Canadians have come to know Northern Ontario through the work of the 'Group of Seven' painters who painted in the early to mid 20th century. Their landscapes evoked the powerful spirit and beauty of the region. Set against this background of tall wind-blown pine trees and majestic vistas, is a thriving mining industry that produces metals such as nickel and copper.

In the Northern city of Sudbury, at Laurentian University, a new technology is being developed that will one day be used in the mining industry to determine the ore grade and rock type of rock core drilled for mining exploration. Called the Hyperspectral Reflectance Core Logger, this instrument uses artificial light (some of which is invisible to the humans) to see the colour of the rock. From the colour, the instrument can figure out what minerals are in the rocks. The instrument is being designed for automatic operation in an underground mining environment, reducing the need for human intervention.

The research team comprises Dr. Ann Gallie from the Department of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, two team members from the University of Alberta and one member from Inco Ltd. (international mining company).

At present there are no other instruments combining the range of wavelengths (colours of light) that this technology is using. The instrument is still in the development, testing and design stages. A designer/manufacturer is currently being sought.

About the Inventor

Dr. Ann Gallie grew up in the mining town of Lynn Lake, Manitoba. She has lived and traveled extensively throughout Canada and now lives in another mining town Ð Sudbury, Ontario.

She received her Honours B.Sc. in Biology from Queen's University (1972). After working for ten years as an environmental consultant, Dr. Gallie returned to school at the University of British Columbia, where she was awarded a Ph.D. in 'Remote Sensing' (1990). She has worked as a professor since.

Dr. Gallie enjoys the work that she does Ð it is intellectually challenging and she likes the camaraderie. Since the development of a new technology takes time, she expects to be working on the Hyperspectral Reflectance Core Logger for several years to come. Her other interests include international conservation and creative writing.