Interactive App or Map 013

Author(s) Date 2023-10-05

IAM 013 Update (October 5, 2023): In the original version of this publication, only the northern Alberta aeromagnetic and gravity data were available for download. The datasets from the southern Alberta aeromagnetic survey have been added in the updated publication. This version supersedes the previous application published on 2023-03-02.

Between 2021 and 2023, as part of the Alberta Minerals Strategy and Action Plan, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) / Alberta Geological Survey (AGS) carried out the largest high-quality regional airborne magnetic and gravity survey in modern Canadian history, and one of the largest worldwide.

Geophysical data for over 900,000 line kilometres (lkm) (838,957 lkm newly acquired and 66,539 lkm purchased) of magnetic and ~134,000 lkm of gravity are now available for free download and viewing. 

Magnetic data acquisition and compilation for central Alberta, between the latitudes of 51°N and 54°N is in progress as of autumn 2023. This dataset will be released upon processing. 

2022-2023 survey (Southern Alberta):

The southern Alberta Plains between the Montana border and 51°N (4 NTS sheets) were covered with magnetic data and in 2022 and 2023, EON Geosciences Inc. (EON) on behalf of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) carried out aeromagnetic survey in southern Alberta. The survey, totaling 106,535 lkm, was split into two blocks (north and south) and was flown at a nominal altitude of 200 m NTC (Nominal Terrain Clearance), 800 m line spacing and 2,500 m tie lines. 

2021-2023 survey (Northern Alberta): 

The new aeromagnetic data for northern Alberta, with a 200 m terrain clearance, flight lines spaced at 800 m, and tie lines at 2,500 m, cover 31 NTS map sheets over the entire northern Alberta Plains between the latitudes of 54°N and 60°N, for a total of 573,682 lkm.  The Canadian Shield in NE Alberta was covered by a high-resolution magnetic survey with a 400 m line spacing and tie lines 2,500 m apart, and a 100 m terrain clearance, for a total of 52,205 lkm. These new surveys provide much higher resolution and accuracy than legacy coverage, which was commonly archaic and sparse, and they fill a large data gap in northern Alberta for which no public-domain aeromagnetic data previously existed.

The flight-line orientation was chosen to run across the dominant anomaly grain in each anomaly domain.  With low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, the Rocky Mountains, parts of the Foothills, and some adjacent Plains areas were omitted from these surveys for operational and safety reasons (such as dangerous wind patterns), as was the restricted airspace over the Cold Lake airbase.

In several areas, commercially available aeromagnetic data of recent enough vintage and flown with parameters adequate for our purpose were purchased and integrated in our regional survey.  Aeromagnetic data from recent Athabasca Basin surveys, flown under another program, have also been incorporated.

Gravity surveys were performed over selected areas of inferred prime mineral potential, such as the “kimberlite corridor” in north-central Alberta and the Hay River Fault zone in NW Alberta.

2021 survey (GAP and Shield areas):
An initial aeromagnetic survey totalling 91,775 line kilometres (lkm) was carried out in early 2021 in two blocks in Northern Alberta by EON Geosciences Inc. (EON) on behalf of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER). The first block was a high sensitivity aeromagnetic survey (800 m spacing and 2,500 m tie lines) in northcentral Alberta over an area with no previous regional aeromagnetic data (the “GAP”). The second block was a high-resolution aeromagnetic survey (HR, 400 m spacing and 2,500 m tie lines) over the entire Alberta shield in northeastern Alberta (the “Shield”).

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