East to Terrace and beyond, the rush may soon be on!

The mining industry is setting its sights on the Terrace region for the near future, seeking out some under explored parts of the region for potential reserves of copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold.

The fever extends as Far East as the pine beetle infested woods of the Prince George area, where Opinion 250 reports significant copper and gold deposits may be found.

The Daily news caught the mining bug with Tuesday’s details on some of the research needed to bring the area to the next level of exploration.

Mining firms take good look at B.C.
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Pages one and three

New geoscience research in Terrace and on the Central Coast is unearthing the potential for new mineral developments, according to the province.

A provincial BC Geological Survey Team working in the under-explored Terrace area recently discovered a new lead, zinc and silver mineral site on an existing mineral claim. This new discovery highlights the potential for copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold mineralization in a belt of rocks that extends to just north of Kitimat. This discovery has mineralization similar to that at the Myra Falls, Britannia, and Tulsequah Chief mines, although ti does need further exploration.

Meanwhile, mineral claim staking in central B.C.'s Mountain Pine Beetle Infestation Area has skyrocketed in anticipation of the release of initial results a new mineral exploration project.
At the Mineral Exploration Roundup Conference last week, Geoscience BC released the initial results from the QUEST project (Quesnellia Exploration Strategy) mineral exploration project.
The $5 million project is the largest mineral exploration geoscience project of its kind in the province, and it will provide more than 1.5 gigabytes of information to both the mining industry and the public.

Kevin Krueger, Minister of State for Mining, said the new finds demonstrate geovernment’s continued commitment to stimulate mining activity in the province, especially in areas experiencing difficult economic times.

“These new discoveries will foster increased exploration throughout the northern areas of the province, further fuelling an already surging mining sector while providing more jobs for rural B. C.,” he said.

Since the QUEST project was announced last June, almost 1,760 mineral claims have been staked in the central B. C. geophysical survey area by 114 companies or individuals. These claims cover more than 780,000 hectares of land. This brings the total mineral claims in the area to more than 6,000 held by more than 300 companies or individuals, covering approximately two million hectares.

The QUEST project was designed to help “see through” the cover of glacial material to the prospective rocks below using leading-edge exploration technologies.

“This new information will encourage increased exploration throughout the central area of the province further fuelling an already surging mining sector while providing more jobs for areas impacted by the mountain pine beetle,” said Krueger.

“The data sets released today are the first in a series that will help unlock central B. C.’s mineral potential,” said Dr. Lyn Anglin, president of Geoscience BC. The electromagnetic survey will help identify different rock types that may be associated with mineralization, and will aid in determining the thickness of glacial cover. The enormous wealth of new information made available today will help guide industry in targeting their mineral exploration programs.”