core Library staff in advance.

Staff at the Core Library have developed a database which is readily searchable to provide information about the core holdings. A database of most drilling done in the province is also maintained, so that information can be provided even if the core is not available.

The display gives some basic information on services provided at the Core Library, and demonstrates a number of representative sections of drill core from localities that are being highlighted during this conference. A computer is also on hand on which staff members will gladly perform searches for drillholes and drill core in areas of interest to you.

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On-site Geological Field Assistance as Part of the Prospector Assistance Program of the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources

By R. F. Mills, rfmills@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

On-site geological support has been established for primary level exploration projects in Nova Scotia as part of the department's Prospector Assistance Program. Grassroots exploration is recognized as a fundamental constituent of a healthy mineral industry in our province. For this reason, a full-time departmental geologist has been assigned to the project and is available for on-site field assistance.

Making such aid available satisfies several departmental mandates. By offering a "helping hand" with technical support on site, the prospector assistance geologist provides goal-oriented focus from the inception of involvement in a project. Property visits tune the technical aspects of exploration programs. Prospectors are given assistance to prepare information products, like maps or other forms of data, with the goal of assisting them to approach the industry with quality products. Random field audits are performed to ensure that funds distributed by the province are utilized properly. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the province must endeavour to provide a safe work place for all persons in Nova Scotia. These field audits allow the department to monitor work sites and ensure our prospectors are safe while carrying on field exploration activities. This on-site help is available to all prospectors active in Nova Scotia, whether or not they are involved in provincially funded projects.

The education component of the Prospector Assistance Program is developing many new prospectors in Nova Scotia. On-site assistance helps newly educated prospectors to develop sound exploration plans that are site-specific, using exploration techniques that are affordable for the prospector and acceptable to the industry.

Exploration projects presently receiving on-site support from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources include traditional precious metal deposits hosted in turbidic strata as well as base metal targets in host rocks of traditional environs. Less traditional prospects such as precious metals exploration in Rand type hosts, sand and clay exploration in Cretaceous basins, and investigation of modern placer deposits, also benefit from this component of the Prospector Assistance Program.

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"Rand Type" Mineralization in the Horton Group of Hants and Kings Counties, Nova Scotia

By R. F. Mills, rfmills@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

The Horton Group series of sandstone and conglomerate has often been compared to the South African Rand Basin because of similarities in texture, composition and depositional environment. There has been little evidence to suggest that economic "Rand type" ore deposits could occur in the Horton Group in repeating sequences, perched above the basal conglomerate. Recent work suggests this is possible.

Gold is known to have been mined in the Horton Group in basal conglomerates of the Horton Bluff Formation where they contact the Meguma Group. This is documented in Colchester County at Coldstream, and in Hants County at Fall Brook. Gold was also taken from the Horton Group in Hants County at the Avon River and Little Meander River, and possibly in Kings County in the vicinity of Halfway River. Basal conglomerate deposits consisted of mechanically deposited placers at the Horton Group-Meguma Group interface, usually concentrated in a series of natural riffles eroded into the Meguma bedrock prior to emplacement of the Horton sediments, and/or in Meguma joint systems at the contact. These deposits were usually exploited by small shafts and adits and were rich in grade but small in extent.

Recent work in the areas of Fall Brook and Maple Brook (Hants County) and Curry Brook, Hurd Creek and Pencil Brook (Kings County), suggests the proper environment exists for deposition of gold and other elements in repeating sequences above the Horton-Meguma contact. In 1998, prospector Joseph Richman discovered a small dendritic grain of gold in a piece of coarse sandy quartzite float near Fall Brook that obviously is not from the basal unit and, though unconfirmed, is believed to originate in the Cheverie Formation, or close to the top of the Horton Bluff Formation. The delicate habit of the grain implies secondary mineralization. Of seven original samples taken by Mr. Richman in Fall Brook, two assays from outcrop returned levels of 750 ppb and 80 ppb Au, in units well above the basal contact.

