  Identification_Information
    Citation
      Citation_Information
        Originator: Alberta Energy Regulator
        Originator: Alberta Geological Survey
        Originator: Meek, D.M.
        Originator: Birnie, C.
        Originator: Belosevic, M.B.K.
        Publication_Date: 2026
        Title: Gold Grain Counts from Surficial Sediment Samples from Alberta (tabular data, tab-delimited format)
        Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: tabular digital data
        Series_Information
          Series_Name: Digital Data
          Issue_Identification: DIG 2025-0021
        Publication_Information
          Publication_Place: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
          Publisher: Alberta Geological Survey
        Online_Linkage: https://ags.aer.ca/publications/all-publications/dig-2025-0021
    Description
      Abstract: This digital data release includes gold grain counts from 874 surficial sediment samples collected across Alberta. The surficial sediment samples include: 423 stream sediment samples, 417 glacial till samples, 21 glaciofluvial sediment samples, 8 lacustrine sediment samples, 4 diamicton samples, and 1 pre-glacial sand sample.

The bulk glacial till and stream sediment samples were collected in 2022 and 2023 as part of the regional till and stream sediment sampling program funded by the Mineral Grant provided by the Government of Alberta. The program focused on three general areas in Alberta (southwestern, north-central, and northwestern) to support the evaluation of critical mineral potential in the province.

The archived sample fractions represent preserved fractions from surficial sediment samples collected across northern Alberta in the 1990s that were previously analyzed for kimberlite indicator minerals (KIMs). With the primary focus of past programs on KIMs, the fractions from individual samples were recombined and reprocessed for gold grains.

This work was completed under the Mineral Grant provided by the Government of Alberta dated June 22, 2021.
      Purpose: To provide gold grain data from bulk till and stream sediment samples, and archived surficial sediment sample fractions from Alberta.
      Supplemental_Information: Language: In English;
    Time_Period_of_Content
      Time Period Information
        Single Date/Time
          Calendar_Date: 2023
    Currentness_Reference: ground condition
  Status
    Progress: Complete
    Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
  Spatial Domain
    Bounding Coordinates
      West_Bounding_Coordinate: -119.94
      East_Bounding_Coordinate: -110.01
      North_Bounding_Coordinate: 59.95
      South_Bounding_Coordinate: 49.03
  Keywords
    Theme
      Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
      Theme_Keyword: geology
      Theme_Keyword: gold
      Theme_Keyword: mineral mapping program
      Theme_Keyword: minerals
      Theme_Keyword: placer gold
      Theme_Keyword: stream sediments
      Theme_Keyword: surficial glacial deposits
      Theme_Keyword: surficial sediment
      Theme_Keyword: till
    Place
      Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
      Place_Keyword: 73l
      Place_Keyword: 73m
      Place_Keyword: 74d
      Place_Keyword: 74e
      Place_Keyword: 74l
      Place_Keyword: 82g
      Place_Keyword: 82h
      Place_Keyword: 82i
      Place_Keyword: 82j
      Place_Keyword: 82o
      Place_Keyword: 83b
      Place_Keyword: 83c
      Place_Keyword: 83d
      Place_Keyword: 83e
      Place_Keyword: 83f
      Place_Keyword: 83g
      Place_Keyword: 83i
      Place_Keyword: 83k
      Place_Keyword: 83l
      Place_Keyword: 83m
      Place_Keyword: 83n
      Place_Keyword: 83o
      Place_Keyword: 83p
      Place_Keyword: 84a
      Place_Keyword: 84b
      Place_Keyword: 84c
      Place_Keyword: 84d
      Place_Keyword: 84e
      Place_Keyword: 84f
      Place_Keyword: 84g
      Place_Keyword: 84h
      Place_Keyword: 84i
      Place_Keyword: 84j
      Place_Keyword: 84k
      Place_Keyword: 84l
      Place_Keyword: 84m
      Place_Keyword: 84n
      Place_Keyword: 84o
      Place_Keyword: alberta
      Place_Keyword: canada
  Access_Constraints: Public
  Use_Constraints: Acknowledgement of the Alberta Energy Regulator / Alberta Geological Survey as the originator/source of this information is required as described in the Open Government License - Alberta.
  Point_of_Contact
    Contact_Information
      Contact_Organization_Primary
        Contact_Organization: Alberta Geological Survey
        Contact_Person: AGS Information Manager
      Contact_Position: AGS Information Manager
      Contact_Address
        Address_Type: mailing and physical
        Address: Alberta Energy Regulator
        Address: 2nd Floor, Twin Atria Building
        Address: 4999-98 Avenue NW
        City: Edmonton
        State_or_Province: Alberta
        Postal_Code: T6B 2X3
        Country: Canada
      Contact_Voice_Telephone: (780) 638-4491
      Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (780) 422-1459
      Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: AGS-Info@aer.ca
      Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Data_Quality_Information
  Attribute_Accuracy
    Attribute_Accuracy_Report: All weights and gold grain count values are as reported by the lab (Overburden Drilling Management Ltd.).
  Logical_Consistency_Report: This is a compilation of data from several sources. When spatial locations were checked for uniqueness, sample IDs were found to be unique but the actual locations (latitudes and longitudes) for 36 records are duplicated or are separated by less than 10 m. These represent duplicate samples collected in the field, or samples collected at different depth intervals.

