REGIONAL TILL AND STREAM SEDIMENT SAMPLING TO SUPPORT THE EVALUATION OF CRITICAL MINERAL POTENTIAL IN ALBERTA

As the demand for critical minerals increases, the Government of Alberta has recognized the need for high quality, publicly available data to promote and support mineral exploration initiatives. A proven approach to developing such a dataset is to complete regional sediment geochemistry surveys. The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) and Alberta Geological Survey (AGS) contracted Palmer to plan, coordinate and execute till and stream sediment sampling and to collect detailed observations about the Quaternary geology in selected regions of Alberta. The program was completed as part of AER’s Mineral Mapping Program, with funding provided by the Government of Alberta’s Mineral Strategy and Action Plan.

The AGS identified three areas of interest for regional geochemistry surveys in the northwest, central, and southwest regions of Alberta, totaling approximately 134,500 km². Access to the sample sites was by truck, helicopter, snowmobile, and tracked UTV. A total of 728 till and stream sediment samples were collected for geochemical analysis, and 502 samples collected for mineralogical analysis. Hand tools were used to collect samples from road-cut and stream-cut exposures, and pits were dug to access C-horizon soils where suitable cuts were not present. The ShockAuger, an innovative drilling system purpose built for till sampling, was used in areas where glaciolacustrine mantle prevented the collection of subglacial till at surface.

All samples were submitted for geochemical and grain size (till samples only) analysis. Approximately 60% of the mineralogical samples were submitted for indicator mineral processing. All analytical results from this program have been compiled and are publicly available for download on the AGS website (SPE 115). As part of AER/AGS’s Mineral Mapping Program, these data support future mineral exploration; inform government strategy, policy, and planning; and support non-industry stakeholders with their understanding of Alberta’s mineral potential.