Project Metadata

The Geological Survey of Canada and the Alberta Geological Survey initiated a four year collaborative project in northwest Alberta to create surficial geology maps and provide geoscience information in support of exploration for 1) shallow gas reservoirs in unconsolidated Tertiary/Quaternary sediments; 2) granular aggregate resources; and 3) kimberlitic bedrock.  The project also extends into northeast British Columbia where additional studies have been conducted in collaboration with the British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources to evaluate the mineral potential of the region northeast of Fort Nelson.

To evaluate the potential for kimberlitic bedrock in the Alberta study area, glacial sediment samples were collected in 2003, 2004 and 2005.  The data (geochemistry, KIM, gold grains, Pb and S isotopes) are published in the following reports:

 

Publication	Data
GSC OF 5121/AGS Special Report 77	till geochemistry; KIM and gold grain data for selected samples
GSC OF 5545/AGS Special Report 87	EMP analyses of KIMs and sphalerite grains
GSC OF 5692/AGS Special Report 96	sphalerite and KIMs in 19 bulk till samples
GSC OF 7541	Pb and S isotopes of sphalerite and galena grains

 

To help explain potential sources of KIMs found in northeastern British Columbia, additional sampling of glacial sediments (till and glacial fluvial) and stream sediments and waters in the Etsho Plateau region was undertaken in 2005.  Based on the 2005 results, stream sediments and waters were also collected in 2006.  The stream sediment and water data, including IM results are published in Geological Survey of Canada Open File 6311.  Selected glacial sediment data are published in British Columbia Geological Fieldwork 2006.

Funding was provided by the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, the Geological Survey of Canada’s Northern Resources Development Program as well as Targeted Geoscience Intiative-2 and by Geoscience BC.