All attributes have been assigned values. Values of "0" indicate where grains were not observed by the lab.

No checking of attribute values provided by the lab was performed.
  Completeness_Report: All weights and gold grain count values were provided by the lab (Overburden Drilling Management Ltd.).

Sample locations were extracted from the related publication references for all records in this dataset, with the exception of unpublished data where hard copy data collection forms were used to extract sampling coordinates.

Sample type was extracted from related reports (e.g., AGS SPE 115 and AGS SPE 125) for new bulk till and stream sediment samples.  For all other samples a designation of archived sample fractions was recorded to indicate that these were samples that had previously been processed for other purposes (e.g., Kimberlite Indicator Minerals).
  Positional_Accuracy
    Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy
   Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: See original publications for details regarding horizontal positional accuracy.
    Vertical_Positional_Accuracy
   Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: See original publications for details regarding vertical positional accuracy.
  Lineage
    Source_Information
      Source_Citation
        Citation_Information
          Originator: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board
          Originator: Alberta Geological Survey
          Originator: Eccles, D.R.
          Originator: Haynes, M.
          Originator: Csanyi, W.
          Publication_Date: 200108
          Title: Diamond and Metallic-Mineral Potential of the Peerless Lake Map Area, North-Central Alberta
          Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
          Series_Information
            Series_Name: Earth Sciences Report
            Issue_Identification: ESR 2000-08
          Publication_Information
            Publication_Place: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
            Publisher: Alberta Geological Survey
          Online_Linkage: https://ags.aer.ca
   Source_Scale_Denominator: 
   Type_of_Source_Media: online
        Source Time Period of Content
          Time Period Information
            Single Date/Time
       Calendar_Date: 200108
     Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date
     Source_Citation_Abbreviation: ESR 2000-08
     Source_Contribution: Sample information
    Source_Information
      Source_Citation
        Citation_Information
          Originator: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board
          Originator: Alberta Geological Survey
          Originator: Fenton, M.M.
          Originator: Pawlowicz, J.G.
          Publication_Date: 1998
          Title: Reconnaissance Till Mineral and Geochemical Survey with Emphasis on Northern Alberta; Project Final Report
          Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
          Series_Information
            Series_Name: Open File Report
            Issue_Identification: OFR 1996-07
          Publication_Information
            Publication_Place: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
            Publisher: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board
          Online_Linkage: https://ags.aer.ca
   Source_Scale_Denominator: 
   Type_of_Source_Media: online
        Source Time Period of Content
          Time Period Information
            Single Date/Time
       Calendar_Date: 1998
     Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date
     Source_Citation_Abbreviation: OFR 1996-07
     Source_Contribution: Sample information
    Source_Information
      Source_Citation
        Citation_Information
          Originator: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board
          Originator: Alberta Geological Survey
          Originator: Pawlowicz, J.G.
          Originator: Dufresne, M.B.
          Originator: Fenton, M.M.
          Publication_Date: 19980505
          Title: Diamond Indicator Minerals from Till, Northern Alberta
          Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
          Series_Information
            Series_Name: Geo-Note
            Issue_Identification: GEO 1998-01
          Publication_Information
            Publication_Place: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
            Publisher: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board
