Building & dimension stone

POTENTIAL & KNOWN RESERVES IN ALBERTA

Rundle rock (Canmore), Paskapoo sandstone (Calgary), coal-mine waste rock (AGS study)

Confidence: Measured

• Provincial value≈C$6 M/yr (undated provincial figure)Calgary sandstone quarries ↗

Where it occurs

• Thunderstone quarry, Canmore
• Glenbow and other Paskapoo quarries
• Coal-mine waste rock (Foothills)

GEOLOGY: WHAT MAKES A DEPOSIT MORE LIKELY

Flaggy limestone and sandstone with natural bedding partings suited to dimension and landscape stone.

Host formations

Rundle Group / Banff–Exshaw · Paskapoo Formation

Depth range

0–30 m

Favourable conditions

• Regular bedding, low fracture density
• Weathering-resistant cement
• Access outside parks

Prospectivity envelopes on the map (1)

• Paskapoo sandstone and Rundle stoneFavourable
  Dimension stone from Paleocene sandstone and Mississippian limestone · 0–30 m
  • Paskapoo sandstone quarried historically around Calgary (Legislature, Calgary sandstone buildings)
  • Rundle rock (Livingstone limestone) quarried at Canmore for facing stone
  Source: AGS industrial mineral occurrences (building stone).

DATASETS THAT TEST THE TARGET

Stack these layers on the integrated map

Discriminating datasets first, then every catalogued public dataset tagged to this commodity. Verified endpoints draw directly; link-only entries open the publisher page.

• Bedrock geology of Alberta (Map 600 tiles)Alberta Geological Survey · Bedrock geology · drawable · verifiedWhich formation is at the bedrock surface: the first screen for outcropping targets such as silica sand, limestone, ironstone, bentonite, ammonite shell and shallow coal.Source ↗
• Industrial mineral occurrences (DIG 2019-0027)Alberta Geological Survey · Mineral occurrences · drawable · verifiedQuarry and industrial-mineral target inventory.Source ↗
• Parks & protected areas (by designation)Alberta Forestry, Parks and Tourism · Land constraints · drawable · verifiedHard no-go areas (e.g. Peace Point gypsum inside Wood Buffalo National Park).Source ↗

VALUE & VALUE CHAIN

Landscape / dimension stone: Project-priced; no index

Not in the Atlas price deck.

Value chain

1. Quarry
2. Splitting and cutting
3. Landscape, facing, restoration

Industries and products that rely on it

DEMAND & PRODUCTION PROJECTIONS

What the forecasts say

• OutlookStable niche

Key risks

• Land use
• Construction cycle

DEVELOPMENT: TENURE, ROYALTY, PERMITTING

What a developer needs to know

Tenure

Metallic & Industrial Minerals Tenure Regulation (AR 265/2022): permit — exclusive exploration right, indefinite term, no rent, $625 fee, assessment work $7/ha (first 2 years) → $13 → $20/ha; lease — 15-year initial + 15-year intermediate term, indefinite while producing, $3.50/ha rent.

Royalty

$0.0441/t building stone (AR 350/93 s.12).

Lead time

1–3 years

Permitting path

1. AER Directive 091 (rock-hosted minerals) under the Mineral Resource Development Act, in force Feb 2024
2. EPEA approval and Water Act licence
3. Public Lands Act surface disposition on Crown land
4. Indigenous consultation via the Aboriginal Consultation Office

Infrastructure needs

• Saws and splitters

Active players

Recommended next steps

• Assess Paskapoo sandstone sources for heritage restoration supply

MINES, PILOTS & PROJECTS (1)

Who is already working this commodity in Alberta

• Thunderstone Rundle rock quarry (Canmore)Quarry · Thunderstone Quarries · Dimension and landscape stoneOperating (2026)Rundle rock since 1960.Source ↗