Inaugural Year of the
Precambrian Research Center at UMD
Successes, Challenges, Future Goals
James D. Miller Jr.
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Minnesota Duluth
Dean M. Peterson
Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth
George J. Hudak
Department of Geology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Why the PRC?
urgent
demand for geoscientists trained in field
mapping, especially in Precambrian shield terranes, in
both the private and public sectors, both locally and
internationally

critically low supply of geoscientists skilled in
geological mapping of Precambrian geology and related
fields of study (economic geology, igneous and
metamorphic petrology, structural geology, glacial
geology)
Mission Statement
Providing Education, Training, and Support in Precambrian
Field Studies for the Next Generation of Geoscientists
The China Effect
Ni
Au
Cu
Historically High Metal Prices
Pd
Pb
Pt
Zn
03------- 04------- 05------ 06------- 07-------
1992
2000
2008
Rejuvenated Mineral Exploration Industry
Metals Economics Group (2007)
Mesabi Range:
Benefiting from the Global Demand for Steel
Cu-Ni-PGE
Deposits of the
Duluth Complex:
A New
Mining
District?
Current Exploration Activity
Polymet Mining
Duluth Metals Ltd.
Franconia Minerals
Encampment Resources
Low Supply of Field-trained
Geologists
Downsizing of the Geosciences
Collapse of US Minerals
Exploration Industry
Arab Oil
Embargo
Environmental
Geology Boom
American Geological Institute (2002)
American Geological Institute 2008
US Field
Training
focused on
Rocky Mtn
Geology
151 US Geology
Field Camps
-136 in Rocky Mtn
States
-13 in Appalachian
States
-2 in Midwestern
States
Precambrian Cratons
Canadian Shield vs. Rocky Mountain
Geology
Getting around in
the North Woods
North Country Exposures
Why UMD?
Longstanding reputation for producing
field savvy geology students familiar with
Precambrian shield terrains
Tim Holst
Bob Heller
Ralph Marsden
Dick Ojakangas
John Green
Ron Morton
Charlie Matsch
Don Davidson
Jim Grant
Penny Morton
Why UMD?
Longstanding reputation for producing field savvy geology
students familiar with Precambrian shield terrains
9
8
7
6
5
4
Total Theses
Local Theme
Precambrian Theme
3
2
1
19
72
19
74
19
76
19
78
19
80
19
82
19
84
19
86
19
88
19
90
19
92
19
94
19
96
19
98
20
00
20
02
20
04
20
06
0
2007-08 Academic Year
20 Graduate Students; 12 Precambrian Dissertation Themes
Why UMD?
Location, Location, Location
Why UMD?
To Satisfy the Demands of the Local Mining Industry
PRC’s Goals
 to provide advanced training for upper level undergraduate
students, graduate students, and professional geologists in advanced
techniques and modern methods of mapping and map-making in
glaciated Precambrian terrains

to attract and provide financial assistance to outstanding students
who have an interest in conducting field-oriented graduate research
on Precambrian geology of the Lake Superior region

to assist PRC-trained students in finding employment in the
public and private sector

to educate the public about the importance of geology and earth
resources in their everyday lives
PRC Programs

Summer Precambrian geology field camp in
northeastern Minnesota

Graduate research assistantships and grants

Professional workshops/field trips

Geologic mapping courses at UMD

Additional educational, outreach, mentoring,
and student career planning activities
Precambrian Summer Field Camp
in Northeastern Minnesota
Staff: Miller, Peterson, and Hudak with 6 other fieldexperienced geologists from UMD and the MGS.
Students: From throughout the US and Canada; priorities
1) undergraduate juniors and seniors, 2) graduate
students, 3) company geologists
Location: UMD, Vermilion Community College (Ely) and
various field localities in NE Minnesota
Duration: July 13-August 23, 2008 (6 weeks/6 credits)
Cost: $2,900 (Tuition, fees, room and board), no out-state
tuition
Highlights of Precambrian Field Camp