          Online_Linkage: https://ags.aer.ca
   Source_Scale_Denominator: 
   Type_of_Source_Media: online
        Source Time Period of Content
          Time Period Information
            Single Date/Time
       Calendar_Date: 19980505
     Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date
     Source_Citation_Abbreviation: GEO 1998-01
     Source_Contribution: Sample information
    Source_Information
      Source_Citation
        Citation_Information
          Originator: Alberta Energy Regulator
          Originator: Alberta Geological Survey
          Originator: Lopez, G.P.
          Originator: Harris, G.A.
          Originator: Banas, A.
          Originator: Eccles, D.R.
          Publication_Date: 2020
          Title: Alberta Kimberlite Indicator Mineral (KIM) Microprobe Analyses (tabular data, tab delimited format)
          Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: tabular digital data
          Series_Information
            Series_Name: Digital Data
            Issue_Identification: DIG 2020-0009
          Publication_Information
            Publication_Place: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
            Publisher: Alberta Geological Survey
          Online_Linkage: https://ags.aer.ca
   Source_Scale_Denominator: 
   Type_of_Source_Media: online
        Source Time Period of Content
          Time Period Information
            Single Date/Time
       Calendar_Date: 2020
     Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date
     Source_Citation_Abbreviation: DIG 2020-0009
     Source_Contribution: Sample information
    Source_Information
      Source_Citation
        Citation_Information
          Originator: Alberta Energy Regulator
          Originator: Alberta Geological Survey
          Originator: Sacco, D.
          Originator: Howitt, L.
          Originator: Knox, C.
          Originator: DesRosiers, P.
          Originator: Whitney, J.
          Originator: Janzen, B.
          Originator: McCuaig, S.
          Originator: McKillop, R.
          Originator: Meek, D.M.
          Publication_Date: 2023
          Title: Regional Till and Stream Sediment Sampling to Support the Evaluation of Critical Mineral Potential in Alberta
          Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: 
          Series_Information
            Series_Name: Special Report
            Issue_Identification: SPE 115
          Publication_Information
            Publication_Place: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
            Publisher: Alberta Geological Survey
          Other_Citation_Details: ISBN: 978-1-4601-5706-0
          Online_Linkage: https://ags.aer.ca
   Source_Scale_Denominator: 
   Type_of_Source_Media: online
        Source Time Period of Content
          Time Period Information
            Single Date/Time
       Calendar_Date: 2023
     Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date
     Source_Citation_Abbreviation: SPE 115
     Source_Contribution: Sample information
    Source_Information
      Source_Citation
        Citation_Information
          Originator: Alberta Energy Regulator
          Originator: Alberta Geological Survey
          Originator: Knox, C.
          Originator: Elder, B.
          Originator: Sacco, D.
          Originator: Adams, R.
          Publication_Date: 2025
          Title: Evaluation of Critical Mineral Potential in Alberta: Regional Till Geochemistry and a Catchment Basin Analysis of Stream Sediment Geochemistry
          Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
          Series_Information
            Series_Name: Special Report
            Issue_Identification: SPE 125
          Publication_Information
            Publication_Place: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
            Publisher: Alberta Geological Survey
          Other_Citation_Details: ISBN 978-1-4601-5729-9
          Online_Linkage: https://ags.aer.ca
   Source_Scale_Denominator: 
   Type_of_Source_Media: online
        Source Time Period of Content
          Time Period Information
            Single Date/Time
       Calendar_Date: 2025
     Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date
     Source_Citation_Abbreviation: SPE 125
     Source_Contribution: Sample information
    Process_Step
   Process_Description: This dataset includes a compilation of 874 samples collected from across Alberta between 1992 and 2023.