This has prompted further investigation of several streams traversing the Horton Group in the area. Surprising amounts of pyritic enrichment in the Horton Bluff and Cheverie formations occur in rocks near basic dykes. Further alteration minerals such as micas, sericite (altered to the kaolinitic phase), kaolinite and cordierite have been identified, often in abundance, locally or in specific units. Basic intrusives in the area have been described by other workers (Ferguson, 1983), but have not been locally investigated. During the summer of 1998, very angular (unmapped) basic float was located within 100 m of the anomalous assays at Fall Brook and within 50 m of thorough invasion and replacement of the matrix by massive sulphide in several strata of altered sediments in Pencil Brook. These mineral assemblages and rock types are recognized to form important pieces of the puzzle of South African type gold mineralization and of similar mineralized rocks in the Elliot Lake area of Ontario (Mullins, 1986).

References

Ferguson, S. A. 1983:
Geological Map of the Hantsport Area, Nova Scotia; Nova Scotia Department Natural Resources, Open File Map 83-1.

Mullins, M. P. (ed.) 1986:
Witwatersrand-Type Paleoplacer Gold Occurrences in the Huronian Supergroup, Ontario, Canada; in Geocongress '86, Excursion Guidebook Supporting Papers, Johannesburg, 7-11 July, 1986.

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Structural Evolution of the Late Paleozoic St. Marys Basin, Central Mainland Nova Scotia: Basin Formation and Inversion along the Avalon-Meguma Terrane Boundary During the Amalgamation of Pangea

By J. B. Murphy, Department of Geology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada B2G 2W5.

The St. Marys Basin, central mainland Nova Scotia, lies along the southern flank of the composite Magdalen Basin and along the Avalon-Meguma terrane boundary, which is defined by the E-W Minas Fault Zone. The basin fill consists of Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous continental clastic rocks deposited in fluvial and lacustrine environments that were predominantly derived from the Meguma terrane to the south. These rocks were deformed by two phases of deformation (D1 and D2) that occurred between the late Viséan and Westphalian B.

D1deformation produced en echelon northeast-southwest trending periclinal folds and related predominantly NW-directed thrusts. The intensity of D1 increases from southeast to northwest across the basin. In the southeast, the rocks are gently tilted. In the central part of the basin, folds are open and upright, whereas in the northwest, Horton Group rocks are deformed by tight to isoclinal folds and thrusts. To the north, these structures are rotated clockwise into parallelism with the E-W Chedabucto Fault, of the Minas Fault Zone. D2deformation occurs adjacent to NNW-trending lineaments.

Basin formation and evolution was strongly influenced by dextral motion of Gondwana relative to Laurentia associated in which the Minas Fault Zone acted as a lateral ramp during the formation of Pangea. Facies variations suggest a strong tectonic influence on sedimentation during basin formation where subsidence along the southern basin margin occurred along northerly dipping listric normal faults. Kinematic indicators from shear zones along the basin margin indicate basin formation was accompanied by dextral shear. The NE orientation of D1folds and their clockwise rotation is related to progressive dextral motion along the Chedabucto Fault, the current northern boundary of the basin.

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Community Involvement and the Murchyville Gypsum Project - A Happy Ending

By P. G. Oram MGI Limited, 192 Joseph Zatzman Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada B3B 1N4.

Tusket Mining Incorporated, P. O. Box 48100 Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada B4A 3Z2.

The Murchyville Gypsum Mine is located in Murchyville, Halifax County, 75 km northeast of Halifax. The gypsum deposit contains an approximately 400 million tonne resource with 330 million tonnes as mineable reserves using surface mining methods. The mine is currently in production with the first shipment of gypsum from Sheet Harbour Marine Industrial Port facilities planned for early December 1998.

