Public datasets behind the map

Official 1:1,000,000 bedrock geology symbology as pre-rendered Web Mercator tiles.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Which formation is at the bedrock surface: the first screen for outcropping targets such as silica sand, limestone, ironstone, bentonite, ammonite shell and shallow coal.

Bedrock units as attributed polygons; click a polygon for unit name, age and lithology.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Attribute-level bedrock mapping for screening host lithologies; heavy, so it loads only when zoomed in.

National geological map compilation; useful for the Shield in north-east Alberta and cross-border continuity.

Publisher

Natural Resources Canada – GSC

Use it for

Harmonizes Alberta units with Saskatchewan, BC and NWT geology for cross-border play continuity.

Till, glaciolacustrine, fluvial, eolian and organic deposits province-wide.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Cover type and thickness proxy; controls aggregate, placer, peat and indicator-mineral dispersal trains.

Mapped sand and gravel bodies with aggregate potential.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Direct aggregate and placer target layer; also screens silica sand and construction supply near demand centres.

Polyline glacial landforms (DIG 2014-0022).

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Ice-flow direction for tracing kimberlite-indicator and gold-grain till trains back to source.

Mapped structural lines from the Bedrock Geology of Alberta compilation (DIG 2013-0021).

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Fault corridors focus brines, helium and MVT fluids and control Foothills coal geometry.

Colour-ramped elevation of the bedrock surface in metres above sea level.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Buried valleys and bedrock highs: where cover is thin (cheap stripping) and where preglacial gravels pool.

Quaternary and Neogene sediment thickness in metres (Nov 2020 tiles).

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Overburden cost for open-pit targets and the depth of cover that geophysics must see through.

Classification of buried bedrock highs and valleys.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Regional framework for cover thickness and preglacial drainage.

Model zones subcropping on the Precambrian nonconformity (EBR90PreC) from the 3D PGF model; formation-top pick points are available per zone.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Entry point to the provincial 3D framework: which Paleozoic zone sits on basement controls helium traps, brine aquifers and storage seals.

Depth to Precambrian basement from the 3D Provincial Geological Framework (−35 to 6,723 m), plus ~90 sibling depth and thickness grids.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Basement depth controls geothermal gradient, helium source proximity and basin-centred gas pressure.

Elk Point Group salt distribution, thickness and dissolution-edge mapping (AGS reports and 3D PGF thickness grids).

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Thick, undissolved halite is the target for solution mining and caverns and the seal for CO2 storage; dissolution edges control McMurray karst collapse.

Basement tectonic domains (Hearne, Rae, Taltson, Buffalo Head, Wabamun…) interpreted from aeromagnetic data, with shear zones and lineaments as sibling layers.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Craton architecture for diamonds (thick cold lithosphere), radiogenic basement for helium, and shear zones for uranium and gold.

Province-wide aeromagnetic compilation, residual magnetic intensity (−603 to 1,999 nT).

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Circular anomalies flag kimberlites; linear gradients map basement faults and domain boundaries.

2 km Bouguer, isostatic residual, free-air and first-vertical-derivative gravity grids.

Publisher

Natural Resources Canada – Geoscience Data Repository

Use it for

Dense basement blocks and mafic intrusions (Ni-Cu-PGE), evaporite thickness lows, and arch geometry for helium traps.

Gamma-ray spectrometry grids where surveyed (Shield and selected Plains blocks).

Publisher

Natural Resources Canada – Geoscience Data Repository

Use it for

Direct uranium and potash-brine surface expression; basement heat production proxy for helium and geothermal.

70 deep crustal reflection line locations across Alberta.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

The only public deep-seismic imaging; constrains basement architecture, Snowbird Tectonic Zone and the Peace River Arch.

Natural and induced seismicity events.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Induced-seismicity hazard zones (Fox Creek, Red Deer) constrain hydraulic fracturing and injection.

Linear disturbance (seismic cutlines) in the oil sands region; the only seismic-program footprint layer found publicly.

Publisher

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas – OSIP

Use it for

Where 2D/3D seismic has been shot; legacy data may be purchasable from brokers.

Multi-element stream-sediment samples (Ag, As, Au, Ba… U) with percentile fields.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Pathfinder anomalies for uranium, gold and base metals on the Shield and Foothills.

Till and stream KIM sample sites with interpreted indicator counts (DIG 2020-0009).

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Indicator trains point up-ice to undiscovered kimberlites.

Helium % by well / test from public gas analyses (DIG 2020-0033).

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Direct helium show map: filter above 0.3 % to find economic-interest wells.

Radiometric age determinations (points).

Publisher

Natural Resources Canada – GSC

Use it for

Basement and kimberlite ages for craton reconstruction.

Well bottom-hole-temperature-derived subsurface temperature model points.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Thermal gradient for geothermal doublets and for DLE kinetics in lithium brines; basement temperature grids exist as LERC tiles.

Granite Wash unit extent from the Geothermal Atlas; Leduc extent and pool polygons are sibling services.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Where the basal clastic aquifer exists for hot sedimentary aquifer projects.

Lithium (mg/L) in sampled brines by formation (Leduc, Swan Hills, Beaverhill Lake, Nisku…).

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

The primary lithium screening layer: filter above 50 mg/L and overlay reef aquifer extents.

Point database of metallic mineral occurrences including uranium showings and Clear Hills ironstone records.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Known showings to anchor exploration models; density is highest on the Shield and Clear Hills.

