BRANDON, MB – Brandon University (BU) Geology students, faculty members and industry representatives celebrated the official opening of the University’s first Geology Core Lab yesterday afternoon on the BU campus. The Lab houses various examples of mining and petroleum drill cores, and provides students with the opportunity to practice their knowledge and prepare for their chosen geology profession by working on real drill cores from mines, exploration projects and petroleum deposits.
“The Lab is home to superb geological drill cores from across Canada that have been donated by various mining, exploration and petroleum companies,” said Dr. Hamid Mumin, Professor of Geology at Brandon University and master of ceremonies for the opening reception. “The Core Lab has grown into an excellent, active facility that is now being used to run teaching labs and collaborative research, in addition to storing the core. We are fortunate to have this unique facility available for our students’ use.”
This facility offers a comprehensive laboratory setting that challenges everything students are learning in the classroom, and offers excellent preparation as they enter the job market in the Geology industry following graduation. The Lab also houses Brandon University’s first geotechnical engineering lab that will drive a collaborative road-stabilization project in partnership with Cypher Environmental of Winnipeg, the Rural Municipality of Cornwallis, the City of Brandon and BU researchers.
“On behalf of the Geology faculty and students, I would like to thank Vale, HudBay, Ekati Diamond Mine and VMS Resources for donating the drill core that has made this core lab possible,” said Tyler Martin, BU Geology student and speaker at the opening reception. “This lab was one of the most challenging, but also one of the most rewarding, labs that the other students and I have worked in. This lab has also given us some great hands-on experience that we can apply in real situations in our future careers.”
Visitors to the lab were invited to interact with Geology students and ask questions about the various cores displayed. In addition, some unique specimens of rare drill cores were on display that featured ancient fossil plant and tree parts that were trapped and preserved within a diamond-bearing volcanic kimberlite eruption that occurred 54 million years ago in the Northwest Territories.
“The challenge for higher education institutes is to link theoretical learning to practical applications,” said Dr. Heather Duncan, Acting Vice-President, Academic and Provost. “BU’s new geology core lab provides a unique experiential learning opportunity for students to connect knowledge to relevant and marketable skills.”
This facility was made possible by funding and support from Brandon University, BU’s Faculty of Science, and through part of a generous donation of $100,000 from BU Geology alumnus, Stewart Hobbs.
Brandon University, founded in 1899, promotes excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship, and educates students so that they can make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders.
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