EUB/AGS Surficial Geology of the Pelican Area (NTS 83P), Alberta

Esker near Twin Lakes, Photo by J. Pawlowicz, 2001

1. MAP 240 Surficial Geology of the Calling Lake Area, (NTS83P/SW) 1:100 000 scale
2. MAP 241 Surficial Geology of the Sandy Lake Area, (NTS83P/NW) 1:100 000 scale
3. MAP 242 Surficial Geology of the Wandering River Area, (NTS83P/SE) 1:100 000 scale
4. MAP 243 Surficial Geology of the House River Area, (NTS83P/NE) 1:100 000 scale
5. MAP 251 Surficial Geology of the Pelican Area, (NTS83P) 1:250 000 scale

Background

Mineral exploration for kimberlite, uranium and base and precious metals continues to be active in northern Alberta. There is potential for a major discovery and subsequent mine development. A number of kimberlite pipes, for example, have been discovered in the Buffalo Head Hills (Peerless Lake map area, NTS 84) and Birch Mountains (Namur Lake map area, NTS 84H) areas, which are northwest and north, respectively, of the Pelican map area. Regarding the approximately 36 pipes that have been discovered at Buffalo Head Hills, at least 50 per cent of these are known to contain some diamonds. As a result of this metallogenic potential, basic geological information on surficial geology, Quaternary stratigraphy, glacial history and dispersal patterns are essential to mineral exploration in northern Alberta. Information on the distribution of target elements and diamond-indicator minerals within the surficial sediment, together with the regional or background variations that may be expected (and against which local anomalies can be judged), is critical for mineral exploration.

Northern Alberta (north of latitude 55°N, or approximately Lesser Slave Lake) is covered by approximately fifteen 1:250 000-scale map areas that are either unmapped or inadequately mapped with respect to surficial geology, Quaternary stratigraphy, bedrock topography and drift thickness. The Alberta Geological Survey (AGS) has begun a program to address this. The purpose of this program is to provide the minerals industry with baseline geological information in support of mineral exploration in northern Alberta. Multi-year objectives are to complete the Quaternary geology investigations of northern Alberta, including surficial geology mapping, and stratigraphic and thematic studies. Additional objectives are to provide data and interpretations for northern Alberta, including maps, reports and information sets in electronic and, when required, hard-copy form.

Study Area

This CD contains information from the AGS mapping program that focused on the Pelican map sheet (NTS 83P); included are maps of the surficial geology. Interim results have been released through an AGS seminar, as well as presentations and posters at the Mineral Exploration Group Society (MEG), Geological Association of Canada and Canadian Society of Petroleum Geology meetings in 2000 or 2001 (INF 123 and INF124). Subsequent CDs will contain information on bedrock topography, drift thickness and files with information on the surface site samples, analyses run and holes drilled.

Specific geological highlights include:

• the discovery of a buried weathering surface in till from an auger-corehole north of Calling Lake, thus documenting at least two continental glacier advances through the region.
• documentation of a variety of glacial flow directions in different portions of the area (INF123).
• proof the Wiau buried channel (>140 m deep) extends northwest from the Athabasca River into the Wabasca region (northern portion of Pelican), thus greatly extending the known extent of the largest aquifer in Alberta (INF123 and 124).
• discovery, at a few sites, of tills with a distinct bitumen odour indicating either incorporation of pre-existing bitumen-rich sediment or postdepositional migration of bitumen into these sediments (Andriashek and Pawlowicz 2002).

This project also helped implement a more holistic approach for field digital data capture & handling. All field notes were collected in the last year utilizing the Palm hardware and Pendragon software. This allowed the notes to be transferred to an access database that was linked to Arc View. Up-to-date maps of sample and observation sites were available each evening.

Initial preliminary maps were compiled using 1:60,000 scale air photographs flown in 1986, supplemented by Landsat 5 satellite data. After field checking, the revised surficial maps were digitized into ArcInfo. Following review and editing, the final map products were prepared.

Navigation of Files

This compact disc constitutes release of maps 240, 241, 242, 243 and 251 prepared for the Alberta Energy Utilities Board/Alberta Geological Survey (EUB/AGS) by J.E. Campbell, M.M. Fenton and J.G. Pawlowicz. The intent is to make the maps available in a variety of common digital formats to meet the needs of two groups of users: GIS operators and those requiring an exact version of the published map in a readily printable format. GIS files are available in Arc/Info Export (.e00) and shapefile formats. The printer-ready files are in Postscript (.eps) format and also in Adobe's Portable Document Format (.PDF).

A brief description follows of each of the folders and how they may be used.

