The MEG's popular Monthly Speakers Program featuring a Beer and Sandwich Luncheon continues for 2010/2011. Next Talk: Wednesday, September 8, 2010 Title: 'Why Chile'Presented by:Dr. Tom Richards, BSc., PhDVice President of ExplorationKootenay Gold The impetus for the title of the talk, “Why Chile” came from the early stages of exploration in Argentina with Mansfield Minerals in the fall of 1994. Mansfield had just begun its regional exploration program in NW Argentina and had yet to discover anything of possible significance. The first showing of interest “discovered” by the crew was some massive magnetite and apatite blocks, that, unknown to us initially, was immediately across the border, in Chile. The woeful comment by the Argentine geologist, after the location of this showing was found to be in Chile, was….. “Why Chile”. The significance of this comment remains pertinent as to why some areas are so endowed with mineralization and others, not so. There is no, and likely never will be a simple answer for this. Many significant showings and deposits were, have been and will be discovered in Argentina, but it remains clear: Chile is exceptionally endowed in comparison. This talk intends to discuss some of the basic beliefs of hydrothermal mineralization and to discuss some of regional structural, stratigraphic and igneous differences between NW Argentina and Chile that may in part explain the exceptional endowment of Chile in metals. A comparison of this Andean setting will be made by a reconnaissance look at the regional mineral setting in Mexico and in the Belt-Purcell area of the northern Cordillera. The basic and fundamental premises used for regional exploration for hydrothermal deposits can be deduced in the following manner: “what are the three things that a room full of exploration geologists will not argue about when discussing the search for hydrothermal mineral deposits.”
About Dr. Richards:
Dr Richards has been involved in Cordilleran geology for more than 40 years. He was a Research Scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada during the 1970’s regional mapping in north central British Columbia. He has authored numerous scientific publications on the geology of NW British Columbia. He has conducted regional exploration of the Cordillera of Canada, United States and Mexico during the 1980’s to early 1990’s as an independent geologist/prospector with Junior and Major mining companies and throughout northwestern Argentina from the mid-1990’s until 2007 for Junior companies. He has been involved with Kootenay Gold in Mexico from 2007 to present. During the 1990’s he conducted an advanced prospecting school “Petrology and Alteration for Prospectors” throughout British Columbia and the Yukon. He has worked with First Nations in attempting to develop their direct involvement with the mineral industry. He obtained his BSc Geology in 1965 from UBC and his PhD from UBC in 1970.
Please confirm your intention to attend by email to vtrapnell@meg.calgary.ab.ca so that the appropriate number of sandwiches can be ordered. If you would like to present a lunch time talk to a keen audience of 50 or 60 professionals, please contact John Bothwell speakers@meg.calgary.ab.ca, or telephone 403-540-7953 to submit your topic and abstract for review. If you or your company would like to sponsor a meeting please contact John for further information.
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