EUB/AGS Map 314

Surficial Geology of the Sawn Lake Area, Alberta (NTS 84B/13)

Background

As part of a four-year, collaborative, multidisciplinary project initiated in 2003 under the Geological Survey of Canada’s Northern Resource Development Program (NRD Project 4450), the Geological Survey of Canada (Natural Resources Canada), Alberta Geological Survey (AGS) and Resource Development and Geoscience Branch (British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources) have undertaken extensive Quaternary geology studies in northwestern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia.

To support the kimberlitic research subproject, detailed surficial mapping at 1:50 000 scale was conducted in the Sawn Lake map area (NTS 84B/13), where the majority of the kimberlites in the Buffalo Head Hills field are located. This mapping initiative was also undertaken as part of an undergraduate thesis project (Trommelen, 2004). Fieldwork was conducted during August 2003. Particular attention was paid to surface stratigraphy, ice flow indicators and the highly variable nature of the surface sediments. These observations augment existing surficial geology information available for this region (Paulen et al., 2003). Additional information and descriptions on the surficial geology of this region are available from Paulen et al. (2006) and Trommelen and Paulen (Surficial geology of the Sawn Lake Region, Alberta, NTS 84B/13, work in progress, 2006). A model for the Late Wisconsin ice flow history is presented in Paulen and McClenaghan (in press).

Surficial Map

Initial preliminary maps were compiled using 1:20 000 and 1:40 000-scale air photographs, supplemented by LandSat 7 satellite and Shuttle RADAR Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM imagery. After field checking, the revised surficial maps were scanned and vectorized using ArcInfo™. Following review and editing, the final map products were prepared.

Navigation of Files

This compact disc constitutes release of AGS Map 314 prepared for the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board/Alberta Geological Survey (EUB/AGS) by M. Trommelen, R.C. Paulen and J. Weiss. The intent is to make this map available in 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 ArcInfo Export (.e00) and shapefile formats. The printer-ready files are in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF).

Click on the link below to open the the PDF document.

Map 314

Also on the CD is a metadata folder. Metadata, or "data about data," describe the content, quality, condition and other characteristics of the data.

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

PDF

Adobe® Acrobat PDF documents of the published version of the map allows viewing on any computer capable of running a suitable version of Adobe® Acrobat Reader®.

Adobe® Acrobat Reader® is available from Adobe's Web site at www.adobe.com.

ArcExport (.e00)

Export files were created from coverages in ArcInfo Version 9.0.

ArcView (shapefiles)

Shapefiles provided were created in ArcView version 3.2a. Metadata for each shapefile are contained in *.txt, *.html and *.xml files.

Acknowledgements

Surficial mapping was completed in 2003 as an AGS contribution to NRD Project 4450 and the Quaternary mapping initiative under the Alberta Mineral Strategy. Observations and data collected by previous AGS research activities were made available to augment field observations. For this we are indebted to Roy Eccles, Mark Fenton, John Pawlowicz and Glen Prior. Digital cartography and GIS was completed at the AGS by Monica Price and Natasha Clarke. Mark Fenton and Glen Prior are thanked for providing constructive comments which helped improve this map.

References

Paulen, R.C. and McClenaghan, M.B. (in press): Late Wisconsin ice flow history in the Buffalo Head Hills kimberlite field; Géographie, Physique et Quaternaire.

Paulen, R.C., Campbell, J.E., Fenton, M.M. and Pawlowicz, J.G. (2003): Surficial geology of the southeast Buffalo Head Hills area (NTS 84B/NW); Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, EUB/AGS Map 265, scale 1:100 000.

Paulen, R.C., Fenton, M.M., Pawlowicz, J.G. (2006): Surficial geology of the Peerless Lake area (NTS 84B); Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, EUB/AGS Map 269, scale 1:250 000.

Trommelen, M. (2004): Surficial geology of the Sawn Lake region (84B/13); B.Sc. thesis, University of Alberta, 68 p.

Disclaimer & Copyright

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Alberta, 2006

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 EUB/AGS 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 sample reference format is recommended:

Trommelen, M., Paulen, R.C. and Weiss, J. (2006): Surficial geology of the Sawn Lake area (NTS 84B/13); Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, EUB/AGS Map 314, scale 1:50 000.

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
Website: www.ags.gov.ab.ca