PDF

This folder contains Adobe® Acrobat PDF documents of the published version of the maps. This format allows viewing on any computer capable of running a suitable version of Adobe® Acrobat Reader®.

A freeware version of Adobe® Acrobat Reader® for Microsoft® Windows® is included on the CD-ROM. Adobe® Acrobat Reader® for other platforms are available from Adobe's Web site at www.adobe.com.

To install the software, double-click the "acrobat.exe" file and follow the instructions for installation.

Postscript

This folder contains postscript files of the published version of the maps. These files can be either imported into a graphics software package or plotted directly from the Windows Explorer window:

1. Right click on the .eps file
2. Select Print, OK
3. Choose a printer from the dropdown list, then click OK.

Table 1. Contents of folders PDF and Postscript

Export files in this folder were created from coverages in ArcInfo Version 8.1.2. See Table 2 for projection parameters and Table 3 for coverage descriptions.

ArcView (shapefiles)

Shapefiles provided were created in ArcView version 3.2a. See Table 2 for projection parameters and Table 3 for shapefile descriptions.

Table 2. Projection parameters for ArcExport and ArcView files

Table 3. Contents of folders ArcExport and ArcView

FILE	ArcExport (.e00)	ArcView (shapefile)	Description
Pelican_line_features	yes	yes	Contains all line features such as eskers and meltwater channels.
			FIELD NAME	DESCRIPTION
			Type	Numeric code assigned to each line feature. See Table 4 for line feature definitions relating to code.
Pelican_point_features	yes	yes	Contains all point features such as bedrock outcrops.
			FIELD NAME	DESCRIPTION
			Type	Numeric code assigned to each point feature. See Table 5 for line feature definitions relating to code.
Pelican_polys	yes	yes	Contains all surficial geology polygon boundaries for 83P.
			FIELD NAME	DESCRIPTION
			Label	Symbolized terrain units according to legend description (See legend on PDF or .eps)
Pelican_sites	yes	yes	Contains location of all field sites.
			FIELD NAME	DESCRIPTION
			Geositeno	Geologists number identifying site. Example: MF00-001 – Mark Fenton 2000 site 001
			Sitesymbol	Indicates type of site: observation, sample, borehole etc.
			Lat	Latitude NAD83 of site
			Long	Longitude NAD83 of site

Table 4. Line feature numeric code definitions (Pelican_line_features.xls)

Table 5. Point feature numeric code definitions (Pelican_point_features.xls)

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Jessica Meeks, Tansi O'Connor Parsons and Paula Gromek for assistance during the field seasons. D. Goulet performed the lab analyses (texture, Chittick, and initial geochemical sample preparation).

References

Andriashek L.D. and Pawlowicz, J.G., 2002. Observations of Naturally Occurring Hydrocarbons (bitumen) in Quaternary sediments, Athabasca Oil Sands Area West, Alberta, Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, Alberta Geological Survey, Geo-Note 02-01 CD.

INF 123, 2001. Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, Alberta Geological Survey Information Series 123 CD; AGS staff contributions to Mineral Exploration Group Annual Meeting April 2001 (MEG2001).

INF 124, 2001. Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, Alberta Geological Survey Information Series 124 CD; AGS contributions to the CSPG Annual Convention June 2001.

Disclaimer & Copyright

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Alberta, 2001

The EUB/AGS and its employees and contractors make no warranty, guarantee or representation, express or implied, or assume any legal liability regarding the correctness, accuracy, completeness, or reliability of this publication. Any digital data and software supplied with this publication are subject to the license conditions (specified in 'Licence Agreement for Digital Products'). The data are supplied on the understanding that they are for the sole use of the licensee and will not be redistributed in any form, in whole or in part, to third parties. Any references to proprietary software in the documentation, and/or any use of proprietary data formats in this release, do not constitute endorsement by the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board/Alberta Geological Survey of any manufacturer's product.

Crediting Information Sources

When using information from this publication in other publications or presentations, acknowledgment must be given to the EUB/AGS. The following reference format is recommended:

Campbell, J.E., Fenton, M.M. and Pawlowicz, J.G. (2001): Surficial Geology of the Pelican Area (NTS 83P), Alberta; Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, Alberta Geological Survey, Map 251.

Contacts

For more information on the products produced by the EUB/AGS, please contact:

Information Sales
Alberta Energy and Utilities Board
Alberta Geological Survey
4th Floor, Twin Atria Building
4999-98 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T6B 2X3
Canada
Tel: (780) 422-3767
Fax: (780) 422-1918
E-mail: EUB.AGS-Infosales@gov.ab.ca
Web site: www.ags.gov.ab.ca