Petrographic Characteristics of Selected Kimberlitic Rocks in Northern Alberta

This report investigates the petrogenesis of kimberlite in Alberta. Five kimberlite pipes in the northern Alberta kimberlite province were selected for detailed petrography: K4 and K6 from the Buffalo Head Hills and Legend, Phoenix and Kendu from the Birch Mountains.

The main objective is to complement and expand upon the whole-rock geochemistry with optical mineralogical observations of selected pipes. A petrographic-geochemical comparison shows identification of the primary mineral assemblage, together with whole-rock geochemical interpretation, that uses both major and trace elements. This provides a complementary tool to classify Alberta kimberlitic rocks.