Canada's oldest English-language university, located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where the Department of Earth Sciences has conducted laser ablation isotope analysis on key Oak Island artifacts.
About This Site
The University of New Brunswick in Fredericton is Canada's oldest English-language university, founded in 1785. Its Department of Earth Sciences operates advanced geochemistry laboratories equipped with laser ablation mass spectrometry systems capable of determining the isotopic composition of metals and minerals. Under the direction of Dr. Chris McFarlane, Professor of Earth Sciences, the department has developed expertise in provenance analysis, using isotope ratios to trace metals to their geological source regions by comparing results against databases containing thousands of reference samples from mining sites worldwide.
Connection to Oak Island
The University of New Brunswick has played a pivotal role in determining the origin of metallic artifacts recovered from Oak Island. In Season 6, Craig Tester, Dave Blankenship, and Peter Fornetti traveled to Fredericton to meet Dr. Chris McFarlane, who conducted laser ablation testing on the lead cross found at Smith's Cove. The process involved vaporizing microscopic sections of the artifact and feeding the gas into a mass spectrometer. Results showed the lead contained trace silver consistent with old-fashioned smelting techniques, and the isotopic ratios did not match any North American lead sources, confirming the cross was crafted from European lead.
In Season 9, Charles Barkhouse and Marty Lagina returned to the university for laser ablation results on the lead bag seal found on Lot 32. Starting from a database of 7,000 records, Dr. McFarlane narrowed the results to ten to twelve possible source locations, all in Europe. Nothing pointed to North America, Scandinavia, or England; the lead appeared to be French. This finding joined a growing body of evidence supporting a European, and specifically French, connection to activity on Oak Island, including a stone paved area dating to the 1200s, 15th-century cargo barrels, and the lead cross itself.
Fieldwork Notes
Two confirmed visits. Season 6: Craig Tester, Dave Blankenship, and Peter Fornetti met Dr. Chris McFarlane for laser ablation analysis of the Smith's Cove lead cross. Season 9: Charles Barkhouse and Marty Lagina returned for isotope results on the Lot 32 lead bag seal. Both visits took place in the Department of Earth Sciences geochemistry laboratory.