Field mapping in diverse Precambrian terranes, including:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–








Deformed metasedimentary rocks
Layered mafic intrusions
Plateau lavas and subvolcanic intrusions
Banded iron-formation sequences
Plutonic granite terranes
Archean greenstone belts
Large-scale Archean shear zones
Mapping at various scales - outcrop (1:250) to quadrangle (1:24,000)
Recognizing metamorphic grade, deformational fabrics, alteration
assemblages, and ore mineralization in the field
Acquiring geophysical field measurements for interpreting bedrock geology
Mapping glacial deposits & landforms and introduction to drift prospecting
Drill core logging of banded iron formation stratigraphy
Adit mapping in an underground mine
GIS compilation of field data and digital map-making
CAPSTONE MAPPING PROJECT –Students were be divided into field parties
of 2-5 students and an instructor during Week 5 to conduct detailed
mapping in four different geological terranes; the project areas had not
been previously mapped in detail and required backwoods field work,
primitive camping and canoeing in a wilderness setting.
The Instructors
Dean Peterson
150 years of combined mapping
experience
Jim Miller
George Hudak
Val
Chandler
John Goodge
Mark Severson
Al Knaeble
Nigel Wattrus
Mark Jirsa
Phil Larson
Howard
Mooers
2007 Students
Troy Boisjoli
Ashley Anderson
St. Norbert (WI)
UMD
Tyler Fellows
UW-Milwaukee
Shelby Frost
Winona State
Brian Lentz
Winona State
Dean Moosavi
New Hampshire
Benedek Gal
Steve Hoaglund
Tom Johnson
Eötvös Lorànd Univ UW-Eau Claire North Dakota State
Amanda Putz
UMD
Gabe Sweet
Macalester
Erik Tharalson
UMD
Dan Costello
St. Norbert (WI)
Natalie Juda
Macalester
Corey Wendland
UMD
Exercise 1 – Thomson Dam
deformed metasedimentary rocks
Exercise 2 – Geophysical Field Methods
seismic, ground magnetics, gravity
Exercise 3 – Duluth Complex at Spirit Mtn
foliated cumulate mafic rocks
Exercise 4 – North Shore
hypabyssal intrusive and volcanic rocks
Roadcut Mapping
Outcrop Mapping
Shoreline Mapping
Exercise 5 – Mesabi Range Sed/Strat
core logging, section measuring, stratigraphic correlation
Exercise 6 – Basal Duluth Complex
sulfide mineralization, intrusive contact
Exercise 7 – Soudan Mine
underground drift mapping
Exercise 8 – Fivemile Lake Greenstone
altered pillowed metabasalt, drift prospecting
Capstone Mapping Projects
Homer Lake – gabbro
Cavity Lake Fire Area – gabbro,
metasediments
Twin Lakes – metavolcanics
Gabbro Lake - gabbro
Field Data Compilation and
Map-making
The True
Measure of
Success
Tyler Fellows
UW-Milwaukee
Shelby Frost
Winona State
Brian Lentz
Winona State
Dean Moosavi
New Hampshire
Troy Boisjoli
Ashley Anderson
St. Norbert (WI)
UMD
Benedek Gal
Steve Hoaglund
Tom Johnson
Eötvös Lorànd Univ UW-Eau Claire North Dakota State
Amanda Putz
UMD
Gabe Sweet
Macalester
Erik Tharalson
UMD
Dan Costello
St. Norbert (WI)
Natalie Juda
Macalester
Corey Wendland
UMD
Research Assistantships and Grants

Up to 4 yearly research assistantships for graduate
students at UMD
- must pursue field-based research project focused on
Precambrian geology of the Lake Superior region

Small grants available to undergraduate and graduate
students for field-based research projects on
Precambrian topics
- available to undergraduate or graduate students from
accredited North American universities or colleges
- preference will be given to students from UMD and those
who have attended the PRC field camp
2007-08 Graduate Assistantship Award




