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The Exploration Project with Resource Estimate dataset contains a list of exploration properties with mineral resource estimates in Alberta. Attributes of the dataset include location, project name, commodity, host rock, resource estimates and references used as source of the information. Resource estimates were obtained from publicly available National Instrument 43-101 compliant technical and preliminary economic assessment reports, or from non-compliant technical reports with available historic resources. These resources define mineral deposits containing a diverse suite of commodities such as lithium, base metals, uranium, rare earth elements, iron, bentonite, aggregate and silica sand. Lithium deposits occur in formation brines in Devonian carbonate units in northwestern and central Alberta. Polymetallic Zn-V-Ni-Mo-Cu-Co-U-REE deposits occur in Upper Cretaceous black-shales in northeastern Alberta. Iron ores are hosted by Upper Cretaceous oolitic sandstones in northeastern Alberta. Magnetite and rutile occur in Upper Cretaceous heavy mineral deposits in central and southwestern Alberta. Dolomite for aggregate exists in Devonian carbonate units in northeastern Alberta. Bentonite occurs in an Upper Cretaceous sandstone unit in northwestern Alberta. Lastly, silica sand is found in Lower Cretaceous sandstone units in northwestern Alberta and in Quaternary sands in central and northeastern Alberta.
This Esri shapefile delineates areas prospective for the exploration of minerals in Alberta. These areas have the potential to contain mineral deposits.
Materials included are naturally occurring metallic and industrial minerals, diamonds, ammolite, metallurgical coal, peat, humalite, and sand and gravel, as well as minerals that may be recoverable as by-products of industrial processes.
Commodities included are: ammolite, bentonite, bromine, calcium, cobalt, copper, diamonds, dolomite, gold, gypsum, iodine, iron, lead, limestone, lithium, magnesium, magnetite, molybdenum, nickel, peat, phosphate, potash, quartzite, rare earth elements, salt, sand/gravel, silica sand, silver, stone, titanium, uranium, vanadium, zinc, and zircon.
Prospective areas were defined using geological maps, 3D geological models, mineral occurrences, geochemical and other mineral related datasets, and government and industry descriptions from reports. These areas are the result of a preliminary qualitative mineral tract definition at a provincial scale. No attempt was made at this stage to assess, quantify or rank mineral prospectivity, probability or potential.
AGS Map 590, Minerals of Alberta, presents a simplified view of the data contained in this digital file. This shapefile also includes propsective areas for minerals such as peat, stone, sand and gravel, bromine, iodine, and marl and tufa, which are not shown on the map. The dataset subdivides the prospective areas based on deposit type, commodity, geological unit, certainty and depth.
This dataset provides a foundation for subsequent evaluation of mineral potential in the province.
The shapefile is part of a package of datasets produced to support the creation of AGS Map 590, Minerals of Alberta, and includes Metallic and Industrial Mineral Occurrences of Alberta (DIG 2019-0026 and DIG 2019-0027), Kimberlite and Ultrabasic Intrusions of Alberta (DIG 2019-0028), Lithium Content in Groundwater and Formation Water in Alberta (DIG 2019-0029), references (txt) and methodology (Map 590 Information Document).
For complete details on methodology, please see the Map 590 Information document (pdf) included with the data package.