Bram van Straaten, Ph.D., M.Sc., P.Geo.
Last updated on April 3, 2025Manager, Framework Geoscience
Bram is responsible for managing the Survey bedrock and surficial geology teams.
Education
Utrecht University (M.Sc., 2003)
University of British Columbia (Ph.D., 2010)
Expertise
Bram joined the BCGS in 2015, when he was responsible for regional bedrock geological and mineral deposit studies, with an emphasis on the porphyry-prospective Stikine terrane of northwestern British Columbia. Bram’s primary area of interest is the tectonic and metallogenic evolution of the Canadian Cordillera. He has extensive experience mapping volcanic, plutonic, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks in remote and mountainous areas. He has a keen interest in structural geology, geochronology, geochemistry, and isotope geochemistry, and has hands-on experience with a wide variety of ore deposit types, notably calc-alkalic to alkalic porphyry Cu-Au-Mo, low, intermediate, and high sulphidation epithermal Au-Ag, skarn, volcanogenic massive sulphide, sedimentary rock hosted Cu, and diamondiferous kimberlite systems.
Bram previously worked in the minerals industry where he developed and executed exploration programs on copper and gold targets throughout the province. Before joining industry, he taught mineralogy and structural geology courses at University of British Columbia.
Publications
2025
Bailey, L., Kim, R., Takaichi, M., Logan, J., Crowley, J., Friedman, R., Wall, C., van Straaten, B.I., and Campbell, R., 2025. U-Pb geochronological data for intrusive rocks near the Schaft Creek and Galore Creek deposits (southern Telegraph Creek area, NTS 104G), northwestern British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals, British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2025-14, 16 p.
Hickin, A.S., Cui, Y., Clarke, G., Ootes, L., and van Straaten, B.I., 2025. British Columbia Geological Survey annual program review 2024-2025. In: Geological Fieldwork 2024, British Columbia Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2025-01, pp. 1-15.
Miller, E.A., Ferri, M.D., van Straaten, B.I., and Wall, C., 2025. Stratigraphic framework, structural setting, and timing of VMS, epithermal, and porphyry mineralization in the Kitsault River area, northwest British Columbia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2024, British Columbia Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2025-01, pp. 17-47.
Campbell, R.W., and van Straaten, B.I., 2025. New data on Late Triassic to late Early Jurassic plutonic suites in the northern Golden Triangle region of northwest British Columbia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2024, British Columbia Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2025-01, pp. 49-72.
Lawley, C.J.M., Petts, D.C., Lee, W.-S., Cajal, Y., Carrasco-Godoy, C., Campbell, I., Dlugosz, J., Larson, K., Savard, D., Kjarsgaard, I., and van Straaten, B., 2025. Critical raw material potential of porphyry copper–gold deposits in the golden triangle, British Columbia, Canada, Ore Geology Reviews, article 106463.
2024
Johnston, R.J., Kennedy, L.A., Hickey, K.A. and van Straaten, B.I., 2024. Revisiting the stratigraphy of the alkalic Stuhini Group in the Galore Creek area, northwestern British Columbia (parts of NTS 104G/03, 04). In: Geoscience BC Summary of Activities 2023, Geoscience BC, Report 2024-01, pp. 59–66.
van Straaten, B.I., 2024. Upper Hazelton Group stratigraphy along the Stikine arch, northwestern British Columbia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2023, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2024-01, pp. 149-177.
2023
Miller, E.A., van Straaten, B.I., and Hunter, R.C., 2023. Update on bedrock mapping in the Kitsault River area, northwestern British Columbia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2022, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2023-01, pp. 23-32.
van Straaten, B.I., Friedman, R.M., and Camacho, A., 2023. Stratigraphy of the Stuhini Group (Upper Triassic) in the Galore Creek area, northwestern British Columbia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2022, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2023-01, pp. 33-49.
Johnston, R., Kennedy, L., and van Straaten, B.I., 2023. Preliminary observations of a high-strain zone along the western flank of the Galore Creek deposit area, northwestern British Columbia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2022, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2023-01, pp. 51-63.
van Straaten, B.I., Logan, J.M., Nelson, J.L., Moynihan, D.P., Diakow, L.J., Gibson, R., Bichlmaier, S.J., Wearmouth, C.D., Friedman, R.M., Golding, M.L., Miller, E.A. and Poulton, T.P., 2023. Bedrock geology of the Dease Lake area: Supporting GIS, structural, magnetic susceptibility, and other digital data, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2023-08, 5p.
