The Geological Map of Alberta 1972-edition served as the basis for this coverage. It was scanned and vectorized to produce an ArcInfo coverage. The coverage was cleaned and labeled with the geological formation symbols. Later, other attributes were added including colour code, and time and stratigraphic codes.
Updates to the geology were done based on work by the Geological Survey of Canada in southern Alberta, by AGS in the Canadian shield and Birch Mountains/Fort McMurray area. Coal resources data done by EUB was integrated into the coverage, and the Swan Hills gravels were added.
A new map legend was developed consistent with the master stratigraphic reference chart established for the Geological Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. The map legend was expanded to include revised lithologic descriptions.
The updated hard copy map and its legend were prepared using a DXF export of the bedrock geology from the ArcInfo coverage. Canvas v.3.5 graphics software was used to do the cartography, on a MacIntosh computer.