The thickness of Neogene and Quaternary cover across the central Interior Plateau, British Columbia: Analysis of water-well drill records and implications for mineral exploration potential

Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences

Volumn 48, Issue 6, 2011, Pages 973-986

  Andrews, Graham D M ^a,b   Plouffe, Alain ^c   Ferbey, Travis ^d   Russell, James K ^b   Brown, Sarah R ^e   Anderson, Robert G ^a  

^a GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA   (Canada)

^b UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA   (Canada)

^c GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA   (Canada)

^d Ministry of Energy Mines and Petroleum Resources   (Canada)

^e SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY   (Canada)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

BRITISH COLUMBIA; DATA SETS; EXPLORATION POTENTIAL; FIRST-ORDER; GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION; HYDROCARBON RESOURCES; NEO GENES; PALEOTOPOGRAPHY; PRINCE GEORGE; WILLIAMS;

ANALYTICAL GEOCHEMISTRY; GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS; GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING; HYDROCARBONS; MINERAL EXPLORATION; SILICATE MINERALS;

MINERAL RESOURCES;

BEDROCK; DATA SET; FUTURE PROSPECT; HYDROCARBON RESOURCE; MINERAL EXPLORATION; NEOGENE; PALEOTOPOGRAPHY; PENEPLAIN; QUATERNARY; WELL WATER;

BRITISH COLUMBIA; CANADA; INTERIOR PLATEAU; UNITED STATES;

EID: 79960198942     PISSN: 00084077     EISSN: 14803313     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1139/e10-080     Document Type: Article

References (34)

