The level of Aboriginal inclusion in Yukon's mining workforce was assessed using two training for employment program case studies, document and literature reviews and participant interviews with key Yukon individuals involved in the case studies and training for employment programs. The results of this research indicated that although Yukon's mining industry has very similar challenges to the challenges faced across Canada, there were some interesting and unique differences identified. It became evident that the barriers to Aboriginal inclusion need to be identified and assessed at a regional level and also on a per Aboriginal community basis, as all have unique characteristics and challenges. Recommendations were made on how the mining industry, government, Aboriginal communities, non-profit organizations and educational institutions can collaborate to improve Aboriginal inclusion in Yukon's mining workforce.

The objective of my research is to provide a better understanding of the relationship between the micro-seismicity, tectonics and crustal structure in southwest Yukon in order to improve seismic hazard assessments in this region. I used a combination of single event and multiple event location techniques to determine earthquake locations and depths. As well, frequency-magnitude statistics were calculated to analyze rates of seismicity and possible changes in the rates of seismicity. The addition of the YUK array in August 2010 has enabled location of smaller events and detection of a systematic northeast trend of earthquakes. Seismicity is concentrated in four main areas: 1) Yaktutat Block-Fairweather Fault, 2) Duke River Fault, 3) Denali Fault, and 4) a NE-trend. There was relatively little seismic activity during this period along the northern Denali Fault segment and only a small amount of activity along the southern portion of the Denali Fault. There is significantly more seismic activity along the Duke River Fault and NE-trend and a clear region of seismicity just west and parallel to the Alaska-Yukon border between the Duke River Fault and northern Denali Fault. Frequency-magnitude statistics and seismic hazard analyses for southwest Yukon were improved by decreasing the minimum magnitude of completeness from M3.0 to M1.0. Between September 2010 and November 2011, event magnitudes ranged from 0.2 to 4.7 and depths from 0 to 35 km. To address how the YUK array has improved single event locations and depths, we use a single-event location technique to monitor seismic activity. Only 37 of the 106 events detected for the Duke River Fault and NE-trend could potentially be located without the YUK array. When the Alaska Earthquake Information Center (AEIC) network was combined with the Canadian National Seismograph Network (CNSN), events within the NE-trend shift on average 6.6 km to the northeast and the depth increased on average 2.6 km. Within the Duke River and NE-trending clusters, there is an average maximum horizontal error of ±0.9 km and an average error in depth of ±3.2 km. Free depths in the Duke River and NE-trending clusters range from 0 to 20 km. These depths are not well-constrained as the closest station is more than 20 km away. Two events within the southern Denali Fault cluster have well-constrained depths of 4.8 km and 8.2 km at distance less than ~8 km from station YUK6, consistent with upper crust (2-10 km) focal depths. A Progressive Multiple Event Location technique (PMEL) was used to identify and better constrain spatial patterns along the Duke River Fault and NE-trend. Results clearly shows that events fall along the Duke River Fault and that the NE-trend events are located on a previously unidentified active fault. To determine rates of seismicity and possible changes in the rates of seismicity, I examine b-values from frequency-magnitude statistics for each cluster of earthquakes before and after the 2002 M7.9 Denali Fault earthquake. b-values increased from 0.81 ± 0.14 to 1.05 ± 0.22 , suggesting higher Coulomb stress and more frequent smaller earthquakes. / Graduate

No description available.

No description available.

Modern Kusawa Lake (60° 19' 55” N, 136° 4' 48” W, 142 km2) of southwestern Yukon Territory drains a 4290 km2 catchment, 4.7 % of which is glacier covered. Sediment cores show variability both down-lake and within specific sub-basins of the lake. In Regions II -V of Kusawa Lake, sediments are mainly clastic with massive to weakly laminated silts and clays interrupted by fine sand units, which reflect distinct runoff events into Region IV from glacier sources. In Region I, massive silts, silt-clay couplets are interrupted by thick sand deposits derived from the Primrose River delta. Further up-lake, the sediment record is further interrupted by modern sediment delivery from the Kusawa Campground alluvial fan. The relatively small accumulation of lake glacial and Holocene sediment input in Kusawa Lake is similar to other large lakes of the Canadian Cordillera. These patterns reflect a particular style of deglaciation and Holocene sediment inputs.

Modern Kusawa Lake (60° 19' 55” N, 136° 4' 48” W, 142 km2) of southwestern Yukon Territory drains a 4290 km2 catchment, 4.7 % of which is glacier covered. Sediment cores show variability both down-lake and within specific sub-basins of the lake. In Regions II -V of Kusawa Lake, sediments are mainly clastic with massive to weakly laminated silts and clays interrupted by fine sand units, which reflect distinct runoff events into Region IV from glacier sources. In Region I, massive silts, silt-clay couplets are interrupted by thick sand deposits derived from the Primrose River delta. Further up-lake, the sediment record is further interrupted by modern sediment delivery from the Kusawa Campground alluvial fan. The relatively small accumulation of lake glacial and Holocene sediment input in Kusawa Lake is similar to other large lakes of the Canadian Cordillera. These patterns reflect a particular style of deglaciation and Holocene sediment inputs.

