Overview of recent geological work by the MERN and new exploration targets in Québec

months. In the southeast part of the Churchill Province, reconnaissance mapping has successfully differenti ated major geological entities and defined settings that are favourable to exploration. In the James Bay region, a mapping program along the northern contact between the Opinaca and La Grande subprovinces has come to an end. In addition to elucidating the gold potential, several volcanosedimentary belts were refined or newly defined. In the Chibougamau-Chapais area, recent work improved the stratigraphy, uncovered the oldest volcanic rocks in the Abitibi, and better defined the area’s base and precious metal potential. Mapping of the Malartic–Val-d’Or segment, once complete, will provide an updated map of the Rouyn–Val-d’Or segment. Both the stratigraphy and the gold and nickel potential have already been refined. Finally, new mapping projects have started in the Gouin Reservoir area, in the Attic Complex of the Abitibi region, and to the south of Rimouski in the Appalachians. The Gouin project will detail the geology around the reservoir, a promising area for several commodities such as rare earths, graphite, copper, zinc, apatite and phlogopite. The mapping verification project to the south of Rimouski will complete the geological compilation of the Appalachians. Conferences