Can you provide background on MERC and the Metal Earth project?

At Metal Earth, we are focused on understanding the processes that result in differential metal endowment. As an example, why some parts of the crust are so metal-rich and other areas with similar geology are metal-poor. We are now in year seven, and over time the project moved from field-based survey-intensive projects into compilation and data analytics. By understanding what controls metal endowment, we can inform mining companies with respect to reducing risk for greenfield exploration. Our work is also useful for many stakeholders, such as communities and governments who are making land use planning decisions by highlighting areas with the best mineral potential.

Moving forward, MERC will continue to focus and develop expertise on mineral deposits in Precambrian terrains. That is what we have always done. We want to be the leading research institution with those criteria, and we want to be the go-to research institution for companies looking for help and guidance in their exploration programs in these terrains.

Can you highlight some of the accomplishments of MERC and Metal Earth in recent years?

One of our key achievements is that we developed criteria that enable mapping of fertile fault systems. We see this through a combination of geophysical and geological features. One of the main tools we use is magnetotellurics, a resistivity mapping tool that uses natural electrical currents within the crust. It is not necessarily the data collection that has been improved. It is more the processing and the inversion of the data, which has shifted from 2D to 3D frameworks. This gives us better resolution, and we are applying this in a different way to allow us to image the upper parts of the crust.

What do you find to be the most exciting exploration technology today?

One of the most exciting developments over the last decade has been in portable geochemistry. Portable XRF instruments are a field application that allow analysis of soils, stream sediments, and rock samples. The instruments provide near real-time, high-quality multi-element data. This is an incredible advantage for the industry, particularly in Canada, where field seasons can be quite short, and projects need to generate targets in a single field season.

Why do you think Earth Science enrollment figures are so low in North America?

Enrollment has dipped across all Earth Sciences departments in North America, and the trend reflects low enrollment when the industry is depressed and improvement as the industry strengthens. With increased activity in the exploration sector, we expect enrollment to rise as there are plenty of opportunities for students.

What partnerships has Laurentian established with industry partners?

For example, in Timmins, we partnered with several mining companies, including Newmont, Canada Nickel, International Explorers and Prospectors Inc., and Pan American Silver. Metal Earth conducted a relatively wide-spaced geophysical survey, and industry partnered with us to complete much higher-resolution surveys over their properties of interest. Metal Earth is integrating the data sets, as well as other publicly available data sets, to create a 3D model of the crustal architecture of the Timmins gold camp. It is a win-win partnership. Ultimately, all this information becomes public data.

What is the source of Metal Earth Funding?

Metal Earth is a research program publicly funded through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF). Metal Earth was the only geoscience-related project funded through CFREF, and we have received over C$49 million in support. Consequently, all the data we generate becomes public. We have also received a considerable amount of in-kind support, totaling more than C$80 million. That includes support from provincial geological surveys, which have contributed a significant amount of data, as well as the mining industry. As a research centre, MERC tends to leverage industry money with public money, so we have a number of projects that are funded through provincial and federal agencies as well as mining and exploration companies.