Summary of the Critical Mineral Potential of the Andrew Lake and Leland Lakes Areas, Northeastern Alberta

The rising global demand for critical minerals has spurred renewed interest in the mineral potential of the Canadian Shield in northeastern Alberta. This study focuses on the Andrew Lake and Leland Lakes areas, which represent promising exploration targets due to the extensive outcrop and documented critical mineral occurrences. Investigations in 2023 were conducted independently for these areas and targeted three significant suites of critical minerals: (1) granitoid- and pegmatite-hosted rare-earth elements (REEs) and lithium, (2) structurally controlled / fluid-related uranium and REEs, and (3) mafic-associated critical metals, including copper, nickel, chromium, and cobalt.

At Andrew Lake, granitoids and pegmatites exhibit significant enrichment in REEs, particularly in light rare-earth elements, which are hosted in minerals such as monazite and allanite. The Slave granitoid pluton in the Leland Lakes area shows strong potential for lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatite generation, supported by geochemical signatures that indicate advanced fractionation of the parental magma as well as close proximity to structurally favourable zones. Structurally controlled uranium mineralization was identified at Spider and Cherry lakes, where shear zones and faults facilitated fluid migration and uranium enrichment. However, these areas represent only a portion of the prospective zones across a shield that is marked by significant uranium equivalent radiometric anomalies, indicating broader uranium potential in the region. Mafic-associated critical metals, including Cu, Ni, Cr, and Co, are concentrated along structural zones in the Leland Lakes region, particularly along the Leland Lakes shear zone. The complex geological history of the Andrew Lake and Leland Lakes areas, marked by multiple deformation phases and dynamic tectonic processes, has created structurally and lithologically favourable conditions for a diverse array of mineral systems.

This work was completed under the Mineral Grant provided by the Government of Alberta dated June 22, 2021.