Prospective Areas for Mineral Exploration in Alberta (GIS data, polygon features)

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.