GEM Video: Partnering for Northern Prosperity

Watch the video Partnering for Northern Prosperity on YouTube
Video length: 3:44 minutes

Transcript for "Partnering for Northern Prosperity"

Somewhere beneath these Northern rocks lie an abundance of resources that Natural Resources Canada or NRCan’s geoscientists and Northerners are working together to unlock.

The Government of Canada's Northern Strategy recognizes the untapped potential of Northerners and the land they live on. One of the Strategy's programs, Geomapping for Energy and Minerals, or GEM will provide the public geoscientific information needed to help private exploration. Companies make investment decisions on where to look for deposits that could eventually be produced. These companies will then hire local people and provide them with training and employment opportunities.

New geological mapping is the first stage in the exploration process. While it’s important to all three territories, adequate geological knowledge exists for only about a third of Nunavut.  Covering 22 priority areas over 5 years, from 2008 to 2013, GEM is about engaging and involving Northern communities, and respecting the land. 

(Mary-Sanborn Barrie – Research Scientist and GEM Project Co-leader – Cumberland Peninsula)

“Operations to update Geoscience knowledge across the North are conducted from low-impact, environmentally friendly camps such as this one, that respect the delicate ecosystem of the Arctic.

The north is so vast, it is impossible for private companies to know where to begin without preliminary geological data and maps.  NRCan’s GEM scientists are creating the knowledge to help identify oil or gas deposits, as well as copper, nickel, iron, zinc and lead. Or precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, even diamonds. 

The raw data being gathered tell a billion year old story; but how is this story told?

Through air and land surveys. The Airborne Geophysics Section of NRCan performs aerial surveys on behalf of the Geological Survey of Canada.

Aerial surveys measure physical properties of the underlying bedrock and surface deposits of materials that accumulated or formed over 2 billion years ago. They are done using airplanes and helicopters and are tools to help develop a preliminary geological snapshot of large areas, providing information on rock type, structure and depth. 

Land surveys are done by walking on the land, and getting close to the rocks……analyzing different fragments from a variety of sources, such as mountains, glaciers and bedrock.

Michael Young - Physical Scientist and GEM Project co-leader - Cumberland Peninsula – Camp

“I’m involved with the bedrock mapping, the distribution of the rocks as well as how the rocks came to be where they are now….It’s understanding the earth processes through time.  So it’s deciphering this puzzle to unravel a story of 2 billion years. 

Estimates show that public geo-mapping programs can result in an initial five-to-one return in leveraging private sector investment.  That means the Government of Canada’s $100-million investment in GEM could generate up to $500-million in private sector exploration and development.

GEM’s economic benefits extend well beyond the North…in fact, to all Canadians who produce and use minerals, metals and energy daily.