1. Andrews, G.D.M., and Russell, J.K. 2007. Mineral exploration potential beneath the Chilcotin Group, south-central BC: preliminary insights from volcanic facies analysis. In Geological fieldwork 2006. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 2007-1 and Geoscience BC, Report 2007-1. pp. 229-238.
2. Andrews, G.D.M., and Russell, J.K. 2008. Cover thickness across the southern Interior Plateau, British Columbia (NTS 092O, P; 093A, B, C, F): constraints from water-well records. In Summary of activities 2007. Geoscience BC, Report 2008-1. pp. 11-20.
3. Bevier, M.-L. 1983. Regional stratigraphy and age of Chilcotin Group basalts, south-central British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 20: 515-524.
4. Brennand, T.A., Moore, A., Logan, C., Kenny, F., Russell, H.A.J., Sharpe, D.R., and Barnett, P.J. 1998. Bedrock topography of the Greater Toronto and Oak Ridges Moraine areas, southern Ontario. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 3419, scale 1: 200 000.
5. Clague, J.J. 1986. The Quaternary stratigraphic record of British Columbia - evidence for episodic sedimentation and erosion controlled by glaciation. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 23: 885-894.
6. Clague, J.J. 1989. Placer gold in the Cariboo district, British Columbia. In Current research. Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 89-1E. pp. 243-250.
7. Dohaney, J., Andrews, G.D.M., Russell, J.K., and Anderson, R.G. 2010. Distribution of the Chilcotin Group, Taseko Lakes and Bonaparte Lake map areas, British Columbia. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 6344, scale 1: 250 000.
8. Gordee, S.M., Andrews, G.D.M., Simpson, K.A., and Russell, J.K. 2007. Subaqueous, channel-confined volcanism within the Chilcotin Group, Bull Canyon Provincial Park, south-central British Columbia. In Geological fieldwork. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 2007-1 and Geoscience BC Report 2007-1. pp. 285-290.
9. Hannigan, P., Lee, P.J., Osadetz, K.G., Dietrich, J.R., and Olsen-Heise, K. 1994. Oil and gas resource potential of the Nechako-Chilcotin area of British Columbia. Geological Survey of Canada, Geofile 2001-6.
10. Hayward, N., and Calvert, A.J. 2009. Eocene and Neogene volcanic rocks in the southeastern Nechako Basin, British Columbia: interpretation of the Canadian Hunter seismic reflection surveys using first-arrival tomography. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 46(10): 707-720. doi:10.1139/E09-041.
11. Hickin, A.S., Kerr, B., Turner, D.G., and Barchyn, T.E. 2008. Mapping Quaternary paleovalleys and drift thickness using petrophysical logs, northeast British Columbia, Fontas map sheet, NTS 94I. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 45(5): 577-591. doi:10.1139/E07-063.
12. Huntley, D.H., and Broster, B.E. 1994. Glacial Lake Camelsfoot: a Late Wisconsinan advance stage proglacial lake in the Fraser River valley, Gang Ranch area, British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 31: 798-807.
13. Huntley, D.H., and Broster, B.E. 1997. The Late Wisconsinan deglacial history of the east-central Taseko Lakes area, British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 31: 1510-1520.
14. Levson, V.M., and Giles, T.R. 1990. Stratigraphy and geologic setting of gold placers in the Cariboo Mining District. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1991-1. pp. 331-344.
15. Levson, V.M., and Giles, T.R. 1994. Geology of Tertiary and Quaternary gold-bearing placers in the Cariboo region, British Columbia (93A, B, G, H). British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Bulletin 89.
16. Logan, J.M., Schiarizza, P., Struik, L.C., Barnett, C., Nelson, J.L., Kowalczyk, P., et al. 2010. Bedrock geology of the QUEST map area, central British Columbia: British Columbia Geological Survey, Geoscience Map 2010-1, scale 1: 1 000 000.
17. Massey, N.W.D., MacIntyre, D.G., Desjardins, P.J., and Cooney, R.T. 2005. Digital GeologyMap of British Columbia: Whole Province. BC Ministry of Energy,Mines and Petroleum Resources, GeoFile 2005-1.
18. Mathews, W.H. 1989. Neogene Chilcotin basalts in south-central British Columbia: geology, ages, and geomorphic history. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 26: 969-982.
19. Mathews, W.H., and Rouse, G.E. 1984. The Gang Ranch - Big Bar area, south-central British Columbia: stratigraphy, geochronology, and palynology of Tertiary beds and their relationship to the Fraser Fault. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 21: 1132-1144.
20. Mihalynuk, M.G. 2007a. Evaluation of mineral inventories and mineral exploration deficit of the Interior Plateau Beetle Infested Zone (BIZ), south-central British Columbia. In Geological fieldwork. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 2007-1. pp. 137-142.
21. Mihalynuk, M.G. 2007b. Neogene and Quaternary Chilcotin Group cover rocks in the Interior Plateau, south-central British Columbia: a preliminary 3-D thickness model. In Geological fieldwork. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 2007-1. pp. 143-147.
22. Mihalynuk, M.G., Peat, C.R., Terhune, K., and Orovan, E.A. 2008. Regional geology and resource potential of the Chezacut map area, central British Columbia (NTS 093C/08). In Geological fieldwork. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 2008-1. pp. 117-134.
23. Parrish, R.R. 1983. Cenozoic thermal evolution and tectonics of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia: 1. Fission track dating, apparent uplift rates, and patterns of uplift. Tectonics, 2(6): 601-631. doi:10.1029/TC002i006p00601.
24. Pawlowicz, J.G., Hickin, A.S., Nicoll, T.J., Fenton, M.M., Paulen, R. C., Plouffe, A., and Smith, I.R. 2004. Shallow gas in drift: northwestern Alberta. Alberta Energy and Utilities Board/Alberta Geological Survey, EUB/AGS Information Series 130.
25. Pawlowicz, J.G., Nicoll, T.J., and Sciarra, J.N. 2007. Drift thickness of the Bistcho Lake area, Alberta (NTS 84M). Alberta Energy and Utilities Board/Alberta Geological Survey, EUB/AGS Map 417, scale 1: 250 000.
26. Plouffe, A., Levson, V.M., and Mate, D.J. 2004. Surficial geology Nechako River, British Columbia. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 2067A, scale 1: 250 000.
27. Proudfoot, D.N., Bobrowsky, P.T., and Meldrum, D.G. 1995. Drift exploration potential maps derived from terrain geology maps. In Drift exploration in the Canadian Cordillera. Edited by P.T. Bobrowsky, P.T. Sibbick, S.J. Newell, and J.M. Matysek. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1995-2. pp. 23-31.
28. Rouse, G.E., and Mathews, W.H. 1988. Palynology of subsurface Cenozoic sediments and pyroclastic rocks southwest of Vanderhoof, British Columbia (093F/10, 16). In Geological fieldwork. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1989-1. pp. 189-193.
29. Rouse, G.E., Lesack, K.A., and Hughes, B.L. 1989. Palynological dating of sediments associated with placer gold deposits in the Barkerville - Quesnel - Prince George region, south-central British Columbia (93G). In Geological fieldwork. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1989-1. pp. 531-532.
30. Schiarizza, P., and Bligh, J.S. 2008. Geology and mineral occurrences of the Timothy Lake area, south-central British Columbia (NTS 092P/14). In Geological fieldwork. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 2008-1. pp. 191-211.
31. Tipper, H.W. 1971. Glacial geomorphology and Pleistocene history of central British Columbia. Geological Survey of Canada, Bulletin 196.
32. USGS (United States Geological Survey). 2009. Seamless data distribution system, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS). Available at seamless.usgs.gov [accessed 13 January 2009].
33. White, R.S., Smallwood, J.R., Fliedner, M.M., Maresh, J., and Fruehn, J. 2002. Imaging and regional distribution of basalt flows in the Faroe-Shetland Basin. Journal of Conference Abstracts, 7: 199-200.
34. Wilkinson, L., Harris, J., Kjarsgaard, B., McClenaghan, B., and Kerr, D. 2001. Influence of till thickness and texture on till geochemistry in the Lac du Gras area, Northwest Territories, with applications for regional kimberlite exploration. In Current research. Geological Survey of Canada, Report 2001-C9.