Sodium sulphate & saline-lake evaporites

POTENTIAL & KNOWN RESERVES IN ALBERTA

Closed Metiskow deposit; other saline lakes mapped (AGS OFR 1985-05)

Confidence: Inferred

• MetiskowPlant operated from 1969; closed; restart attempt late 1990s failedProvost News, 2009 ↗

Where it occurs

• Metiskow / Horseshoe Lake
• Other closed-basin lakes in east-central Alberta

GEOLOGY: WHAT MAKES A DEPOSIT MORE LIKELY

Mirabilite / thenardite beds in closed glacial basins over sulphate-rich till in a semi-arid climate.

Host formations

Holocene playa-lake evaporites

Depth range

0–20 m

Favourable conditions

• Closed drainage, high evaporation
• Permanent crystal beds in the largest lakes

Prospectivity envelopes on the map (1)

• East-central saline lakes (Metiskow–Horseshoe Lake)Favourable
  Playa-lake sodium sulphate (mirabilite / thenardite) in closed glacial basins · 0–20 m
  • Closed drainage basins over sulphate-rich till in a semi-arid climate
  • Seasonal mirabilite precipitation; permanent crystal beds in the largest lakes
  Source: Metiskow (closed) sodium sulphate plant; AGS evaporite lake inventory.

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.

• Surficial geology of Alberta (Map 601 tiles)Alberta Geological Survey · Surficial geology · drawable · verifiedCover type and thickness proxy; controls aggregate, placer, peat and indicator-mineral dispersal trains.Source ↗
• Industrial mineral occurrences (DIG 2019-0027)Alberta Geological Survey · Mineral occurrences · drawable · verifiedQuarry and industrial-mineral target inventory.Source ↗
• Groundwater wells & vulnerability (TITAN)Alberta Environment and Protected Areas · Wells · drawable · verifiedShallow aquifer constraints for pits, CBM and brine disposal.Source ↗

VALUE & VALUE CHAIN

Anhydrous sodium sulphate: ≈US$78/t (China, Jul 2026)

Not in the Atlas price deck.

Value chain

1. Lake brine
2. Crystallization
3. Detergents, pulp (kraft), glass

Industries and products that rely on it

DEMAND & PRODUCTION PROJECTIONS

What the forecasts say

• OutlookFlat demand; no Alberta restart case

Key risks

• Demand
• Price

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

$0.45/t (salt category, AR 350/93 s.15).

Lead time

2–3 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

• Crystallizer
• Rail

Active players

Recommended next steps

• None recommended beyond inventory maintenance

MINES, PILOTS & PROJECTS (1)

Who is already working this commodity in Alberta

• Metiskow / Horseshoe Lake sodium sulphateIndustrial mineral · Alberta Sulphate (historic) · Closed; plant ran from 1969Closed (recent) (2026)No demand for decades; Saskatchewan dominates.Source ↗