Student: Chris White (UW Oshkosh)
Status: 2nd year MS candidate at UMD
Primary Advisor: Jim Miller
Co-advisors: John Goodge, Dean
Peterson

PRC Support: 1/2-time graduate
research assistantship for the 2007-08
academic year ($23,000)

Thesis title: Petrology and Cu-Ni-PGE
Mineralization of the Northern South
Kawishiwi Intrusion, Duluth Complex,
Northeastern Minnesota.
Company Sponsorships and
Employment

Opportunities exist for students to have graduate
research partly to wholly funded by mineral
exploration companies for projects of interest to these
companies
 Summer or seasonal employment is also possible.
 Current student support:
Kennecott Exploration –Brian Goldner
Duluth Metals Ltd. – Chris White
Professional Workshops
Minnesota’s Cu-Ni-PGE Resources:
A Workshop for Investors
April 23-25, 2008
Duluth, Minnesota
Wednesday, April 23 – Geology, Mineralization, and Processing of Duluth Complex Cu-Ni-PGE Ores
1:00 Don Fosnacht (NRRI) Opening remarks
1:15 Jon Scoates (Canadian consultant) Worldwide Ni-Cu-PGE deposits
2:00 Jim Miller (MGS/UMD) Geology of the Duluth Complex
2:30 Mark Severson (NRRI) Styles of mineralization (Cu-Ni-PGE; TiO2) in the Duluth Complex
3:00 Dean Peterson (NRRI) New ideas and 3D visualizations of the Duluth Complex
3:30 Coffee break and drill core displays
4:00 Joe Ferron (Hydroproc Consultants) Hydrometallurgical processing of Duluth Complex ores
4:30 Peter Clevenstine (MNDNR) Providing sustainable iron ore to the North American steel industry
5:30 Social hour 6:30 PM Banquet
8:00 BANQUET SPEAKER – Ron Graber (Cleveland Cliffs) The Global Mineral Boom
Thursday, April 24 – The Mining Business in Minnesota; Exploration Co. Presentations
8:00 Frank Ongaro (Mining Minnesota) Mining in Minnesota
8:30 Marty Vadis (MNDNR) State of Minnesota mineral diversification program
9:00 Sandy Layman (IRR) State and local government perspective on Cu-Ni-PGE mining
9:30 Coffee break; Drill Core Displays: Cu-Ni-PGE mineralization
10:30 Daniel Colton Financing mineral opportunities under Minnesota’s regulatory conditions
11:00 Brian Gavin - Franconia Minerals
11:30 Rick Sandri - Duluth Metals Limited
Professional Workshops
Short Course and Field Investigations of
Precambrian Volcanic Rocks, Hydrothermal
Alteration, and Associated Mineral Deposits
May 11 – 17, 2008
University of Minnesota – Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
INSTRUCTORS
Ron Morton – University of Minnesota Duluth
George Hudak – University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Jim Franklin – Consultant (formerly Canadian Geological Survey)
Paul Spry – Iowa State University
Michelle DeWolfe – Laurentian University
Professional Workshops
Short Course and Field Investigations
of the
Cumulate Stratigraphy of Mafic Layered Intrusions
May 2009
University of Minnesota – Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
INSTRUCTORS
Jim Miller – University of Minnesota Duluth
Jon Scoates – Canadian consultant (formerly Manitoba Geol Survey)
Roger Cooper – Lamar University
Mike Easton – Ontario Geological Survey
Dick James? – Laurentian University
Neil Irvine? – Carnegie Geophysical Laboratory
Field Trips to: Duluth Complex, Bird River Sill, Coldwell Complex, East Bull Lake Intr.
Mapping Courses at UMD
GEOL 3000: Geologic Maps (currently being offered)
(3.0 cr; Grad school student, or instructor consent; A-F, fall)
Students will develop the ability to read geologic maps through a series of brief lectures and
laboratory exercises involving reading, interpreting, and creating geological maps. Students
will learn to construct cross-sections, interpret map patterns and contact relationships, and
determine geological histories. Students will also learn basic field method techniques by
mapping both in the field and in the virtual field environment.
GEOL 5XXX: Geology in Three-Dimensions
(2.0 cr; Grad school student, or instructor consent; A-F, J-term)
Introduction to three-dimensional geological mapping and modeling using state-of-the-art
geological (gOcad) and geophysical inversion (MAG3D & GRAV3D) computer software.
Graduate students enrolled in the course will use their individual thesis topic geological data
in the course.
Geol 5XX: Geologic Problem Solving using Digital Methods
(1.0 cr; Prereq-Jr or Sr or grad student in Geol, or instructor consent; A-F, spring)
Overview of the common types of digital geological data (points, lines, surfaces, volumes).
The course will teach common techniques used by geoscientists that manipulate these data
into useful information (maps, tables, images, graphs, visualizations) to answer specific
questions.
Geol 5100: Advanced Seminar (Various Topics on Precambrian Geology)
(1.0 - 2.0 cr; Prereq-#; A-F or Aud, fall or spring term)
Currently offered - Geology and Mineral Deposits of the Duluth Complex and related
Mesoproterozoic Rocks of Northeastern Minnesota.
Funding the PRC

