Chan Lake Aeromagnetic Survey

Chan Lake Aeromagnetic Survey

Photo taken from the aircraft during the aeromagnetic survey. Credit: Kurtis Schindel

Description

A aeromagnetic survey was completed for an area west of the North Arm of Great Slave Lake, between Behchoko and Fort Providence, NWT.  The resulting map from an aeromagnetic survey shows the distribution of magnetic anomalies in the Earth's upper crust which can be used to infer geologic structures such as the presence of folds and/or faults. 

Location of the Chan Lake aeromagnetic survey completed February 2016. Credit: NTGS.

Location

The aeromagnetic survey was completed for the Chan Lake area located west of Behchoko and south of Marion Lake, Northwest Territories.  The survey was approximately 8 500 km2.

3D image of the proposed surface for the Chan Lake aeromagnetic survey. Credit: NTGS.

Justification

In the Northwest Territories the area west of the Canadian Shield is covered by flat-lying Phanerozoic rocks which are underlain by Precambrian rocks. Both the Precambrian and the Phanerozoic rocks have the potential to host deposits of metallic minerals and diamonds. Aeromagnetic data can show structures in the bedrock that might be related to mineral deposits, and can be used by multiple stakeholders to advance mineral exploration, support geoscientific studies, and inform land use planning decisions. Prior to this survey, only low-resolution aeromagnetic data was available for much of this region, and magnetic data did not exist at all for the Chan Lake area.

Photo taken from the aircraft during the aeromagnetic survey. Credit: Kurtis Schindel

Approach

Goldak Airborne Surveys was contracted to conduct the aeromagnetic survey. The magnetic data was collected using a magnetometer attached to a C-GJBG aircraft which was flown in grid lines back and forth across the survey area. High-sensitivity aeromagnetic data was digitally-recorded and the aquired data will be compiled into digital line data, gridded maps and contoured maps.

The surface base station used for the Chan Lake aeromagnetic survey. Credit: Goldak Airborne Surveys.

Schedule

The Chan Lake aeromagnetic survey was conducted during the third week of February 2016 after the tests and calibrations were completed in Alberta, Canada.  The data acquisition was completed by March 2016 and final processed data along with contoured maps will be released as NWT Open File 2016-03 in June 2016.

A C-GJBG aircraft was used for the Chan Lake aeromagnetic survey. This photo of a C-GJBG was taken by Goldak.

Partners and Support

The aeromagnetic survey was completed by Goldak Airborne Surveys.

Keywords

Geophysics, airborne data, aeromagnetic data, magnetic, anomaly