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Mineral Potential Modelling for the Greater Nahanni Ecosystem Using GIS Based Analytical Methods

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Progress in Geomathematics

Abstract

Mineral potential within the Greater Nahanni Ecosystem was modelled in a Geographic Information System (GIS) for four different deposit types: 1. SEDEX (stratiform shale-hosted sedimentary exhalative Zn-Pb-Ag), 2. “Carbonate-Fault” (carbonate-hosted zinc-lead-silver associated with major faults), 3. “Intrusion-Related” (includes skarn, rare metals and gemstones), and 4. Carlin-Type gold as lode and/or derived placer deposits. This mineral potential modelling study integrates data collected during the Nahanni Mineral and Energy Resource Assessment (MERA) undertaken from 2003 to 2007. The results have contributed to the process of determining the geographic boundaries of the proposed expansion of the Nahanni National Park Reserve.

Four mineral potential maps were produced (one for each deposit type) using a knowledge-driven approach. A weighting scheme based on integrated mineral deposit and regional geological knowledge was derived for the various evidence maps for each deposit model using expert opinion. The four potential maps were then combined into a final potential map using a maximum (MAX) operator. Plots showing the efficiency of the models (mineral potential maps) for predicting the known occurrences of the four deposit types show that partial data sets provide reasonable predictions of the remaining known mineral prospects, occurrences and deposits. Hydrocarbon potential from Nahanni MERA 1 was added to the final potential map to ensure that both mineral and energy potential data were incorporated into the park configuration modelling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Survey of Canada, 615 Booth St., Ottawa ON K1A 0E9, Canada

    J.R. Harris, D. Lemkow, C. Jefferson & D. Wright

  2. Northwest Territories Geoscience Office, 4601-B 5 2nd Ave, Yellowknife NT, Canada X1A 2R3

    H. Falck

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  1. J.R. Harris
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  2. D. Lemkow
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  3. C. Jefferson
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  4. D. Wright
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  5. H. Falck
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Survey of Canada, 601 Booth St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0E8

    Graeme Bonham-Carter

  2. State Key Lab of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, Beijing 100083, China

    Qiuming Cheng

  3. Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J1P3

    Qiuming Cheng

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Harris, J., Lemkow, D., Jefferson, C., Wright, D., Falck, H. (2008). Mineral Potential Modelling for the Greater Nahanni Ecosystem Using GIS Based Analytical Methods. In: Bonham-Carter, G., Cheng, Q. (eds) Progress in Geomathematics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69496-0_11

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