Mining, oil and gas project proposals sought

By Gordon Hoekstra
Prince George Citizen
29-Mar-2006

Geoscience B.C., an industry-led agency started with $25 million from the province, has put out another call for proposals for projects to increase knowledge of the mineral and oil and gas potential in central B.C.

It's an effort to help stimulate diversified natural resource development in communities facing fallout from a decrease in forest activity in the next decade from the mountain pine beetle epidemic.

"Much of the area in central B.C. affected by the mountain pine beetle infestation is largely unexplored and presents promising opportunities for new oil and gas and mineral discoveries," said Dr. Lyn Anglin, president and CEO of Geoscience B.C.

There are areas in central B.C. largely unexplored because it's tough ground to prospect in, she said.

Minerals and oil and gas deposits, if there are any, are covered by volcanic rocks and glacial deposits, said Anglin.

They hope to get proposals that include exploration of what rock outcroppings exist, which may be easier to access with increased roads to harvest beetle timber, as well as for airborne surveys using technology that can detect minerals beneath the ground, she said.

The first round of proposals that were approved included projects to fill in some gaps on geological information in the region, as well as new research into new methods of detecting minerals in soil and vegetation.

The $1.5 million being spent on the projects in the region was boosted by $700,000 from industry, academia and the federal government.

Anglin said Geoscience B.C. won't outright exclude other projects outside of central B.C. from consideration, but wants to focus on central B.C. because it's believed to have potential.

And to create diversification in the region with mining or oil and gas, research and exploration has to start now because it takes considerable time to get projects off the ground, she noted.

Anglin noted that after geological mapping, and other key surveys are completed, it can take two to three years or more of exploration activities before any significant discovery is made.

That's followed by another two to five years to bring an oil and gas or mineral discovery into production, said Anglin.

That eight to 10 years is about the time communities like Vanderhoof and Quesnel are expected to start feeling the impacts of reduced timber supply from the beetle epidemic.

By the time it runs its course in 2013, 80 per cent of the Interior's mature pine is expected to be dead. B.C.'s chief forester has said the drop in timber supply from the beetle epidemic will be between 20 to 40 per cent in north-central B.C.

Analysis by the Canadian Forest Service has shown even a modest drop in the timber supply will have a significant impact on the economy and employment.

For more information visit geosciencebc.com.