2022
Nelson, J.L., van Straaten, B., and Friedman, R., 2022. Latest Triassic-Early Jurassic Stikine-Yukon-Tanana terrane collision and the onset of accretion in the Canadian Cordillera: Insights from Hazelton Group detrital zircon provenance and arc–back-arc configuration: Geosphere, 18(2) pp.670-696.
van Straaten, B.I., Logan, J.M., Hunter, R.C., Nelson, J.L., and Miller, E.A., 2022. Igneous lithogeochemistry data for the Dease Lake, Kitsault River, Galore Creek, Telegraph Creek, Foremore, and other areas in northwestern British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2022-12, 14p.
2021
Bouzari, F., Lee, R.G., Hart, C.J.R., and van Straaten, B.I., 2021. Mineralogical and geochemical vectors within advanced argillic-altered rocks of north-central British Columbia (NTS 094E/02, 15, 104I/05). In: Geoscience BC Summary of Activities 2020: Minerals, Geoscience BC Report 2010–01, pp. 91-104.
Nelson, J.L., Friedman, R., and van Straaten, B., 2021. LA-ICP-MS and TIMS U-Pb data files from the Iskut project (Dease Lake to Kitsault). British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2021-10, 13p.
2020
Bouzari, F., Lee, R.G., Hart, C.J.R., and van Straaten, B.I., 2020. Porphyry vectoring within advanced argillic-altered rocks of British Columbia. In: Geoscience BC Summary of Activities 2019: Minerals, Geoscience BC Report 2020–01, pp. 115–130.
Hunter, R.C., and van Straaten, B.I., 2020. Preliminary stratigraphy and geochronology of the Hazelton Group, Kitsault River area, Stikine terrane, northwest British Columbia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2019, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2020-01, pp. 101-118.
Miller, E.A., Kennedy, L.A., and van Straaten, B.I., 2020. Geology of the Kinskuch Lake area and Big Bulk porphyry prospect, northwestern British Columbia: Syndepositional faulting and basin formation during the Rhaetian (latest Triassic) transition from the Stuhini to the Hazelton Group. In: Geological Fieldwork 2019, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2020-01, pp. 77-99.
Nelson, J.L., and van Straaten, B.I., 2020. Recurrent syn- to post-subduction mineralization along deep crustal corridors in the Iskut-Stewart-Kitsault region of western Stikinia, northwestern British Columbia. In: Sharman, E.R., Lang, J.R. and Chapman, J.B. (Eds.), Porphyry deposits of the northwestern Cordillera of North America: A 25-year update, CIM Special Volume 57, pp. 149–211.
Lang, J.R., Roberts, K., Galicki, M., van Straaten, B.I., and Bui, P., 2020. Magmatic, hydrothermal, and structural features of the Gnat Pass porphyry copper deposit, British Columbia. In: Sharman, E.R., Lang, J.R. and Chapman, J.B. (Eds.), Porphyry deposits of the northwestern Cordillera of North America: A 25-year update, CIM Special Volume 57, pp. 324–340.
van Straaten, B.I., Mostaghimi, N., Kennedy, L., Gallagher, C., Schiarizza, P., and Smith, S., 2020. The deformed Gibraltar porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit, south-central British Columbia, Canada. In: Sharman, E.R., Lang, J.R. and Chapman, J.B. (Eds.), Porphyry deposits of the northwestern Cordillera of North America: A 25-year update, CIM Special Volume 57, pp. 547–567.
2019
Febbo, G.E., Kennedy, L.A., Nelson, J.L., Savell, M.J., Campbell, M.E., Creaser, R.A., Friedman, R.M., van Straaten, B.I., and Stein, H.J., 2019. The evolution and structural modification of the supergiant Mitchell Au-Cu porphyry, northwestern British Columbia. Economic Geology 114, 303-324. doi:10.5382/econgeo.2019.4632 (Open access).
Miller, E.A., Kennedy, L., and van Straaten, B.I., 2019. Preliminary field results from Kinskuch Lake, northwestern British Columbia (NTS 103P/11): a study of the boundary between the Stuhini and Hazelton groups. In Geoscience BC Summary of Activities 2018: Minerals and Mining, Geoscience BC, Report 2019-1, pp. 75–86.
van Straaten, B.I., and Wearmouth, C., 2019. Geology of the Latham and Pallen Creek area, northwestern British Columbia: Distinguishing the Tsaybahe group, Stuhini Group, and Hazelton Group, and the onset of Triassic arc volcanism in northern Stikinia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2018, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2019-01, pp. 79-96.
van Straaten, B.I., and Wearmouth, C.D., 2019. Preliminary bedrock geology of the Latham and Pallen Creek area. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines and Petroleum Resources, British Columbia Geological Survey Open File 2019-05, 1:50,000 scale.
