Lakehead University Geology - Journal Yearbook (Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada)

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Dr. Roger H. Mitchell, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. Background ; Lecturer in Isotope Geochemistry, University of Oslo, Norway 1971-72 Assistant Professor, Lakehead University 1972-76 Associate Professor, Lakehead University 1976-present Since the publication of the last Geology Journal, I have been on sabbatical leave in Australia and reflecting on the fact that being a geologist presents one with unrivalled opportunities for travel and the possibility of visiting places the casual tourist would never stumble upon - places such as the Spinifex Inn Disco in the Western Desert, the Orroroo Railway Hotel or Noonkanbah Tank No. 5. Visit- ing such places enables one to obtain a feeling for a country which is not available to the short-term visitor. Consequently, those of you who have doubts about your chosen profession, whilst learning the ontogeny of graptolites or standing amidst the black flies on a swampy greenstone belt, remember that being a geologist will enable you to combine travel with a stimulating occupation if you take advantage of the many employment options open to you. Whilst in Australia, I found that the public generally respected geologists and were aware of the nature of their work, presumably as a consequence of many of the towns having their origins as exploration bases or mine sites. Life for the geologist in the field is, compared to Canada, relatively pleasant; a warm (to very hot) and dry climate (unless you are in the monsoon areas) , plus the ability to drive almost anywhere - no muskeg, few trees, no portages, no second-growth! The bulk of my sabbatical leave was spent irradiating myself at the Univer- sity of Melbourne where I obtained new insights into the geochemistry of gold, iridium and palladium in garnet lherzolites. I also saw numerous recent volcanic rocks, studied the art of chronomancy (or fission track geochronology), and gained some familiarity with Australian painting. V Ed. note: Dr. Mitchell was made a Professor in February of 1980.

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Dr. M.W. Bartley, M.Sc., Ph.D. Background ; Lecturer, University of Toronto 1938-40 Iron Ore Exploration since 1938 Steep Rock Iron Mines development 1940-48 Principal, Lakehead Technical Institute 1948-52 Honorary Professor, Lakehead University 1971-present President of The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 1976 My primary interest is economic geology which embraces many sub-disciplines including exploration, evaluation, development, and utilization as applied to mineral deposits. This entails not only a knowledge of basic geology and mineralogy but also an appreciation of the fundamentals of mining engineering, metallurgy, economics, and management. In the rapidly changing world of science and technology, specialization is increasing, unfortunately, to the point where the traditional economic geologists are fast becoming an endangered species. This is regrettable but the trend can be reversed. The reversal can be accomplished by informal research consisting of planned reading of journals in which case histories and techniques are described, by attendance at meetings of earth scientists with similar interests, and plain old bull sessions with one ' s peers. If I am permitted to extend only one piece of advice to budding economic geologists, it is to read, listen and ask questions. I strongly recommend that all prospective geologists become members of and take active part in professional associations. It is through these affiliations you can more easily broaden your education, gain professional stature, and enhance lasting personal satisfaction. My involvement in the mineral industry as an employee, as a consultant, and to a limited degree as an academic, has been pleasant and rewarding. A highlight was the realization that my education has never stopped. I wish you success, satisfaction, and many years of productive graduation. life after

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Dr. R. Garth Platt , B.Sc., Ph.D. Background ; Visiting Professor, University of Copenhagen, Denmark 1969-70 NRC Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Western Ontario 1970-71 N.E.R.C. Research Fellow and Staff Member, University of Edinburgh, Scotland 1971-74 Assistant Professor, Lakehead University 1974-78 Associate Professor, Lakehead University 1978-present So it is now two years since my last contribution to the Geology Journal. If I recall, the last communication ended with the safe completion of a nephelinite , basanite, phonolite hunt to Bathurst Island, N.W.T. Subsequent work has shown that the hunt was a success. The bonus of discovering the first occurrence of olivine melilitite in Canada merely added icing to the cake. These continental rift valley volcanics are presently the object of geochemical, petrological and mineralogical studies. The first results will be discussed at a field workshop on volcanism in rift and intraplate environments in July 1979 during a field trip concerned with the alkaline vulcanism associated with Cenozoic stretching in Western Europe. The main research thrust has continued to be the Coldwell Alkaline Complex, a location dear to the heart of many a Geology major from Lakehead. What greater delight is there than the Pic Disco, the Everest Hotel, the Red Dog dining-room, Red Sucker Cove and Ministry girls from Neys Provincial Park? Recent work has centered on the Nepheline Syenites and the numerous dikes intersecting the intrusion. Currently M. McGill and B. Jago are completing a detailed study of the Southwestern margin of the intrusion for their honours theses. This large alkaline complex will continue to be the source of many challenging theses in the years to come. Evidence is slowly emerging on the presence of past carbonate-rich magmatic activity just to the west of the Coldwell Complex. The McKellar Harbour region is the locus of numerous C0 2 -rich, K O-rich ultrabasic lamprophyres which could easily be mistaken for kimberlites (Diamonds!) but which are most likely related to carbonatites . These dikes contain varying proportions of olivine, phlogopite, calcite, apatite, spinel, perovskite and melilite and one contains significant amounts of a very rare Zr-rich, Ti-rich andraditic garnet. As of now only four localities in the world are known for this mineral. These dikes are believed to be associated with the activity responsible for the formation of the Prairie Lake Carbonatite lying some 35 kilometres to the north of McKellar Harbour. So much for now, so until the next time, to all geology majors, good luck and may the spirit of igneous petrology be with you.