Tuition and Fees (field camp, workshops, and field
experiences)

UMD (tuition scholarships, increased teaching lines
for advanced courses, PRC faculty position)

State Funding (NRRI-PUF, MCC, IRR, LCMR)

Federal Grants (USGS-EDMAP, NSF)

Industry Memberships and Research Sponsorships
Corporate and Individual
Memberships to the PRC
Individual
Corporate
Benefits
Membership
Level
Annual
Contribution*
Diamond
Annual Report
Workshop
Reservations
Board of
Advisors
>$20,001
X
5
1
Platinum
$20,000 10,001
X
3
Gold
$10,000 –
5,001
X
2
Copper
<$5,000
X
1
Titanium
$5,000-2,001
X
1
Nickel
$2,000-501
X
1 per year
Zinc
<$500
X
* Tax-deductible
Corporate and Individual Members
of the PRC
Member
Membership Date
Anglo American plc
April 2007
Al MacTavish
April 2007
Rendrag Inc.
April 2007
Newmont Mining Corp May 2007
Duluth Metals Limited June 2007
Tom Gardner
June 2007
Freewest Resources
July 2007
Richard Patelke
July 2007
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
August 2007
Anonymous match
Total:
Membership Level
Platinum
Nickel
Palladium
Gold
Gold
Palladium
Copper
Nickel
Platinum
($15,000)
$90,000
Benefits / Outcomes
Creating Intellectual Capital for the State
in Geoscience Industries and Institutions
An incomplete list of UMD’s 50 year contribution to the IC of the state
Paul Albers (MS ‘06) Duluth Metals Ltd.
Ashley Anderson (BS ‘08) Teck Cominco
Erik Tharalson (BS ’08) Encampment Resources
Jon Van Alstine (MS ’06) EPA Duluth
Dean Peterson (PhD ‘01, BS ’86) NRRI/PRC
JD Lehr (MS ’00) CAMAS (DNR)
George Hudak (PhD ’96, MS ’89) UW Osh/PRC
Tamara Diedrich (BS ‘ 99) Natural Resources Res. Inst.
Rich Patelke (MS ’96) Polymet Mining
Steve Geerts (MS’ 94) Polymet Mining
Kevin Boerst (BS ’94) Duluth Metals Ltd.
Steve Osterberg (PhD ’93, MS ’85) Mine Mappers
Tom Muhich (MS ’93) Environmental Consulting
Nancy Nelson (MS ’91) MExA editor
Tom Susek (MS ’90) UW Oshkosh
Al Strandlie (BS ’88) Cliffs Services
Frank Pezzutto (MS ‘88) US Steel
Pete Jongewaard (MS ’89) Cleveland Cliffs
Tom Fitz (MS ’88) Northland College
Tim Brown (MS ’87) AngloGold Corp
Terry Boerboom (MS ’87) MN Geological Survey
Scott Wolter (BS ‘87) American Petrographics
Jeff Vervoort (MS ’87) Washington State U
Dan England (MS ’86) Eveleth Fee Office
Dan Holm (MS ’86) Kent State University
Colin Reichoff (MS ’86) SEH-Duluth
Dale Cartwright (BS ’86) MN DNR
