Sudbury Deep Drilling Project

• The 1.8 Ga Sudbury Structure represents one of the world's largest, oldest, and best preserved meteorite impact structures and contains one of the world's largest Ni-Cu-PGE resources. In order to enhance our understanding of deep crustal geology, rock mechanics, fluid flow, and biology in the area we are in the process of planning a major geoscience initiative, which will include drilling within the Sudbury Structure through the framework of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP).
• The scientific objectives of the project will include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • better constrain large-scale models of the subsurface structure of the Sudbury Structure, which are currently based on non-unique forward and inverse geophysical models
  • acquire continuous samples of drill core through a section of the Sudbury Igneous Complex at depth, to investigate spatial variations in the crystallization history and composition of the impact-related melt sheet
  • sample fluids and gases at depth
  • assess the extent of biological activity at depths as great as 6 km in the continental crust
  • assess the metamorphic and deformational history of both the Sudbury Igneous Complex and its footwall rocks at depth
  • measure heat flow and state of stress deep within the Sudbury Structure, both of which will be key parameters in the future development of deep mines

(Figure ©:NRCan - Total magnetic field over the Sudbury Structure)

See also:

• ICDP-07/03

North America, Canada, Ontario, Sudbury

46° 30' 12'' N, 80° 58' 6'' W (Please scroll down to end of page for more information.)

• not yet determined

• Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada
• International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP)
• National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, International Opportunity Grant
• Ontario Geological Survey, Sudbury

• James E. Mungall, University of Toronto, Department of Geology
• Bernd Milkereit, University of Toronto, Department of Physics
• Richard A.F. Grieve, Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada
• C. Michael Lesher, Laurentian University, Mineral Exploration Research Centre MERC

• Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada
• GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Scientific Drilling ICDP (Operational Support Group OSG/ICDP)
• Laurentian University, Mineral Exploration Research Centre MERC
• University of Toronto, Department of Geology
• University of Toronto, Department of Physics

Canada , Deep Biosphere , ICDP-07/03 , Igneous Petrology , Impact Structure , Meteorite Impact , Natural Resources , Ontario , SUDBURY

Presite surveys and workshops are ongoing

Show in Google Earth: Link

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