The Mineral Exploration Research Centre (MERC) is a semi-autonomous research centre associated with the Harquail School of Earth Sciences at

Laurentian University Laurentian University (french: Université Laurentienne), officially the Laurentian University of Sudbury, is a mid-sized Bilingualism in Canada, bilingual public university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, incorporated on March 28, 1960. Lau ...

Sudbury Sudbury may refer to: Places Australia * Sudbury Reef, Queensland Canada * Greater Sudbury, Ontario (official name; the city continues to be known simply as Sudbury for most purposes) ** Sudbury (electoral district), one of the city's federal e ...

Ontario, Canada, and one of the largest mineral exploration research-teaching clusters in the world. MERC is housed in the Willett Green Miller Mineral and Mining Research Centre on the Laurentian University campus, together with the Ontario Geological Survey, Ontario Geoscience Laboratories (Geo Labs), the John B. Gammon Mines Library, and the administrative offices of the Minerals and Mining Division of the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. The mission of MERC is to conduct and promote cutting-edge, field-based, collaborative research on mineral deposits and their environments, and to educate and train highly qualified personnel (HQP) for careers in the minerals industry, academia or government. The objectives of MERC are to: 1) promote collaborative university-government-industry research on mineral deposits and Precambrian geology, 2) pursue a fundamental understanding of mineral deposits and their geological settings, 3) aid the mining industry in the discovery of ore deposits, and 4) train geologists in mineral exploration research techniques. MERC has research expertise in the

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...

geochemistry Geochemistry is the science that uses the tools and principles of chemistry to explain the mechanisms behind major geological systems such as the Earth's crust and its oceans. The realm of geochemistry extends beyond the Earth, encompassing the e ...

, and genesis of magmatic nickel-copper-PGE deposits,

volcanology Volcanology (also spelled vulcanology) is the study of volcanoes, lava, magma and related geological, geophysical and geochemical phenomena (volcanism). The term ''volcanology'' is derived from the Latin word ''vulcan''. Vulcan was the anci ...

, geochemistry, and

alteration Alteration(s) may refer to: * Alteration (music), the use of a neighboring pitch in the chromatic scale in place of its diatonic neighbor. ** Alteration, in the mensural notation used by renaissance music, the lengthening of a breve, semibreve or ...

associated with hydrothermal copper-zine-(gold)

volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposit Volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposits, also known as VMS ore deposits, are a type of metal sulfide ore deposit, mainly copper-zinc which are associated with and created by volcanic-associated hydrothermal events in submarine environments. Th ...

s, structure, geochemistry, and alteration associated with hydrothermal orogenic lode gold deposits, mineralogy, geochemistry, and genesis of rare-element and rare-metal

pegmatites A pegmatite is an igneous rock showing a very coarse texture, with large interlocking crystals usually greater in size than and sometimes greater than . Most pegmatites are composed of quartz, feldspar, and mica, having a similar silicic comp ...

, and the sedimentology of Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) Pb-Zn deposits and placer Au and U deposits. MERC and the Harquail School of Earth Sciences are a world-leaders in mineral deposits education, offering a Co-Op BSc in Mineral Exploration program, hosting the annual PDAC-sponsored Student-Industry Mineral Exploration Workshop, offering a fully modular ("block") Applied MSc degree in Mineral Exploration, and offering a PhD in Mineral Exploration and Precambrian geology. MERC has managed a wide range of applied research projects, including numerous NSERC Natural Science and Engineering Research Council Collaborative Research and Development program projects and CAMIRO Canada Mining Industry Research Organization projects; managed the $8m Ontario Mineral Exploration Technology (OMET) program for the Ministry of Northern Development of Mines; led a major component of the $14m Discover Abitibi program for the Timmins Economic Development Corporation Kirkland Lake Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, and

FedNor In Canada, the Regional Development Agencies (RDA) are the seven federal government agencies responsible for addressing key economic challenges and furthering economic development, diversification, and job creation specific to their respective regi ...

; is presently leading the $13m Mineral Exploration Footprints project funded by the atural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canada Mining Innovation Council; and is presently conducting the $104m Metal Earth project funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund,

, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, and several industry sponsors.

References

Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation re MERC Graduate CurriculumCanadian Mining Innovation Council re MERCDiscover Abitibi re MERCRepublic of Mining re MERC

External links

MERC websiteHES website
Laurentian University Organizations based in Greater Sudbury