Dissolutions documentation: fieldtrips
Field trips
Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Québec, Canada
Description
In September 2016 a collective field trip was conducted within the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region to bear bodily witness to material, infrastructural and cultural traces of historical and contemporary gold (and other precioyus metal) mining within the region.
During the fieldwork mineral samples (iron pyrites, chalco-pyrites, arseno-pyrites), earth/soil samples and water samples (streams, runoffs) were collected for further analysis and culturing of mine-active bacteria.
Two experiments were conducted using materials collected on site: melting and refining of silicon using a high heat thermite reaction and distillation of local earth and sulphates to produce various acids.
Participants: Peter Flemming, Martin Howse, Diane Morin, Stephanie Castonguay.
Lac Nicolet Antimony mine
Two visits were made to the only antimony mine in Quebec. According to sources, the seam is no longer accessible and has been completely mined.
Images
Peter Flemming, Martin Howse