Province invests $8.73 million in SNO

Scientists involved with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory are tired of being left in the dark. And the province is stepping up to let them see the light.

The province is investing $8.73 million - $5.6 million through the Ontario Research Fund and $3.13 million from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund – to expand the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory research facility (SNOLAB) located 6,800-feet below the surface at CVRD Inco's Creighton Mine in Lively.

The funding will go toward the construction of a cryopit, a large cavern to store low-temperature liquids and gases needed to conduct large-scale cryogenic experiments for the next generation of research into dark matter particles.

“This is a major milestone,” said David Sinclair, SNOLAB director of facility development.

The cryopit would essentially be a large detector used to find dark matter. It would consist of several tonnes of liquid argon/neon surrounded by an ice/water shield.

Scientists would be looking for a new form of matter, which has five times more mass in the universe than neutrons, protons and electrons.

Construction will start immediately and be finished by the end of next year. Scientists would then start forming experiments then.

“We're moving forward and it's an exciting day,” said Sinclair.

Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci was on hand to make the official announcement.

“This funding will keep (SNOLAB) at the forefront of particle research for years to come,” said Bartolucci. “Top scientists from around the world will be vying to conduct research in Sudbury. They want to be part of this incredible research. It sets the stage to enhance Sudbury as a place of research and innovation...the mining centre of the world.”

The observatory was completed in 1999 and within a month the first neutrinos were found. It cost $73 million to build.