MAP NEWS

Upcoming Activities

Executive Council Meetings
Vancouver, B.C. Canada
January 26, 27, and 28, 2000 Proposed Agenda Items

Status of decisions and action items arising from August meetings of Executive Council (August 21 and 22, 1999 meeting minutes): Dr. Catherine Hickson and Mr. Mike Ellerbeck:
A) Verifiable Indicators
B) WEB Page
C) MAP Certificates
D) Short Course and Collaborative

Questionnaires
Review of 3rd quarter 1999/00
Accomplishments
Management Challenges
Required Information from Countries
Review of Upcoming Activities and Short Courses

Samples Update: C. Hickson and Dr. Jennifer Getsinger
A) Status of Sample Processing
B) Review of Progress on Creation of Petrological Standards Program
C) Review of Screen Printouts from Database of Samples and Analytical Results.

Discussion on Cartographic Standards Committee and Technical Committee for the Compilation of Metallogenic Map of the border regions of the MAP countries:
A) Plan for Metallogenic Map of Border Regions of MAP Area
1) Technical Committee update - Dr. Eduardo Zappettini
2) Review of Action Plan for the assembly of the map for presentation in Puerto Varas Aug. 3-7, 2000 and Rio de Janeiro August 6 - 17, 2000

Airborne Survey update:
A) Argentina / Chile Survey - update - Dr. Moyra Gardeweg, E. Zappettini, and Dr. Dennis Teskey
B) Bolivia / Chile / Peru Survey - update - D. Teskey

A) Review of activities carried out by country - April 1/1999 - Dec 31, 1999
1) Field work
2) Laboratory Studies
3) Publications/Reports/Maps

B) Proposed work plans for the 2000/2001 fiscal year - April 1, 2000 to March 31, 2001
1) Field work
2) Laboratory Studies
3) Publications/Reports/Maps

Presentation on MAP to the Calgary Mining Exploration Group by Dr. Andre Panteleyev

A talk on "A Geological Overview of Pierina, Kori Kollo and Bajo de la Alumbrera - contrasting styles of mineralization in the major new gold producers of Peru, Bolivia and Argentina" was presented to the Calgary Mining Exploration Group on Dec. 02, 1999. The MAP was acknowledged and a brief outline of the Program's objectives and status was given to the audience of about 65 geologists, mainly from the mining exploration community.

Verifiable Indicators

The due date was October 30, 1999 for the submission of "Verifiable Indicators" and to date two of the MAP countries still have not submitted them. Completed Verifiable Indicators can be faxed to MAP Administration or the on-line form can be filled out and submitted from:
http://www.pma-map.com/indicators.html

PIMA Short Course
(Activity: A.99/B-1, A.99/C-2, A.99/P-1)

The PIMA Portable Infrared Mineral Analyzer short courses in Peru and Bolivia have both been completed. Ms. Anne Thompson from PetraScience Consultants Inc. gave the course at the offices of INGEMMET in Peru from November 2 through 5 and at the offices of SERGEOMIN in Bolivia from November 22 to 26, 1999. There was significant interest shown in both countries from the National Geoscience Surveys as well as from the local universities. Ms. Thompson will be giving the course again in Chile to SERNAGEOMIN scientist in March or April 2000.

Volcanology Short Course

From December 6 to 10, 1999 Dr. Catherine Hickson (MAP Project Manager) of the Geological Survey of Canada and Dr. Kelly Russell of the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences of the University of British Columbia will be at the offices of INGEMMET in Lima to give a short course in volcanology.

Bolivia, Chile, Peru Airborne Survey (Activity: D.99/M-C1)

In order to expedite the organization of the proposed MAP Bolivia, Chile, Peru airborne geophysical survey, a letter will be sent to all prospective private sector participants requesting written confirmation of their intent to participate. The deadline for submission of the letter of intent to participate is December 17, 1999. The letter can be emailed to Dr. Dennis Teskey at: dteskey@travel-net.com or faxed to (604) 666-7507. A copy of the letter can be found at: www.pma-map.com/letter.html

Argentina, Chile Airborne Survey (Activity: D.99/M-C2)

The Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Chile / Argentina Airborne Survey went out in mid-November and the closing date and time is 20th December at 2:00 pm (EST). The RFP can be found on the MERX system www.merx.cebra.com.

Fluid Inclusion Training
(Activity: D.97/C-5, D.96/B-7, D.98/P-2)

Mr. Jim Reynolds of Fluid Inc., Colorado, USA and Mr. Tawn Albinson will be in Bolivia at the offices of SERGEOMIN from December 2 to 8 and then in Lima, Peru from December 13 to 17 to give a short course on the use of the Fluid Inc. Fluid Inclusion equipment purchased for both countries under MAP. Mr. Reynolds will also be travelling to Chile in February or March 2000 to consult with SERNAGEOMIN on their Fluid Inclusion equipment also procured by MAP.

Mike Villeneuve visit to Chile
(Activity: A.99/C-1)

Mr. Mike Villeneuve, head of the GSC Geochronology Lab in Ottawa recently returned from Chile where he spent two weeks working with Chilean scientists on setting up recently acquired equipment for their geochronology lab. Mr. Villeneuve also gave a short course on radiometric dating techniques at the SERNAGEOMIN office.

Sample Update

The Multinational Andean Project is making a significant contribution to geochronologic knowledge of the Andes with an abundance of new radiometric dates determined by a variety of methods. All four participating countries have samples in progress for Ar-Ar dating, totalling over 60 samples which will provide new age results in the coming year. Several U-Pb zircon dates have been received for Argentina and Bolivia, and over 20 are pending for Chile. Recent K-Ar dates have also been received for samples from Peru, completed in Chile's geochronology lab. In addition, Chile has recently received 15 new radiocarbon dates, and oxygen isotopic results are beginning to come in for Chile's hydrogeology project.

The MAP sample standards program has received two suitable 4-kg specimens for further petrological geochemical evaluation, and others are expected soon. Countries are also encouraged to have research samples analysed by the same geochemical procedures for comparative results. A suite of volcanic rocks from Peru is currently undergoing the same whole rock and trace element analysis procedure that is to be carried out on the petrological sample standards.