CITATION

Terrence J. Boerboom
2022 Goldich Medal Recipient

I have the great pleasure of nominating Terrence J. Boerboom for the Sam Goldich Medal.

Terry got a geology degree from the University of Minnesota-Morris in 1982; and a Masters degree from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 1987. His thesis dealt with tourmalinites, nelsonites, and related Paleoproterozic rocks from drill cores in central Minnesota. He has worked for the Minerals Division of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Noranda Exploration Company, and has spent the last 35 years working for the Minnesota Geological Survey.

Terry epitomizes the Goldich award criteria; “contributions to Lake Superior geology and to the Institute.” There can be little more substantive than the huge amount of basic geological knowledge he has produced from his excellent and extensive geologic mapping in northeastern and east-central Minnesota. Working for the Minnesota Geological Survey, he has published at least 33 bedrock geologic maps and co-authored ten others. Mainly located in the Midcontinent Rift and the Animikie Basin—Penokean Orogen districts, these publications illustrate his unmatched energy and skills as a field geologist. In much of this area, he has followed in the footsteps of my field reconnaissance work, but taking many, many more footsteps of his own. He is a meticulous observer of outcrops and interpreter of what they have to show us, integrating available geophysical, geochemical, and petrographic information in his interpretations. He has much improved our understanding of the structure, stratigraphy, and geologic history of the region. Now using the magic of LIDAR imagery, he searches out rock exposures in the puckerbrush that no-one would otherwise suspect existed.

Terry has also been outstanding in sharing his geologic mapping results with others, in the forms of presentations at ILSG meetings (at least 42 that I know of), GSA meetings, leading and co-leading many field trips, and producing guidebooks. He recently retired from the Minnesota Geological Survey after 35 years, but returned part-time to contribute his knowledge and experience to ongoing mapping and mappers.

Terry has also collaborated with many others, as author or co-author of research papers in several peer-reviewed journals, in the fields of geochronology, tectonics, geochemistry, saprolite interpretation, and paleomagnetism. As someone who has collaborated with Terry on many mapping projects along Minnesota’s North Shore, I can personally vouch for his petrographic skills, his energy, his perseverance and enthusiasm, and basic likability. It has been a great pleasure to work with him.

To sum up, Terry richly deserves the Sam Goldich medal.

Submitted by John C. Green, Professor Emeritus
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Minnesota–Duluth
Duluth, MN 55804