156 glacial till samples and 361 stream sediment samples were collected across Alberta between 2022 and 2023 using methods established by the Geological Survey of Canada (see AGS SPE 115 and AGS SPE 125 for more details). 357 samples are defined as archived sample fractions in this dataset, collected from the northern half of Alberta between 1992 and 1998. A variety of sample fractions existed in labelled bags for the individual samples (e.g., “permroll non-mags”, “mags”, “magstream lights”, “originals”, “lights”, “-180 µm”, “+180 µm”, “-250 µm”, “+250 µm”, etc.), generated as a result of their original processing for kimberlite indicator minerals. These archived sample fractions were stored at the AGS Mineral Core Research Facility in Edmonton. For more details on the individual samples, and original sample processing, please see the related publications referenced in the dataset.

All sample material was sent to Overburden Drilling Management Ltd. for processing and counting. Processing included sample disaggregation where required (i.e., clay-rich till samples), wet sieving the sample at 2.0 mm (till samples only), shaking table density separation, and panning to extract and count visible gold grains with a stereomicroscope. Sample processing and gold grain counting was performed between 2022 and 2024.
   Process_Date: 2024
  Data_Quality_Information: 
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information: 
Spatial_Reference_Information: 
Entity_and_Attribute_Information: Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Detailed_Description:
Entity_Type:
Entity_Type_Label: DIG 2025-0021
Entity_Type_Definition: This dataset reports gold grain counts in bulk till and stream sediment samples, and archived surficial sediment sample fractions from Alberta.
Entity_Type_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Smpl_ID
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Unique identifer of the sample.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Smpl_type
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Type of sample submitted for analysis.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Smpl_mat
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Surficial sediment sample material as reported in related publication.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Smpl_D_T
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: The depth, in metres, to the top of the sampling horizon.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Smpl_D_B
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: The depth, in metres, to the bottom of the sampling horizon.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Lat_NAD83
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Latitude, NAD83 datum, decimal degrees north.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Long_NAD83
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Longitude, NAD83 datum, decimal degrees east.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Wt_rcvd_kg
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Weight (wet), in kilograms, of bulk sample received by lab.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Wt_tbfd_kg
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Weight (wet), in kilograms, of shaker table feed (<2 mm grain size fraction).

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: TotGG
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Total number of visible gold grains.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: ReshpGG
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Number of visible reshaped gold grains.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: ModGG
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Number of visible modified gold grains.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: PristGG
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Number of visible pristine gold grains.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Rel_pub
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Related publication for sample processed.

Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Publisher
Attribute_Definition_Source: Alberta Geological Survey
Attribute_Definition: Organization that published the dataset.
  Distribution_Information
    Distributor
      Contact_Information
        Contact_Organization_Primary
          Contact_Organization: Alberta Geological Survey
          Contact_Person: AGS Information Manager
        Contact_Position: AGS Information Manager
        Contact_Address
          Address_Type: mailing and physical
          Address: Alberta Energy Regulator
          Address: 2nd Floor, Twin Atria Building
          Address: 4999-98 Avenue NW
          City: Edmonton
          State_or_Province: Alberta
          Postal_Code: T6B 2X3
          Country: Canada
        Contact_Voice_Telephone: (780) 638-4491
        Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (780) 422-1459
        Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: AGS-Info@aer.ca
        Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Distribution_Liability: The Alberta Energy Regulator / Alberta Geological Survey (AER/AGS) licenses this information under the Open Government License - Alberta. Any references to proprietary software in our documentation, and/or any use of proprietary data formats in our releases, do not constitute endorsement by the AER/AGS of any manufacturer's product.
  Metadata_Reference_Information
    Metadata_Date: 20260107
    Metadata_Contact
      Contact_Information
        Contact_Organization_Primary
          Contact_Organization: Alberta Geological Survey
          Contact_Person: AGS Information Manager
        Contact_Position: AGS Information Manager
        Contact_Address
          Address_Type: mailing and physical
          Address: Alberta Energy Regulator
          Address: 2nd Floor, Twin Atria Building
          Address: 4999-98 Avenue NW
          City: Edmonton
          State_or_Province: Alberta
          Postal_Code: T6B 2X3
          Country: Canada
        Contact_Voice_Telephone: (780) 638-4491
        Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (780) 422-1459
        Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: AGS-Info@aer.ca
        Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
    Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
    Metadata_Time_Convention: local time
    Metadata_Access_Constraints: none
    Metadata_Use_Constraints: none