Kent Syverson (BS ‘86) UW Eau Claire
Andrew Streitz (BS ‘ 86) MN PCA
Doug Halverson (BS ’85) North Shore/Cliffs Services
Keith Rapp (BS ‘84) ECOR Solutions
Matt Oberhelman (BS ’82) MN DNR
Fred Campbell (MS ’81) MN PCA
Tim Flood (MS ’81) St. Norbert’s College
Mark Jirsa (MS ’80) MN Geological Survey
Tom Quigley (BS ‘79) Aquila Resources
Leon Gladen (MS ’78) Franconia Minerals
Mark Severson (MS ’78) Natural Resources Res. Inst.
Rick Ruhanen (BS ’78) MN DNR
Kiff Samuelson (BS ’78) Consulting geologist
Klaus Schulz (PhD ‘77, MS ’74) US Geological Survey
Jim Welsh (MS ‘76) Gustavus Adolphus College
Ed Ripley (MS ’73) Indiana University
Odin Christenson (BS ‘70) Newmont Expl. (ret.)
Harry Noyes (BS ’70) Encampment Resources
LeRoy Warren (BS ‘61) MN DNR (ret.)
Lou Mattson (BS ’57) Oliver Mining (ret.)
G.B. Morey (BS ‘57) MN Geological Survey (ret.)
Taconite Industry
Base Metal Industry
University of Minnesota Graduates
currently working for
Cu-Ni Exploration Companies in Northeastern Minnesota
Duluth Metals Limited
 Paul Albers (UMD, MS ‘06) – Project Geologist
 Dan Oliver (UM-TC, BS ’77) – Project Manager
 Kevin Boerst (UMD, BS ’99) – Assistant Project Geologist
 Marcella Hartman (UM-TC, BS ’06) - Geologist
 Chris White (UMD, MS in progress) – Part-time Geological Assistant
Polymet Mining Corp.
 Rich Patelke (UMD, MS ’96) – Senior Project Geologist
 Steve Geerts (UMD, MS’ 94) – Project Geologist
Franconia Minerals
 Leon Gladen (UMD, MS ’78) - Senior Geologist
 Stu Behling (UMD, BS ’79) – Consulting Geologist
 Bill Brice (UM-TC, MS ’76) – Consulting Land Manager
 Neil Smith (UM, BS ’06) - Geologist
 Aaron Amoroso (UM, BS ’06) - Geologist
 Galen Jones (UM, BS ’07) - Geologist
Encampment Resources
 Harry Noyes (UMD, BS ’70) – President
 Erik Tharalson (UMD, BS ’07, PRC graduate) – Project Geologist
Teck Cominco
 Tim Jefferson (took UMD course on the Duluth Complex, Spr 07) – Project Geologist
 Ashley Anderson (UMD, BS ’07, PRC graduate) – Geologist
 Matt Reider (UMD, BS ’05) – Geologist
Kennecott Exploration
 Brain Goldner (UMD, MS in progress) – Geologist
 Jennifer Koestner (UMD, MS in progress) - Part-time geological assistant
Challenges and
Goals for 2008

achieve full field camp
registration (20
students)

successfully host a
professional workshop

develop an advanced
mapping course at UMD

increase corporate and
private funding by 150%