CONSULTANT REPORT NO. 5

HISTORICAL RESOURCES IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Part B

PALAEONTOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT JOSLYN NORTH MINE PROJECT Townships 94 to 96, Ranges 11 to 13, W4M

PALAEONTOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

Prepared for: Deer Creek Energy Limited Calgary,

Prepared by: FMA Heritage Resources Consultants Inc. Calgary, Alberta

December 2005

FMA1338.PL05 Palaeontological Assessment Deer Creek Energy Limited Joslyn North Mine Project

Authorship and Acknowledgements

This palaeontological assessment was conducted by Dr. Lisa Bohach with field support by Karen Zbeetnoff.

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Palaeontological Assessment Deer Creek Energy Limited Joslyn North Mine Project

Executive Summary

The proposed Deer Creek Energy Limited Joslyn North Mine Project was assessed for potential impacts to palaeontological resources. The project is located west of the , northwest of the community of Fort McKay and approximately 70 km north of Fort McMurray in Townships 94 to 96, Ranges 11 to 13, West of the Fourth Meridian. The assessment included a field reconnaissance on August 12 to 14, 2005, and a desktop assessment of development plans and geology isopach maps. Bedrock is composed of the Waterways Formation and McMurray to Clearwater formations. The Wabiskaw Member of the has high palaeontological potential to yield rare and significant marine reptile fossils. Field reconnaissance found that much of the lease areas is heavily vegetated. Few exposures of the Wabiskaw Member could be evaluated. The Joslyn North Mine Project will not be developed in areas of glaciofluvial gravel with high palaeontological potential and no impacts are expected to late glacial or early post-glacial mammalian fossils. The desktop evaluation predicts disturbance of bedrock and possible impacts to significant palaeontological resources in the following areas: • Pit 1, where all occurrences of the Wabiskaw Member will be removed • Polishing Ponds 5 and 7 • the concrete chute spillway for the diversion of Joslyn Creek into the Ells River • drainage and dewatering ditches in the following areas: • ditches around the initial (2010) mine development in the northwest corner of Pit 1 • perimeter ditches around the east corner of the southern external disposal area (2024 and 2036) • any outflow ditch from Polishing Pond 7 to the Ells River (2024 and 2036)

To ensure protection of palaeontological resources, the following are recommended: • review of the final development plans by a palaeontologist • institution of a palaeontological monitoring plan • development and implementation of a palaeontological education program for workers

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Table of Contents

Authorship and Acknowledgements ...... i Executive Summary...... ii 1 Introduction...... 5 2 Regional and Palaeontology...... 6 2.1 Devonian Strata...... 6 2.2 Manville Group...... 7 2.2.1 McMurray Formation...... 7 2.2.2 Clearwater Formation ...... 8 2.3 Surficial Geology...... 10 3 Methods...... 11 4 Results ...... 12 4.1 Field Assessment ...... 12 4.1.1 MacKay River...... 12 4.1.2 Ells River...... 12 4.1.3 Joslyn Creek/Ells River Confluence ...... 12 4.1.4 Field Results...... 13 4.2 Impact Assessment...... 13 4.2.1 Pit 1...... 13 4.2.2 Pond 1 and External Disposal Areas...... 13 4.2.3 Plant Site Recycle Water Pond ...... 14 4.2.4 Drainage and Perimeter Ditches ...... 14 4.2.5 Polishing Ponds...... 14 4.2.6 Diversion Channels, Joslyn Creek ...... 15 4.2.7 Raw Water Intake Pipeline ...... 16 5 Conclusion and Recommendations ...... 17 6 References...... 18 6.1 Literature Cited...... 18 Appendix A Figures...... 20 Appendix B Site Photographs ...... 28

List of Tables

Table 1 Historical Resource Values...... 5 Table 2 General Stratigraphy of the Athabasca Oil ...... 6 Table 3 Microflora of the ...... 7 Table 4 Mollusks of the McMurray Formation ...... 8 Table 5 Invertebrates and of the Clearwater Formation...... 9

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List of Figures

Figure 1 Regional Map showing Location of Proposed Development ...... 21 Figure 2 Detailed Map showing Lease Areas, Development and Assessment Waypoints..22 Figure 3 Isopach Map of the Clearwater Formation ...... 23 Figure 4 Isopach Map of Surficial Deposits...... 24 Figure 5 Water Management Plan, End of Year 2010 ...... 25 Figure 6 Water Management Plan, End of Year 2024 ...... 26 Figure 7 Water Management Plan, End of Year 2036 ...... 27