The project from inception has encouraged and relied on community involvement to assist in gathering and disseminating information. Community involvement began, on an informal basis, with assistance given to provincial geologists from Nova Scotia Department of Mines and Energy in the late 1980s during a regional resource evaluation program. Community involvement at that time was in the form of assistance given by local residents and landowners to the provincial geologists with items such as locating drillholes, excavations, access roads, soils information, anecdotal information regarding "plaster pits" and use of equipment for drill access. The government evaluation of the property resulted in a 120 million tonne resource being outlined. In 1994, Tusket Mining Inc., under the direction of Allister Peach, picked up the exploration licenses to the property and engaged in a large scale exploration program including drilling and geophysics. Prior to and throughout the exploration program a series of informal "kitchen meetings" were held with local landowners and residents. A total of 29 key landowners were identified as having lands which Tusket felt would be part of any future mining scenario. Compilation of data resulted in a decision by Tusket that a world-class surface gypsum mine could be developed at Murchyville. A "kitchen meeting" was held in the spring of 1996 where Tusket officials presented a summary of the deposit evaluation to the 29 landowners, who were asked whether they would support the initiation of the mine development process involving the purchase of their property. All landowners agreed and the mine development and permitting process was initiated. Community involvement broadened to include communities of the Musquodoboit Valley through a series of small- and large-scale public information sessions and meetings. The community involvement and input during these sessions and directly to various agencies at the municipal, provincial and federal levels was integral in the expedient permitting of the mine within one year of the "kitchen meeting". Community involvement continues on a number of levels and continues to add value to the project and strengthen the bond between the project and the local communities.

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The Mineral Inventory Program: Information on Mineral Occurrences for a Varied Clientele

By G. A. O'Reilly, gaoreill@gov.ns.ca, and G. J. DeMont, gjdemont@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

Since 1993 the Department of Natural Resources has placed a high priority on updating the Mineral Inventory Program's Mineral Occurrence Database and bringing it into the computer age. This initiative is a direct recognition by the department of how important an accurate and up-to-date database of mineral occurrence information is to our varied clientele. In addition, the department is responding to society's migration into the computer era by making available as much of our data as possible in digital format. These data are presented via a map-based Geographic Information System (GIS) which brings together information layers from many sources. The mineral occurrence layer is perhaps one of the more fundamental and important of these layers and provides information to a variety of clients.

Compilation of information on an area's known mineral occurrences is an important first step in any mineral exploration effort. As a result, the most obvious clients for the Mineral Occurrence Database are mineral exploration geologists, prospectors and GIS compilers. Although these may be our prime clients, there are several others that benefit from our information. These include geological mappers, research geologists, other government departments, environmental consultants, land-use and resource planners, rockhounds, mineral collectors, students (elementary-university), and the general public.

The Mineral Occurrence Database is maintained by the Mineral Inventory staff in FoxPro® for Windows® Version 2.6. The database currently includes fundamental geological information on 983 metallic and 806 industrial mineral occurrences. Each record has information such as occurrence name(s), location (descriptive and UTM coordinates), commodities and minerals present, host rocks, and a bibliography of where to find more detailed information. In addition to this most fundamental information, there are many records that contain substantial amounts of more detailed information on geology, previous mineral exploration history, and analytical data. Updating of information in the database is a continuous task with formal revisions being made periodically. These updates include addition of new mineral occurrences not presently in the database as well as additional information on those already included. The Mineral Inventory Program's top priority is the addition of data for mineral occurrences that are not yet in the database. At present, the database coverage for mineral occurrences on Cape Breton Island is nearing completion and the coverage for northern Nova Scotia is fairly good. Poorest coverage is for the eastern shore region and the central mainland, south of Truro. In the immediate future, emphasis is being directed by staff in these latter regions.

The Mineral Inventory Program has produced a run-time FoxPro® query program for public distribution that allows easy, menu-driven access to the Mineral Occurrence Database. The run-time program is self-installing and, once installed, allows easy access to the database for viewing, searching and printing of information on mineral occurrences. Furthermore, the run-time program does not require the user to have FoxPro® installed on their computer in order to access the data files. The program operates in Windows 3.x® Windows 95® or Windows NT® and is simple to use.

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Aggregate Program

By G. Prime, primega@gov.ns.ca, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

The Aggregate Program is an ongoing Mineral Resources Branch program to map and evaluate the aggregate resource in Nova Scotia. It was primarily implemented because of the importance of this nonrenewable resource to our communities and concerns about resource depletion (more than 10 million tonnes are consumed annually). Initiated more than twenty years ago, the program has evolved from a very general, province-wide examination of the resource, to the more detailed regional studies being conducted today. The main objectives of this research are (1) to improve our understanding of this resource, (2) to expand reserves and potential, and (3) to identify new investment opportunity for the industry.

