september 2009 issue
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Geo Feature
Geology’s Touchstones
The allure of the outdoors is often what attracts students to geology. Good thing, that, because fieldwork is something geologists should keep up their entire careers, says APEGGA’s Manager, Geoscience Affairs
By JANE MARSHALL
Freelance Writer
Geology’s connection to the raw and natural world is a perfect fit for Micheal Moroskat, Geol.I.T., and his love of the backcountry. In fact it’s exactly what inspired him to work towards a master’s degree in geology, which he achieved in June.
This merging of passion and career began in earnest when an opportunity arose to work in the Northwest
Territories while pursuing his undergraduate degree at the University of Alberta. His first summer of fieldwork involved bedrock mapping on the Canadian Shield for the Northwest Territories Geoscience Office. He slept in tent camps, flew in float planes, and sped through the water in inflatable speedboats.
And whenever he could, he observed and recorded the area’s expansive geology.
“We always worked in pairs, which was great. Sometimes there would be only one other person for over 100 kilometres,” says Mr. Moroskat. “There was no civilization nearby, and the land in the Northwest Territories is pretty flat. We even saw a couple of black bear cubs.”
This first summer firmly cemented Mr. Moroskat’s desire to continue his geology studies — and his fieldwork. Keep it up, suggests Tom Sneddon, P.Geol., APEGGA Manager, Geoscience Affairs.
“Without fieldwork, the rest has no meaning,” Mr. Sneddon states. “If data is unfounded, if it is not collected in the field, then geologists are fooling themselves and the rest becomes a sham. We can’t lose touch with rocks and simply play with computer programs.
“Data observed by others that is simply accepted uncritically is dangerous. One of the reasons why we sign and stamp our findings is that the practice is a statement that we take responsibility. That’s why APEGGA hammers in the concept of data quality.”
Robert Sharp, P.Geol., agrees. He worked with and mentored Mr. Moroskat during the student’s next summer of field work, this time in the Yukon.
“Field work is important because young geologists learn the practical aspects of carrying out a geological expedition,” says Mr. Sharp, the principal of Trans Polar Geological Consultants Inc. “They learn technical skills such as core logging and mapping, and also integrating their knowledge from university into practical applications.”
Mr. Moroskat’s employer was Eagle Plains Resources Ltd., which made him part of a team working in the Wernecke Mountains, about 750 kilometres north of Whitehorse. Looking at lead-zinc deposits, he was able to collect his own data for his master’s thesis.
The wild was never far away. He saw wolves, caribou, grizzlies, marmots, and even the occasional tent-chewing porcupine.
Through it all, Mr. Sharp was happy to share the knowledge he’d acquired over years of geological work. He believes strongly in passing down technical, hands-on skills to both students and junior geologists. As the project manager on this Eagle Plains endeavor, he taught skills that will benefit Mr. Moroskat throughout his career.
“When Eagle Plains was going through an expansion phase, I was able to work with quite a few early career geologists and students. I’ve always believed in working with students, in helping to train them,” says Mr. Sharp. “I was trained by senior geologists, and now I feel an obligation to pass on this knowledge along with my field skills.”
While in the Yukon, Mr. Moroskat learned how to use a diamond drill for core logging. He was often transported by helicopters and ATVs. With a drill the size of a truck engine, safety was always a concern.
That’s an aspect of fieldwork Mr. Sharp continually reinforces with younger geologists. “There are often Cats, drills and other pieces of heavy equipment used in the field. It is important to train new people to be really aware of possible hazards.”
All that learning, safety and otherwise, is worth it, Mr. Sneddon says. “Fieldwork puts you into the real world. It shows you how things actually work.”
His career has crossed many boundaries, in the field and otherwise. Mr. Sneddon has degrees in geography with a minor in geology, and a master’s in civil engineering. He’s worked for the federal government and the Alberta Government, and then ran his own consulting firm, Marmot Research Inc., before joining APEGGA’s management team.
“I have done lots of fieldwork over many fields, and I miss being out there doing research. Now, I try to take in as many field trips as possible.”
His three careers have given him a broad perspective on the importance of observing the natural world and its raw resources. “I love the outdoors — hiking, climbing canoeing — I started backcountry travel at 12 years old. Those early expeditions made me aware of the different ecoregions in Alberta.”
He points out that although geologists make up about two per cent of the population of employees in Canada, their work — thanks to the multiplier effect — allows the employment of all others. Almost everything in society has come about as the result of a geologist who recorded and passed information along to engineers.
The concrete foundations of the houses that surround us, the metal of railings, paved roads — none of these would be possible without the raw resources discovered as a result of the legwork of geologists. “Our influence over society as a whole is greater than numbers might suggest,” says Mr. Sneddon.
“Geology really does the grassroots work to find the resources,” Mr. Moroskat says. “Geologists find deposits, then go through the work to determine if they are big enough, and then engineers take things over.”
But geology field work isn’t always easy, Mr. Sneddon notes. “It is a slow, unpredictable process, and 99 per cent of the time spent is dog work for a one per cent outcome.”
Mr. Sneddon has spent many hours camping in the back of a truck, to watch how blizzards fall, how the snow is distributed, or how a stream flows and the creatures within it interact. From an outsider’s viewpoint, this type of work can appear quite unproductive. Yet the eureka moments come out of a great deal of investigation and simple observation.
These days, Mr. Sneddon’s eureka moments are more likely to come at his desk, at a technical session or during a visit to someone else’s office. He helps APEGGA meet the needs of the geoscience community and encourages membership.
Mr. Sneddon himself is a convert to the importance of licensure. He spent most of his career without a stamp, finally becoming a P.Geol. in 2001. “It is much easier to take the exams when you are 25 than when you’re 55,” he stresses.
“The exam included topics I didn’t even know existed. It gave me a much better perspective on a broader range of topics than I’d ever had. I’d encourage geologists to do the exams when they are young — it is much easier.”
Mr. Moroskat, for his part, is now working toward his P.Geol. He continues, in case you hadn’t figured it out, to enjoy life in the field.
“The very best part for me is that you can look at stuff — you get to analyze how a mountain is formed or why a river moves the way it does. You just never lose that love of science. I get to go to remote locations — I get paid to go where no one else gets to go.
“I like being the first person to ever see that rock, from 300 metres below the surface.”