CRITICAL-MINERALS RECOVERYMetallic minerals

Froth-treatment tailings heavy minerals (Ti–Zr–REE)

CVW CleanTech (ex-Titanium Corp) / AGS studies · ≈220 kt/yr TiO2 + 80 kt/yr zircon potential; 43–72 kt/yr monazite

Horizon FEED completed 2019; no FID; AGS INF 157 (Jan 2026).

RESOURCE CONTEXT

FTT ≈11.5 % TiO2, 3.6 % ZrO2; potential 220 kt/yr TiO2 + 80 kt/yr zircon; monazite 43.6–72.5 kt/yr

Oil sands mines already concentrate 11.5 % TiO2 and 3.6 % ZrO2 into froth-treatment tailings — a world-scale feedstock with no plant.

Oil sands froth-treatment tailings — monazite per year72.5 kt/yr (43.6–72.5) · Resource estimate · 2024 basisAGS INF 157 ↗

GEOLOGICAL SETTING

Oil sands froth-treatment tailings (Fort McMurray mines)Favourable
Heavy-mineral (ilmenite, leucoxene, zircon) concentration in bitumen froth tailings

Tenure: Under the host oil sands lease; a Metallic & Industrial Minerals lease may be required for non-bitumen minerals (clarify with Alberta Energy).
Royalty: Metallic minerals: 1 % of mine-mouth revenue pre-payout; post-payout the greater of 1 % mine-mouth or 12 % of net revenue (AR 350/93 s.4). Interaction with oil sands royalty on recovered bitumen to be confirmed.

DATASETS TO STACK HERE

Bedrock geology polygons (DIG 2013-0018, queryable)Alberta Geological SurveyAttribute-level bedrock mapping for screening host lithologies; heavy, so it loads only when zoomed in.
Metallic mineral occurrences (DIG 2019-0026)Alberta Geological SurveyKnown showings to anchor exploration models; density is highest on the Shield and Clear Hills.
AGS prospective areas for mineral explorationAlberta Geological SurveyThe survey's own view of where each commodity is prospective; compare with the Atlas knowledge-driven envelopes.
NRCan Map 900A: producing mines, mineral areas, oil & gas fieldsNatural Resources CanadaOfficial federal view of producing operations to cross-check the Atlas mine inventory.
Canada critical minerals projects & processingNatural Resources CanadaFederal critical-minerals pipeline; filter to Alberta by extent.
Oil sands agreementsAlberta Energy and MineralsOil sands rights; nearly all of the Athabasca mineable area is leased.
Non-Crown mineral ownershipAlberta Energy and MineralsFreehold minerals need private deals and carry freehold mineral tax instead of Crown royalty.
Surface mineable oil sands (local GeoJSON)Government of AlbertaOverburden under 75 m: the mining fairway and the froth-tailings heavy-mineral source.

NEARBY OPERATIONS

Muskeg River (Albian)Oil sands mine · Canadian Natural · ≈5 kmOperating
Jackpine (Albian)Oil sands mine · Canadian Natural · ≈6 kmOperating
Syncrude Aurora NorthOil sands mine · Syncrude · ≈15 kmOperating
Fort HillsOil sands mine · Suncor (100 %) · ≈16 kmOperating
Syncrude Mildred Lake (North Mine + MLX-West)Oil sands mine · Syncrude (Suncor-operated) · ≈19 kmOperating
Canadian Natural HorizonOil sands mine · Canadian Natural · ≈21 kmOperating