List of Plates

Plate 1 Stratigraphy at MacKay River ...... 29 Plate 2 Waterways Formation, Brachiopods...... 29 Plate 3 Waterways Formation, Reef Builders...... 30 Plate 4 McMurray Formation Exposures, MacKay River ...... 30 Plate 5 Wabiskaw Member over McMurray Formation, MacKay River ...... 31 Plate 6 Wabiskaw Member, MacKay River ...... 32 Plate 7 Wabiskaw Member with Chert and Organics...... 32 Plate 8 Wabiskaw Member with Burrow Mottling...... 33 Plate 9 McMurray Formation Exposures, Ells River...... 33 Plate 10 McMurray Formation Exposures, Small Cutbank, Upstream Ells River ...... 34 Plate 11 Confluence of Joslyn Creek and Ells River ...... 34 Plate 12 McMurray Formation, Ells River, East of Confluence with Joslyn Creek...... 35 Plate 13 McMurray Formation, Joslyn Creek, West of Confluence with Ells River...... 35

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Palaeontological Assessment Deer Creek Energy Limited Joslyn North Mine Project

1 Introduction

Deer Creek Energy Limited (DCEL) is proposing to develop the Joslyn North Mine Project in Townships 94 to 96, Ranges 11 to 13, West of the Fourth Meridian. The project is located west of the Athabasca River, northwest of the community of Fort McKay and approximately 70 km north of Fort McMurray (Figure 1). The proposed development consists of an Open Pit Mine (Pit 1), several waste disposal sites/areas, an external tailings pond, a plant site, the Joslyn Creek diversion channel and associated reservoirs, an operators camp and facilities, and a Raw Water Intake Pipeline, as well as associated infrastructure including roads. Currently, DCEL is running steam assisted gravity drainage operations, located to the west of the proposed mine location. Figure 2 illustrates the proposed project layout. The project area is located within the Central Mixedwood Boreal Forest Subregion, characterized by extensive wetlands including bogs, fens, swamps and marshes. Well-drained terrain is dominated by pine and aspen. The Ells River, Joslyn Creek and other smaller streams have incised valleys with drainage courses progressively deeper toward the east. In the western part of the project area, Joslyn Creek meanders within a 400 to 500-m wide U-shaped valley. Near its confluence with the Ells River, the stream is confined to a 40 m deep and 500 m wide gorge. The lease areas include or are close to several sections that are included in the Listing of Significant Historical Sites and Areas (ACD 2005, fifth edition) (Table 1). The Fort MacKay Palaeontological Site is a Devonian Waterways Formation invertebrate locality. The trigger for the Ells River is an area of high relief where bedrock of the Clearwater Formation might be exposed at the surface.

Table 1 Historical Resource Values Section HRV Trigger 1, 2-95-11-W4M 4 Fort MacKay Palaeontological Site 21, 27, 34-95-11-W4M 5 Ells River

Field Assessment A field assessment (permit number Bohach-2005-012) was conducted on August 12 to 14, 2005. Representative parts of the lease areas were examined, with a focus on areas where outcrop was likely to be exposed such as along road cuts, Joslyn Creek and the Ells and MacKay rivers. The goals were to view as much of the stratigraphy as possible and to examine all exposures for palaeontological resources. The key stratigraphic horizon of interest was the Wabiskaw Member of the Clearwater Formation.

Impact Assessment Results from the field assessment were extrapolated to the lease areas in general. Isopach maps of the surficial geology and Clearwater Formation and development plans were reviewed to predict where the Joslyn North Mine Project would disturb strata with high palaeontological potential.

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2 Regional Stratigraphy and Palaeontology

Bedrock in the Region comprises Devonian carbonates unconformably overlain by oil-bearing Cretaceous clastics (Table 2). Carrigy and Kramers (1974) described the oil-saturated intervals and major deposits (i.e., Athabasca, Wabasca, and Peace River deposits).

Table 2 General Stratigraphy of the Athabasca Oil Sands Age Group Formation Rock Type Pleistocene - - till – aeolian , organic soils, lake clays to recent and silts, outwash gravel, alluvial sand Cretaceous Manville Clearwater marine Wabiskaw Member glauconitic McMurray nonmarine oil-saturated sandstone and shale Devonian Beaver Waterways marine argillaceous limestone and shale Hill Lake Slave Point limestone Fort Vermilion evaporite - Watt Mountain shale - Prairie Evaporite evaporites – salt, gypsum and anhydrite - Methy dolomite - - clastics and evaporites - - granite Source: modified from Hamilton and Mellon (1973)

2.1 Devonian Strata Unconformably overlying Precambrian rocks of the North American Craton is a sequence of marine Devonian rocks (Table 2). These strata are mainly carbonates and evaporites deposited in a shallow inland sea. The Waterways Formation is part of the , as defined by Leavitt and Fischbuch (1968). It is widespread in central and northern Alberta with a thickness of approximately 213 m in the Fort McMurray area. It disconformably overlies the Slave Point limestone. The upper boundary is a major erosive surface representing extended subaerial exposure. The Waterways Formation is made of a sequence of nine calcareous shale and argillaceous limestone units alternating with fine-grained limestone, which can locally be highly fossiliferous. The fossil assemblages are dominated by brachiopods, corals and ostracods (Glass 1997). Carrigy (1959) provided a summary of the faunas of the Devonian formations. Norris (1983), Norris and Uyeno (1981) and Uyeno (1974) provided more recent accounts of fossils from the Upper Devonian Waterways Formation, which is the lowest stratigraphic level exposed sporadically along the Athabasca and MacKay rivers near the study area.

