Technical Sessions

2022 Geoscience Forum Technical Session Program - Click to View
 

2022 Technical Sessions

  • Geoscience & Exploration
  • Diamond Geology & Exploration
  • Energy in Canada’s North
  • Environmental Monitoring & Research
  • Changing Permafrost Landscapes
  • Permafrost Monitoring and Data Management
  • Community Engagement & Education
  • Regulatory & Policy Updates
  • Mining and Advanced Project Updates
  • Critical Minerals Mining, Exploration, and Education


Descriptions of Sessions

Geoscience & Exploration 
Chairs: Bernadette Knox (NTGS-GNWT) and Rebecca Canam (NTGS-GNWT)
This session will showcase a variety of mineral prospects in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, summarize mineral-exploration activities that took place in both territories over the past year, and provide the latest results of geoscience research and mapping projects. Presenters are from government, academia, and industry.

Diamond Geology and Exploration
Chair: Barrett Elliott (NTGS-GNWT)
Exploration for, and the development of, diamond resources have played an enormous role in the evolution of the Northwest Territories for nearly 25 years. As the diamond mines mature, exploration for new diamond resources is also becoming more mature. A depressed exploration market around the world has slowed diamond exploration for several years. Now exploration financings are showing signs of recovery and diamonds are returning as an exploration target of choice. This session will explore the state of existing mines and producers, as well as showcase the latest diamond exploration projects and techniques at play in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Energy in Canada's North 
Chairs: Viktor Terlaky (NTGS-GNWT) and Ahmed Elgazar (ITI-GNWT)
This year’s Energy Geoscience Session will feature energy resource topics that will range from petroleum geoscientific studies in the Mackenzie Valley and Mackenzie Delta regions, to geoscience-related alternative energy resources such as geothermal energy and natural gas. Speakers from government, academia, and industry will highlight current research pertaining to resource exploration and energy-related issues.

Environmental Monitoring & Research
Chairs: Tim Ensom (LANDS-GNWT) and Nigel Rossouw (NSERC-ARI)
This session will focus on topics of direct interest to the oil and gas and mining sectors, including research on environmental geochemistry, ecotoxicology, legacy contamination, permafrost, hydrology, reclamation and remediation and the design of monitoring and management programs. Presentations will highlight targeted decision makers and how they may apply this information.

Changing Permafrost Landscapes
Chairs: Steve Kokelj (NTGS-GNWT) and Joseph Young (UofA) 
Permafrost thaw is the main cause of climate-driven landscape change in the north and has a major effect on ecosystems and infrastructure. This session will showcase research that contributes to understanding the distribution of thaw-sensitive terrain across the north. This is critical to predict the future state of the environment and water resources of the Northwest Territories and for climate change adaptation planning.

Permafrost Monitoring and Data Management
Chairs: Niels Weiss (NTGS-GNWT), Jennifer Humphries (NSERC-ARI), and Nick Brown (Carleton University)
Data collection, processing, storage, and dissemination strategies are essential to effectively address permafrost thaw-related issues. This session will feature monitoring efforts across the NWT, data management and database development, and strategies to coordinate the workflows. We invite northerners, data generators, data users, and other permafrost practitioners to contribute to this session.

Regulatory & Policy Updates
Chairs: Charlene Squibb (ITI-GNWT) and Julie Ward (ITI-GNWT)
This session targets presenters involved in community engagement, outreach programs, and capacity building initiatives in resource development. We invite abstracts and summaries that showcase a variety of perspectives for community training and learning, and supporting the development of sustainable communities related to exploration, mining, and petroleum development in the north.

Mining and Advanced Project Updates
Chairs: Tom Hoefer (NWT & NU Chamber of Mines), Mike Byrne (ITI-GNWT)
Northern operating mines are the largest private-sector contributor to the territorial economies and provide significant benefits to the North. Operating mines and projects in advanced phases will provide updates on their operations over the past year and provide outlooks for the coming year.

Critical Minerals Mining, Exploration, and Education
Chairs: Gideon Lambiv (NTGS-GNWT) and Merilie Reynolds (NTGS-GNWT)
Canada is primed to capitalize on the rising global demand for critical minerals, driven in large part by their role in the transition to a low-carbon and digitized economy. Essential for renewable energy and clean technology applications (batteries, permanent magnets, solar panels, and wind turbines), they are also required inputs for advanced manufacturing supply chains, including defence and security technologies, consumer electronics, agriculture, medical applications, and critical infrastructure.