Project Metadata

The primary objective of the lake sediment and water sampling in Lac Aylmer and its drainage basin was to provide a geochemical database from which patterns related to anthropogenic metal inputs into Lac Aylmer could be separated from those resulting from natural processes.  In addition to considering the base-metal activity along the eastern shore of its drainage basin, it is also important to assess: (1) activities in the three small towns on its shores; (2) asbestos mining in the north part of its basin; (3) farming and residence development; (4) nearby sand and gravel exploitation.

Till samples were collected at various times between 1972 and 1994 from artificial and natural exposures and were used in this study.  The <63 μm fractions of recently collected samples were analyzed for a wide range of elements using techniques similar to those for the lake sediments.  Older samples were analyzed for Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr and Co by AAS after a hot HNO₃-HCl leach.

Selected elements are plotted on maps in Geological Survey of Canada Open File 3011.  Data lists can be found in S. Phaneuf’s M.Sc. Thesis (Carleton University, 1996).

Geological Survey of Canada