Through Géologie Québec, the ministère des Ressources naturelles has long been conducting ongoing acquisition and updating of geological data on the Appalachians. Up to 2001 these activities consisted of inventories of aggregates and studies of industrial minerals in addition to geological surveys. However, a comprehensive view of exploration needs for the Appalachians as a whole had been lacking.

Consequently, during the autumn of 2000, the Service géologique de Québec (SGQ) conducted a consultation on need for geoscientific information on the Appalachians with a view to encouraging and facilitating exploration for minerals. In order to carry this out, the principal agents of exploration in the Appalachians, namely the exploration companies, mining funds and university researchers, were first asked to answer a questionnaire on the general approach Géologie Québec should take and on the areas or topics that should be given priority. Through this consultation, the main needs were identified and six regions where intervention by the SGQ was deemed advisable were consequently targeted:

• Estrie - Centre du Québec (Region 1 on the map)
• Chaudière-Appalaches (Region 2)
• Témiscouata (Region 3), Sud de la Gaspésie (Region 4)
• “Corridor” Pilote - Mont-Louis (Region 5)
• Couronne nord du Bas-Saint-Laurent (Region 6A) and Gaspésie (Region 6B).

Prioritization of these intervention areas appeared necessary inasmuch as Géologie Québec wished to focus its human and budgetary resources and its strategies on regional targets rather than on topics relating to the Appalachians as a whole. On the basis of the presence of likely geological environments (metallotects), diversity of potential minerals, availability of information, and newness (metallogenic models or sectors), Géologie Québec proposed focusing on Region 4 (Sud de la Gaspésie). Further to this, a meeting was held on October 31, 2001, bringing together the principal agents involved in the field of mining exploration in the Appalachians. The meeting resulted in improvement of the triennial action plan and verification of the degree to which it met the needs expressed during the consultation. For the period 2002-2005, this plan calls for:

1. updating the geological map;
2. conducting integrated metallogenic and lithogeochemical studies;
3. a new analysis of stream samples; and
4. updating geophysical data coverage.

In the light of initial information yielded by the consultation, and despite the fact that the triennial action plan covers the period from 2002 to 2005, Géologie Québec decided to add a project to re-examine the Unité des Pics and Dôme de Lemieux gitology contexts to its program for 2001-2002. During the summer of 2002, as part of the first year of the triennial plan, the work focused on the western sector of the Sud de la Gaspésie region. This work consisted of: 1) reviewing the geological maps of the Oak Bay (22B/02) and Ruisseau Jérôme (22B/07) areas, with an emphasis on the internal structuring (organization and facies) of Dalhousie Formation volcanites; 2) re-examining gold mineralizations and their gitology context; 3) initiating lithogeochemical characterization of the Arsenault and Garin Formations; 4) completing a pilot project aimed at re-analysing stream sediment samples from the area of the Saint-André de Restigouche and Reboul showings; and 5) conducting a gravimetric survey.

Although the consultation exercise led to selecting Sud de la Gaspésie (Region 4) for action in the short term, Géologie Québec may include work proposed in the other priority regions of the Appalachians in its mid- and long-term programming.

You may obtain a copy of the triennial plan together with a description of the various target regions by contacting Mr. Pierre Verpaelst, Department Head of the Service géologique de Québec (tel.:1 (418) 627-6276, ext. 5059; fax:1 (418) 643-2816; e-mail: pierre.verpaelst@mrnf.gouv.qc.ca).