2018
Nelson, J., Waldron, J., van Straaten, B., Zagoresvski, A., and Rees, C., 2018. Revised stratigraphy of the Hazelton Group in the Iskut River region, northwestern British Columbia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2017, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2018-1, pp. 15-38.
van Straaten, B.I., and Bichlmaier, S., 2018. Late Early to Middle Jurassic Hazelton Group volcanism and its tectonic setting, McBride River area, northwest British Columbia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2017, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2018-1, pp. 39-66.
van Straaten, B.I., and Bichlmaier, S., 2018. Preliminary bedrock geology of the McBride River area. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, British Columbia Geological Survey Open File 2018-03, 1:50,000 scale.
2017
van Straaten, B.I., and Gibson, R., 2017. Late Early to Middle Jurassic Hazelton Group volcanism and mineral occurrences in the McBride-Tanzilla area, northwest British Columbia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2016, British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2017-1, pp. 83-115.
van Straaten, B.I., Gibson, R., and Nelson, J., 2017. Preliminary bedrock geology of the Tanzilla and McBride area. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, British Columbia Geological Survey Open File 2017-09, 1:50,000 scale.
2016
van Straaten, B.I., and Nelson, J.L., 2016. Syncollisional late Early to early Late Jurassic volcanism, plutonism, and porphyry-style alteration on the northeastern margin of Stikinia. In: Geological Fieldwork 2015, British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2016–1, pp. 113–143.
2013
van Straaten, B.I., Oliver, J., Crozier, J., and Goodhue, L., 2013. A summary of the Gibraltar porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit, south-central British Columbia, Canada. In: Logan, J., and Schroeter, T. (Eds.), Porphyry systems of central and southern BC: Tour of central BC porphyry deposits from Prince George to Princeton, Guidebook Series of the Society of Economic Geologists Guidebook Volume 44, pp. 55–66.
van Straaten, B.I., and Kopylova, M.G., 2013. Pyroclastic kimberlite deposits from the Victor Northwest pipe (Ontario, Canada): the transition from phreatomagmatic to magmatic explosivity. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, Volume 50, pp. 1059–1068.
2012
van Straaten, B.I., Logan, J.M., and Diakow, L.J., 2012. Mesozoic magmatism and metallogeny of the Hotailuh Batholith, northwestern British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas, British Columbia Geological Survey Open File 2012-06, 58p.
Logan, J.M., Moynihan, D.P., Diakow, L.J., and van Straaten, B.I., 2012. Dease Lake - Little Tuya River geology (NTS 104J/08, 07E). British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, British Columbia Geological Survey Open File 2012–4, 1:50,000 scale.
van Straaten, B.I., Logan, J.M., and Diakow, L.J., 2012. Dease Lake Geoscience Project, Part II: Preliminary Report on the Mesozoic Magmatic History and Metallogeny of the Hotailuh Batholith and Surrounding Volcanic and Sedimentary Rocks. In: Geological Fieldwork 2011, British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, British Columbia Geological Survey Paper 2012–1, pp. 99-120.
Logan, J.M., Diakow, L.J., van Straaten, B.I., Moynihan, D.P. and Iverson, O., 2012. QUEST-Northwest mapping: BC Geological Survey Dease Lake Geoscience Project, northern British Columbia. In: Summary of Activities 2011, Geoscience BC, Report 2012-1, pp. 5-14.
2011
van Straaten, B.I., Kopylova, M.G., Russell, J.K., and Smith, B.H.S., 2011. A rare occurrence of a crater-filling clastogenic extrusive coherent kimberlite, Victor Northwest (Ontario, Canada). Bulletin of Volcanology. DOI 10.1007/s00445-011-0507-7
2009
van Straaten, B.I., Kopylova, M.G., Russell, J.K., Webb, K.J., and Smith, B.H.S., 2009. Stratigraphy of the intra-crater volcaniclastic deposits of the Victor Northwest kimberlite, northern Ontario, Canada. Lithos, Volume 112, pp. 488–500.
2008
van Straaten, B.I., Kopylova, M.G., Russell, J.K., Webb, K.J., and Scott Smith, B.H., 2008. Discrimination of diamond resource and non-resource domains in the Victor North pyroclastic kimberlite, Canada. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, Volume 174, pp. 128–138.