Current field schools
Two field schools that are currently running (in-person and virtual) focus on Precambrian volcanism, tectonics, and metallogeny from a Canadian perspective.
Temagami-Cobalt-Kirkland Lake [Hannington, 10 days during the Spring and Fall Study Breaks]
This is a mapping course. Each day focuses on a mapping exercise that includes outcrop examination and description, detailed measurements, and interpretation of structural and stratigraphic relationships among a range of Precambrian volcanic and sedimentary rocks. While the focus is on developing mapping and field observation skills, every exercise provides the context for learning about the regional geology of the Southern Superior Province and adjoining terranes. The localities chosen for each exercise include some of the best-preserved exposures of Archean and Proterozoic volcanic and sedimentary rocks in the world, as well as some of Canada’s most important mineral deposits. The instruction and on-line training focus on classical approaches to mapping, with the purpose of demonstrating the physical volcanology and sedimentology of Archean and Proterozoic rocks of the Canadian Shield. The course also examines different styles of mineral deposits associated with these terranes, including the iron ores of Temagami, the silver deposits of Cobalt, and the gold deposits of Kirkland Lake.
Blake River-Southern Abitibi [Hannington, 7 days during the Summer Semester]
This course provides a deeper understanding and appreciation for the geology of the Southern Abitibi Greenstone Belt at an advanced and practical level. Daily exercises and mapping projects explore the relationship between the regional structure and stratigraphy and the mineral deposits of the region, integrating observations made on the outcrop with larger-scale geological concepts. Outcrop mapping and interpretation emphasizes recognition of depositional settings of Archean volcanic and sedimentary rocks, evidence of paleoenvironments, and the structure and metamorphic history of the region. The course examines processes ranging from alluvial-fluvial and deep marine sedimentation to volcanic eruptions that led to the emergence of giant Archean “supervolcanoes”. The course also examines different types of mineral deposits associated with these terranes, including the world-class copper-zinc deposits of the Blake River Group in Noranda, one of Canada’s most important mining districts.
Planned field schools
Additional field schools that are being developed include: the Timmins-Porcupine Camp, the metallogeny of the Proterozoic Grenville of Canada, the Central Volcanic Belt of Newfoundland (Iapetus Ocean), the Troodos Ophiolite of Cyprus (Tethys Ocean), the Proterozoic Flin Flon-Snow Lake Belts of Manitoba, the Great Basin and Northern Nevada, the Cyclades and Hellenic arc of Greece.
