Ontario Geological Survey - Mandate

Ministry of Northern Development, Mines & ForestryOntario Geological Survey Branch OverviewApril 2010“Ontario at, and beneath, your feet” : 

Ministry of Northern Development, Mines & ForestryOntario Geological Survey Branch OverviewApril 2010“Ontario at, and beneath, your feet”

OGS Mission & Mandate : 

OGS Mission & Mandate Mission: Enhance Ontario’s quality of life through economic prosperity, environmental quality, and public safety. Mandate: Provide accurate and objective earth science data, information, and knowledge, including geological Earth resources (minerals, groundwater, energy). Users: All Ontario’s citizens and institutions, including Aboriginal people. History: 1891 Ontario legislature created OGS.

What is Geology? : 

What is Geology? Study of the composition, structure, physical properties, dynamics, and history of Earth materials, and the processes that formed, moved, and changed them.

Slide 4: 

Ministry of Northern Development, Mines & Forestry OGS Function: Document the Geology Groundwater Landform, Habitat, Aggregate Mineral Resource Ontario at, and below, your feet

Slide 6: 

Geology is a field-based science Geological problems: need field work to read the story hidden in the rocks and soils. Many employment options: mineral groundwater energy geological hazards geotechnical environment planning policy

Slide 7: 

OGS Field Work

Output: Geological Publications, Maps, Reports, Data : 

Output: Geological Publications, Maps, Reports, Data

Output: Lots of Different Types of Geological Maps : 

Output: Lots of Different Types of Geological Maps Geophysical Geochemical Glacial deposits Bedrock Groundwater Aggregate Groundwater Protection

Output: Earth Resource Inventory : 

Output: Earth Resource Inventory Energy Groundwater Industrial / construction minerals Metallic minerals Industrial minerals

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Output: Estimates of Earth Resource Potential

Output: Inorganic Geochemical Analyses of Rocks, Minerals, Soils, Groundwater : 

Output: Inorganic Geochemical Analyses of Rocks, Minerals, Soils, Groundwater

Output: Digital and Paper Library of Geological Data & Information : 

Output: Digital and Paper Library of Geological Data & Information

Output: Geological Knowledge & Service : 

Output: Geological Knowledge & Service

Output: Geoscience to Support Land-use Planning : 

Output: Geoscience to Support Land-use Planning Aquifer risk Landslide risk

Market Ontario’s Geoscience and Mineral Investment Potential : 

Market Ontario’s Geoscience and Mineral Investment Potential

Mineral Sector Analysis & Policy Formulation : 

Mineral Sector Analysis & Policy Formulation

OGS Aboriginal Community Engagement, Communication, Collaboration : 

OGS Aboriginal Community Engagement, Communication, Collaboration

Geology – Is It All Mapped?Old and New Map of Sand and Gravel : 

Geology – Is It All Mapped?Old and New Map of Sand and Gravel Old Survey Map 2009 Survey Map You can make a decision with no data, a better decision with some data that may be old, and you can make the best decision with the right, modern data.

Slide 20: 

Why does Ontario Government (Ontario Geological Survey) collect public geological information?

Slide 21: 

Earth Resources (mineral, energy, groundwater) Engineering Infrastructure Environment Land use Planning Climate Change Geological Hazard Geology Uses Biodiversity, habitat Health

Geology Is About:Engineering Construction Infrastructure : 

Geology Is About:Engineering Construction Infrastructure Field Observation Map Representation Identify resource, predict ground conditions for infrastructure projects

Geology Is About:Public Safety / Geological Hazard : 

Geology Is About:Public Safety / Geological Hazard Earthquakes Lemieux Landslide 1993

Geology Is About:Mineral Economic Development : 

Geology Is About:Mineral Economic Development Bedrock Map, Mineral Occurrences, Attract Mineral Investment & Reduce Mineral Exploration Risk Field Observation Mineral Deposit Model

Geology Is About:Energy Economic Development : 

Geology Is About:Energy Economic Development Geothermal Energy Natural Gas

Geology Is About:Groundwater Development (& Protection) : 

Geology Is About:Groundwater Development (& Protection)

Geology Is About:Biodiversity and Habitat : 

Geology Is About:Biodiversity and Habitat Alvar Raised beaches Old shoreline Esker Bedrock “Desert”

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occurrences Geology Is About: Environmental Geochemistry - Natural or Not? Geochemical baseline environment + development

Geology Is About: Public Health : 

Geology Is About: Public Health Fluoride (tooth paste) in drilled wells (mg/L)

Geology Is About: Land-use Planning : 

Geology Is About: Land-use Planning

Geology Is About: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation : 

Geology Is About: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation 0/ +1 degree C +5/+6 +10/+11 Summer Temperature increase 2055. + 20/30% 0/+10 % - 30/-40% + 60/70% Spring precipitation change 2055. Understanding geology helps us understand how the soil will respond to climate change

Ontario Geological SurveyKey Contacts : 

Ontario Geological SurveyKey Contacts OGS Director Andy Fyon (705-670-5924, andy.fyon@ontario.ca) Senior Manager, Sedimentary Geoscience Section Cam Baker (705-670-5902, cam.baker@ontario.ca) Senior Manager, Precambrian Geoscience Section Jack Parker (705-70-5976, jack.parker@ontario.ca) Senior Manager, Geoscience Laboratories Ed Debicki (705-670-5643, ed.debicki@ontario.ca) Manager, Information and Marketing Services Marc Leroux (705-670-5869, marc.leroux@ontario.ca) Senior Manager, Resident Geologist Program Jim Ireland (705-235-1612, jim.ireland@ontario.ca)