In light of the recent increase of mineral exploration in the northern Cordillera, private, educational, and governmental agencies have been compelled to revisit and research areas of the Cordillera whose geologic evolution still remains enigmatic. The current study is concerned with better understanding how a region of the boundary zone separating the peri-Laurentian realm from the exotic, Insular realm evolved following deposition of the meta-sedimentary Kluane schist in the Late Cretaceous. The schist is a northwest striking 30 km wide and 160 km long belt of highly deformed greenschist to amphibolite facies meta-sedimentary rocks located east of Kluane Lake, southwestern Yukon Territory. These deformed sediments as well as numerous other deformed Jurassic-Cretaceous meta-sedimentary units present along the same boundary zone (north and south of the schist) represent important rocks that can help constrain how this part of the Cordillera has evolved since the mid-Mesozoic. To better understand how the Kluane schist evolved, detailed field mapping, petrography, and U-Pb geochronological studies were undertaken in the area encompassing the schist. This data is integrated with pre-existing and recently collected geologic databases from the region to propose a model for the tectonic and structural evolution of the Kluane schist. Conclusions drawn from this study indicate the Kluane sediments were likely deposited into a closing Late Cretaceous seaway from sources derived from Yukon-Tanana terrane (YTT) to the east. The basin into which the sediments were deposited represents a remnant ocean basin that was present between Insular terrane and YTT prior their amalgamation in the Jurassic. Thrusting of YTT over the Kluane schist basin resulted in burial, metamorphism, and ductile deformation of the schist. Contemporaneously, the early stages of the Ruby Range batholith (RRB) were intruding the schist as well as the schist/YTT contact. This batholith intruded syn- to post-tectonically from approximately ca. 77 Ma to 65 Ma and it is responsible for imparting a kilometer scale inverted contact metamophic aureole onto the Kluane schist wherein metamorphic grade decreases to the southwest. Subsequently, a gneissic sub-unit of the Kluane ‘schist’ was formed by partial melting of the RRB/Kluane schist contact. During this composite deformation event, the schist was transported to mid-crustal depths by an oblique sinistral shear zone. Shortly thereafter, the schist was exhumed and deformed by consistent northeast-over-southwest shearing. Regional scale, broad open folding of the schist ensued and likely occurred by flexural slip along foliation planes with low cohesion. Two syn- to post- tectonic igneous phases associated with Hayden Lake intrusive suite have been dated to ca. 55 Ma. This timing likely correlates with broad, open folding and a ‘late’ syn- to post-kinematic thermal overprint of the schist. The combined results of this study indicate that deformation and metamorphism of the Kluane schist was a long-lived event, extending from ca. 82 Ma to ca. 55 Ma.

Forage growth in the subarctic is sub-optimal due to low soil nutrient levels. Forage crops in the Yukon Territory consistently require nitrogen (N) and phosphorus fertilization to meet plant requirements. Fertilization is expensive due to transportation costs and potentially harmful to the environment so alternative, more sustainable, sources of nutrients are being sought. Alfalfa is an alternative, but there is limited knowledge in the Yukon of the benefits and management of this crop as a replacement for fertilizer N. Experiments were carried out in south central Yukon during the 2005 and 2006 field seasons to examine the potential of co-inoculation of alfalfa with N-fixing Ensifer meliloti and phosphate-solubilizing Penicillium bilaii to increase the dry matter yield and N fixation of monoculture alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cv Peace and binary mixed alfalfa with smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis) cv Carlton or timothy (Phleum pratense) cv Climax forage swards. Interactions between alfalfa inoculation and N fertilization and late season harvest treatments were assessed. The TagTeam® inoculant from Philom Bios was used as the rhizobium source which contains both Ensifer meliloti isolate NRG-34 and Penicillium bilaii isolate PB-50. Nitrogen fixation was determined using the total plant N difference method. Alfalfa growth and nodulation was successful in the trials. Inoculation had a positive impact on N fixation, whereas urea fertilizer at 25 kg N/ha had a negative impact in most cases. In the mixed alfalfa and smooth bromegrass stand there was a positive contribution from the alfalfa in both the establishment and second year with N fixation rates of up to 14 kg/ha. In the mixed timothy and alfalfa stand the N fixation reached 35 kg/ha in the establishment year and 102 kg/ha in the second year. In the establishment year the dry matter yield and N fixation of the TagTeam® inoculated, monoculture alfalfa plots were 3.1 t/ha and 77 kg N/ha. In the second year, the unharvested inoculated alfalfa treatment yielded 3.4 t/ha with N fixation of 66 kg/ha compared to the late harvest treatment which yielded only 1.5 t/ha and an N fixation rate of 20 kg/ha. The effects of the late season harvest are startling and reflect the importance of removing grazing animals during the fall to allow plant energy reserves to accumulate in the roots. Fertilizer N replacement is possible with the seeding of alfalfa into existing hay stands or in monoculture.

Thesis (B.A.)--Haverford College, Dept. of History, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 139-148). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.