Field Trip 04

Northwest Territories Kimberlite Drill Core Collection

Facilitator: Scott Cairns (Northwest Territories Geological Survey)

Location: Based in Yellowknife

Transport: Bus

Description: The Northwest Territories Geological Survey operates a geological materials storage and viewing facility in Yellowknife that hosts over 270 kimberlite drill cores, making it one of the largest publically available kimberlite collections in the world. This collection includes many examples of both well-documented and lesser-known kimberlites from the Northwest Territories (NWT) and select kimberlites from other jurisdictions. For this half day field trip, we will be displaying a selection of classic NWT kimberlites from the Lac De Gras region including some from the Ekati Diamond Mine, the Diavik Diamond Mine and the DO-27 kimberlite as well as the former Jericho Mine in Nunavut. The display will also include lesser known kimberlites from the Lac de Gras region as well as kimberlites from other parts the NWT, such as the Drybones Bay, Dharma and Ranch Lake. Together the kimberlites that can be viewed range in age from 50 to 450 Ma. No sample collection will be permitted.

Left – Archived drill cores from the Northwest Territories Geological Survey’s collection. Top Right – Archived material form the Tanqueray kimberlite, located adjacent to the eastern arm of Yamba Lake, approximately 35 kilometers northwest of the Ekati Diamond Mine. Bottom Right – Close up of drill core from the EG03 kimberlite, located on the western arm of Lac de Gras approximately 35 kilometers east of the Diavik Diamond Mine.