ILSG - Houghton 2013

We are planning a whole bunch of great trips for the 2013 meeting. Although nothing is guaranteed yet, here is a list of what we have so far to whet your apetite

Pre-Meeting trips

Geology of Silver Mountain, Houghton County, Michigan

Leader: Evgeniy Kulakov (Michigan Tech)

This field trip will examine the geology of Silver Mountain and its relationship to other Midcontinent Rift related rocks. Silver Mountain is a 100 meter high glacially polished dome-shaped hill surrounded by Jacobsville Sandstone, younger sediments and glacial deposits. It is underlain by fourteen shallow-dipping tholeiitic lava flows. On the basis of gravity and magnetic surveys the flows are interpreted as part of Siemens Creek Formation, an upper part of Powder Mill Group. During the trip some geological, geochemical and geophysical characteristics will be discussed. The trip will end with scenic views from the top of Silver Mountain where copper sulfides occur in the uppermost flows. This trip involves strenuous physical exertion via steep stairs to climb to the top of the mountain.

Geologic Overview of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan

Leaders: Ted Bornhorst and Bob Barron (both Michigan Tech)

This field trip will provide a geologic overview of the Keweenaw Peninsula from Houghton to Copper Harbor. The trip will visit sites including all of the major Midcontinent Rift related bedrock units and the glacial overburden. The Keweenaw Peninsula is well known for hosting stratiform native copper deposit hosted by tops of rift-filling subaerial basaltic lava flows and interflow coarse clastic sedimentary rocks. The trip will visit one or more rock piles from now closed mines. This trip will be of easy difficulty.

Caledonia Mine, Ontonagon County, Michigan

Leaders: Bob Barron, Ted Bornhorst (both Michigan Tech) and Richard Whiteman (Red Metal Minerals)

The Caledonia Mine, owned by Red Metal Minerals, is part of the southwestern extension of the Keweenaw Peninsula native copper district and is located about 40 km southwest of most of the major producing mines. It is one of the few remaining accessible mines where one can observe native copper and associated minerals in place as well as the nature of the host basalt lava flow. Underground hard hats, lights, and boots (if desired) will be provided. The Caledonia Mine is relatively dry and field boots are usually sufficient. The trip includes an easy walk underground to observe lava flows and alteration in a cross-cutting adit and to observe native copper mineralization in a strike parallel adit. An optional more difficult segment involving climbing up into an underground stope where collecting will be allowed. The last component of the trip will be surface collecting on the Caledonia rock pile.

Syn-meeting trips

A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum at Michigan Tech

Leader: : Ted Bornhorst (museum Director)

This “field” trip will be to the nationally recognized A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum. You will have the opportunity to observe minerals from across Michigan, the Great Lakes region and around the world. This “novel” field trip for 2013 will continue the recent tradition of a short field trip on Friday afternoon after the technical sessions. The museum will stay open extra hours and ILSG participants will get free admission and 10 % discount in the museum gift shop. ILSG participants must show their meeting badge.

Post-meeting trips

Geology of the Porcupine Mountains-a late Keweenawan central volcano complex, Michigan

Leaders: William F. Cannon, Laurel G, Woodruff, Klaus J. Schulz, and Suzanne S. Nicholson (all USGS)

The Porcupine Mountains in the western upper peninsula of Michigan are underlain by andesitic to rhyolite volcanic rocks and mantling sediments that formed in a central volcano within the Midcontinent Rift central graben at the close of Midcontinent Rift magmatism. Participants will overnight (Friday night) in Silver City at the edge of Porcupine Mountains State Park and can drive personal vehicles to Silver City to have a head start home at the end of the trip. Transportation will be provided as needed from Houghton to Silver City. The trip will depart from Silver City and spend the day Saturday examining the various rock types of the area. Logistical details will be provided at a later date.

Geology of the Copperwood Sediment-Hosted Copper Deposit and Environmental Site Conditions, Michigan

Leaders: Ted Bornhorst (Michigan Tech), Allan Blaske (AECOM), and Dave Anderson (Orvana Resources US Corp).

This trip will examine the geology, geochemistry, and environmental conditions at the Copperwood project in Gogebic County, Michigan. The trip will begin at the Orvana office in Ironwood to examine drill core from the copper-bearing basal portions of the Nonesuch Formation upwards. The project site will be visited with exact locations pending site activities. The current plan is to begin by visiting the rock pile remaining from the historic test mine to see the ore and discuss its weathering. The unconsolidated glacial overburden will be examined along the shoreline of Lake Superior. Groundwater, surface water, wetlands, and other environmental aspects of the project site will be observed and discussed. This trip will require a hike of approximately 3.5 miles of easy to moderate difficulty. Participants can drive personal vehicles to Ironwood to have a head start home at the end of the trip but transportation will be provided as needed to and from Houghton to Ironwood.

Additonal trip offered in conjunction with Houghton 2013 meeting

Geological Field Trip, Eastern Isle Royale, Michigan.

Trip leaders: Bill Rose and Justin Olson

For more information click here:

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