Geology

A bright brass-yellow mineral often called ‘Fool’s Gold’ and made up of the elements iron and sulphur.

A sequence of events explaining how rock can change (e.g., from sedimentary rock to metamorphic rock).

A stage in the formation of sedimentary rock in which the grains of rocks or minerals become fixed.

A scale used to measure the hardness of any mineral material, also referred to in geology

Planetary geologists study planets and their moons in order to understand the evolution of the solar system.

Substances, typically metals and metallic minerals, which allow heat and electricity to pass through them easily.

In mining, the treatment of ore by heat and air, or oxygen-enriched air, in order to remove sulphur and arsenic.

Rock formed during the compression and cementation staged of loose sediments (e.g. sandstone) or by deposition from a solution (e.g. salt).

Rock that has been altered by heat, pressure, or hot molten rock (such as magma) from the Earth's interior.

Hydrogeologists study the occurrence, movement, abundance, distribution, and quality of subsurface waters and related geologic aspects of surface waters.

Manitoba’s 650 000 km2 is underlain entirely by rocks of Precambrian age and sedimentary rocks deposited during the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras.

The study of Earth and all of its materials both above and below the Earth’s surface.

Seismologists study earthquakes and analyze the behavior of earthquake waves to interpret the structure of the Earth.

A stage in the formation of sedimentary rock that occurs when sediments are pressed together by the weight of overlaying layers.

‘Hard’ rock geology focuses mainly on igneous and metamorphic rocks. Hard rock geologists work mostly with mineral deposits, mine development and bedrock mapping. Soft rock geology deals with sedimentary rocks where ‘sediment’ was formed through long exposure to the elements or glaciers. Soft rock geologists quite often work in the petroleum industry.

A complex mixture of chemicals, containing both oil and gas, made up of the elements hydrogen and carbon (combined as chemical compounds called hydrocarbons).

Mineralogists study mineral formation, composition, uses and physical and chemical means for identifying them.

A mining term referring to the product of a smelter (metal with some contained sulphur) which must be further refined to obtain the pure metal.

Manitoba minerals and petroleum represent the province's 2nd largest primary resource industry and the sector is a key contributor to Manitoba's ongoing economic growth. In 2012, the combined value of mineral production for metals ($1.325 billion), industrial minerals ($187.5 million) and petroleum ($1.62 billion) totalled about $3.13 billion. The industries employ an average of 5,700 workers directly, with many more in indirect jobs and generating millions of dollars in spin-off business.

Marine geologists investigate the ocean-floor and ocean-continent boundaries; they study ocean basins, continental shelves and coastal environments.