Abstract – proposed presentation to the Buffalo Association of Professional Geologists
Title: A Brief Review of the Geographical Sources and Geological Settings of Some Metals and their Associated Trace Metals That Were Historically Smelted, Refined, Processed and Fabricated in the Buffalo-Niagara Corridor, New York
During its industrial heyday from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, a wide variety of metallic ores, concentrates and metals were smelted, refined, processed and fabricated in the Buffalo-Niagara area, for industrial and other uses both in the area itself and elsewhere in the USA and perhaps sold internationally, as well. Unfortunately, as these industries became uncompetitive or wound down for other reasons during the second half of the twentieth century, when there was much less awareness of and sensitivity to environmental concerns and possible uses of these areas later on, insufficient environmental remediation and reclamation measures were implemented, if any, prior to these areas being developed for other uses, including commercial and residential. However unintentionally perhaps, this left a legacy of human health hazards and related environmental damage to the local ecology that has and continues to prove a hindrance to Buffalo’s growth and remains an expensive matter to mitigate (on the flip side, it’s provided many, if not most of the people in this audience with a professionally and financially rewarding career!).
The purpose of this presentation is to review the geographical sources and geological settings of a small number of these metals including some of the trace metals that accompanied them, both from a general interest perspective as well as to provide an explanation for why a number of metals other than those a specific industrial site had historically treated are found there.
Bio: Avrom E. Howard, MSc, PGeo
Avrom is a minerals exploration geologist with broad experience encompassing several metallic, gemstone and industrial mineral commodities, geologic settings, cultural and geographic regions. His exploration experience spans North America and much of the Middle East and Africa, along with a few forays into South America, as well. He has acted in both technical and executive capacities for a number of publicly listed junior mining companies, some of which he was instrumental in the creation of. Avrom obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of Toronto in 1979, and a Master of Science Degree in Geology from the University of Colorado – Boulder in 1992. He completed the Canadian Securities Course in 1985 and obtained his certification in Gemology from the Canadian Gemological Association, and Gemological Association and Gem Testing Laboratory of Great Britain, in 2001. A native of Toronto, Avrom and his family moved to Buffalo in 2013 after spending six years in Grand Junction, Colorado, where he managed the exploration office for a uranium venture he co-founded. Avrom currently works as an independent consultant to the global mining industry through his company, Nebu Consulting LLC, and is currently building a company focused on a number of tin-tungsten systems in Morocco, as well.
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