Recent aggregate research has focused on the Annapolis Valley area. Initiated in 1995, the Annapolis Valley Project is a five-year project examining the aggregate resource in Hants, Kings, Annapolis, Digby and Yarmouth Counties. The focus of research is a field study examining all aspects of the resource, including bedrock and surficial sources of materials. The goal is to examine all pits, quarries, and other exposures (e. g. road cuts, river cuts, shoreline exposures, excavation sites) of potential aggregate sources. Promising materials are sampled and tested. While in the field, an attempt is made to talk to as many land owners and industry people as possible. This permits an historical look at the use of the materials in the area, as well as providing leads to the location of other deposits. Other government agencies (e. g. Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Public Works) are approached to obtain additional data. Land-use information which can affect the resource is also recorded. Finally, a follow-up air photo examination is conducted to help define individual deposits. Using all of this information, each deposit can be generally evaluated in terms of quality and usable resources.

In addition to the aggregate research aspect of this study, the field work has also provided the opportunity to examine the bedrock for dimension stone potential. This includes a search for stone suitable for products such as cladding, monument stone, flagstone and flooring. At each bedrock location, characteristics such as joint spacing, colour, and bedding/cleavage directions are noted. Sites exhibiting desirable dimension stone characteristics are recorded with the goal of doing further work at some time in the future. To date, several of the sites have been diamond-drilled and results are pending.

The 1998 field season is the fourth year of the Annapolis Valley Project. The focus of this work was the eastern half of Hants County and includes NTS map areas (or parts of) 11E/03, 11E/04, 11E/05, and 11E/06. A variety of glacial sand and gravel deposits and sites with bedrock potential were examined and sampled. Completion of the east Hants area field work will permit the preparation of preliminary aggregate resource maps for Hants, Kings and Annapolis Counties. The data will be prepared over the winter for a GIS database and maps using ArcView®. It is anticipated that the maps will be completed in 1999.

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Overview of the Registry of Mineral and Petroleum Titles

By R. R. Ratcliffe, rlratcli@gov.ns.ca, A. S. Wenning, aswennin@gov.ns.ca, and I. M. MacLellan, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, P. O. Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T9.

The Registry of Mineral and Petroleum Titles is responsible for receiving applications for mineral and petroleum rights, and for issuing and registering licences and leases. In addition, documents affecting licences are registered by this office. The Registry also receives statements of exploration expenditures and assessment reports that pertain to the renewal of licences and leases. Maps showing the disposition of lands under licence or lease are maintained and continually updated. The Registry also maintains a system of Prospector Registration, including the issuance of prospector's identification cards. Applications for underground gas storage rights and treasure trove rights are also processed though this office. Information concerning production and employment in Nova Scotia's mines and quarries is received and compiled by the registry and published annually.

Staking Activity

After two years of relatively high staking levels (above 700,000 acres) the total area under licence (new and re-issued claims) fell to approximately 500,000 acres by the middle of 1998. The normal pairing-down of larger ground holdings by companies, fallout from the Bre-X affair, low gold prices, and depressed base metal prices were some of the factors that affected this decline. However, staking activity increased for salt and potash. The total area under licence for salt and potash rose from 5600 acres in 1997 to 29,840 acres in 1998. The increased interest in salt and potash licences, a prerequisite for underground gas storage exploration, is driven by the Sable Offshore Energy Project. Reported assessment work expenditures totalled approximately $2.5 million for the first eight months of 1998, up slightly from the same period a year ago.

Mining Activity

In 1997, the estimated total value of Nova Scotia's mineral production, including secondary mineral processing and crude petroleum, totalled $503 million, a decrease of 19% from the year before. This decrease was due largely to lower outputs of crude petroleum and coal. Excluding petroleum, the total value of Nova Scotia's mineral production totalled $386 million, down 10% from the 1996 figure of $428 million. Coal sales dropped by approximately 16% in 1997 to 2.7 million tonnes from the 1996 figure of 3.2 million tonnes, as production problems plagued the province's largest coal mine, Cape Breton Development Corporations's Phalen Colliery. Employment in Nova Scotia's mineral industry totalled roughly 3900 persons, a 3% decrease from the year before.

On a more positive note, Nova Scotia's industrial minerals producers had another good year in 1997 producing more than 20 million tonnes of industrial minerals worth an estima