Salt, limestone, silica sand, clay, gypsum, ammonite shell and other industrial mineral occurrence points.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Quarry and industrial-mineral target inventory.

Mineral prospective areas (DIG 2019-0025) and exploration projects with resource estimates.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

The survey's own view of where each commodity is prospective; compare with the Atlas knowledge-driven envelopes.

Buffalo Head Hills, Birch Mountains and Mountain Lake kimberlite bodies (DIG 2019-0028).

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Known pipes; cluster geometry guides step-out targeting.

2023 national Mississippi Valley-type zinc prospectivity grid; siblings for LCT lithium pegmatite, carbonatite REE, magmatic nickel, graphite.

Publisher

Natural Resources Canada – GSC

Use it for

Machine-learned national prospectivity to compare with the Atlas envelopes; Shield-focused with limited Alberta signal.

Coal mine permit boundaries by rank (bituminous, subbituminous, in-situ gasification).

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Where coal has been or is being mined; coal-zone geology itself is published in AGS reports, not as a service.

Eastern Slopes coal category polygons that govern where coal exploration and mining are permitted.

Publisher

Government of Alberta

Use it for

Category 1 = no exploration; Category 2 = no open pit. The decisive constraint for metallurgical coal.

Digitized major designated oil and gas fields inspired by AER Map-90.

Publisher

Alberta Energy Regulator (digitized)

Use it for

Where established pools sit; brine, helium and CO2 storage ride on the same reservoirs.

Principal mineral areas, producing mines, coal, oil sands, smelters, helium facilities and oil & gas fields (national).

Publisher

Natural Resources Canada

Use it for

Official federal view of producing operations to cross-check the Atlas mine inventory.

Advanced exploration projects, mines, processing facilities for critical minerals.

Publisher

Natural Resources Canada

Use it for

Federal critical-minerals pipeline; filter to Alberta by extent.

Permitted mine boundaries for metallic, placer, quarriable and salt (brine) operations.

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Official footprints of non-energy mines and brine fields.

Crown PNG agreements (Agreements MapServer layer 2).

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Who holds the hydrocarbon (and helium) rights; open Crown land shows where a posting is possible.

Crown oil sands agreements (layer 3).

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Oil sands rights; nearly all of the Athabasca mineable area is leased.

MIM permits and leases including brine-hosted lithium leases (layer 4).

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Lithium, salt, silica, limestone and metallic tenure; about 2 million ha are under lithium leases.

Crown coal leases (layer 6). No new Crown coal leases accepted since 10 Feb 2025.

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Existing coal rights are the only route to a new mine under the Coal Industry Modernization Initiative.

Geothermal applications and leases (Geoview service).

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Where geothermal rights have been staked.

Evaluation and sequestration agreements (layer 8).

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Pore-space tenure that may conflict with helium and lithium rights in the same formations.

Ammonite shell agreements (layer 5).

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Ammolite tenure along the St. Mary and Oldman rivers.

Oil Sands Area, Surface Mineable Area and Plains / Northern / Foothills boundaries.

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Which tenure and royalty regime applies.

Surface mineable area polygon shipped with the Atlas.

Publisher

Government of Alberta

Use it for

Overburden under 75 m: the mining fairway and the froth-tailings heavy-mineral source.

Server-side active well layer (268,768 active sub-surface wells on 8 Oct 2026) filtered by the Atlas to Oil, Gas and Crude Bitumen well types; drawn through /api/wells?status=active.

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Where hydrocarbons are flowing today: live reservoir pressure, produced-water (brine) access, helium-bearing gas streams and infrastructure for re-entry.

Abandoned well locations with licensee and status (gis.aer.ca).

Publisher

Alberta Energy Regulator

Use it for

Legacy penetrations that compromise CO2 storage seals and offer cheap re-entry for brine sampling.

Wells with publicly described core at the AGS Mineral Core Research Facility.

Publisher

Alberta Geological Survey

Use it for

Physical core you can log for heavy minerals, brine chemistry or coal quality without drilling.

Water wells and groundwater vulnerability regions.

Publisher

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas

Use it for

Shallow aquifer constraints for pits, CBM and brine disposal.

Oil sands project and scheme boundaries, development areas and applications.

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Approved project footprints — the mines and SAGD schemes whose tailings and produced water host by-product minerals.

Licensed pipelines (with H2S content, diameter, status) and facilities.

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Egress and processing infrastructure; H2S content flags sulphur and sour-gas plants.

Lands where minerals are not owned by the Alberta Crown (freehold, federal, CPR).

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Freehold minerals need private deals and carry freehold mineral tax instead of Crown royalty.

Ecological reserves, wilderness areas, wildland and provincial parks, national parks.

Publisher

Alberta Forestry, Parks and Tourism

Use it for

Hard no-go areas (e.g. Peace Point gypsum inside Wood Buffalo National Park).

Indian reserves and Métis settlements.

Publisher

Government of Alberta

Use it for

Consultation and partnership geography; AIOC loan guarantees favour Indigenous equity in projects nearby.

Geoadmin areas: Eastern Slopes zones, Green/White area, LUF regional plan boundaries, treaty boundaries.

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Policy geography that decides coal, phosphate and limestone access in the Foothills.

Province-wide wetland classification used for peat and disturbance assessments.

Publisher

Government of Alberta

Use it for

Peatland extent and wetland-policy exposure.

Meridian, township, section, quarter and LSD grid.

Publisher

Alberta Energy and Minerals

Use it for

Tenure is sold by section and LSD; the grid is how postings, leases and wells are referenced.