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2.2 Manville Group The Manville Group is a thick unit that covers the entire Western Sedimentary Basin, ranging from less then 40 m thick in the plains to more than 700 m thick in the foothills (Hayes et al. 1994). It is roughly flat-lying with no evidence of tectonic disturbance (Carrigy 1963). These clastic sediments were deposited in a foreland basin during a major episode of subsidence and after accretion of exotic terrains onto Western North America and subsequent mountain building. In the study area, the group consists only of the Clearwater and McMurray Formations. The Manville Group contains four major oil sands deposits. The Athabasca Oil Sands Deposit contains an estimated 137 billion cubic metres of oil (Mossop and Flach 1982). In this deposit, the McMurray Formation is oil bearing throughout its thickness and the Wabiskaw Member of the Clearwater Formation is oil bearing in the western part (Wabasca B deposit). The Wabasca A deposit overlaps the southwestern part of the Athabasca Oil Sands and contains oil reserves in the Grand Rapids Formation sandstone. The Cold Lake deposit is an oil sand contained in the McMurray, Clearwater and Grand Rapids formations. The Peace River deposit contains heavy oil in the Gething and Bluesky formations (Carrigy and Kramers 1974). Continental microflora found in the Manville Group suggest a warm temperate to subtropical humid climate during the Lower Cretaceous in (Singh 1964). Table 3 provides the diversity of miroflora recovered from these strata.

Table 3 Microflora of the Mannville Group Number of Species Formation Member Age Microspores Megaspores Microplankton and Pollen McMurray Deville late 44 6 0 Ellerslie 95 16 0 “calcareous” 32 1 3 Clearwater Wabiskaw 69 3 9 shale 54 2 12 Grand Rapids - 83 11 10 Source: Singh (1964) from three wells near

2.2.1 McMurray Formation The McMurray Formation is a clastic sequence, 40–60 m thick in the Athabasca Oil Sands area, which infilled a northwest trending depression in exposed Devonian strata (Mossop and Flasch 1982). The deposits are fluvial at the base and grade into marine-influenced beds at the top. Three members can be recognized (Carrigy 1959; Mossop and Flasch 1982): Lower Member: fills the deepest lows on the eroded Devonian surface. It is composed of discontinuous beds of , sand, shale and silt overlying residual clays from weathering of the underlying limestone. The coarse-grained deposits are stacked channel sands that contain uncarbonized wood, quartz, feldspar and mica. These sands are interbedded with micaceous siltstone and a black to grey carbonaceous shale marks the upper limit of this member. Middle Member: contains quartz sand with lenticular beds of micaceous silt, shale and . The member fines upward from thick-bedded massive trough-crossbedded sandstone at the

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base. Mossop and Flasch (1982) interpreted this member as a fluvially-dominated meandering channel systems prograding into a series of lakes and brackish bays. It is generally burrowed and contains plant fragments, worm casts and oil-saturated wood and . Upper Member: is generally horizontally bedded burrowed sand and shale in thin upward coarsening cycles. Deposition was likely in a flood basin with wave reworking of sediments in lakes and shallow brackish bays. Thin coal layers, root zones and extensive ironstone beds are common. Pollen records indicate fresh to brackish water deposition in this member with a sharp change to marine sedimentation near the top. It has a limited brackish water fauna. Carrigy (1963) recorded microfossils of fish teeth, pollen and spores from the McMurray Formation in the Fort McMurray area. Mellon and Wall (1956) described seven species of foraminifera and Carrigy (1959) presented a compiled list of mollusks (Table 4). Keith et al. (1988) analyzed the sedimentology and assemblages in the central Athabasca Oil Sands area.

Table 4 Mollusks of the McMurray Formation Bivalves Gastropods “Astarte” natosini Viviparus murraiensis Unio (Elliptio) biornatus Lioplacodes bituminis Murraia naiadiformis Melania multorbis Goniobasis? multicarinata Melampus athabascensis Source: Carrigy (1959)

2.2.2 Clearwater Formation The Clearwater Formation conformably overlies the McMurray Formation and marks the start of fully marine sedimentation. These beds were deposited by the furthest transgression of the boreal sea (Singh 1964). The conformable contact with the overlying Grand Rapids Formation marks the gradual retreat of this sea and a return to continental sedimentation. In the Oil Sands area, glacial erosion has removed much of the Grande Rapids Formation and cut or completely removed the Clearwater Formation in some places. The Clearwater Formation is largely a fine clastic deposit, approximately 85 m thick in the lower Athabasca River area, with soft black and greenish grey shale and some interbedded grey and green sand (Glass 1997). Carrigy (1959) recorded three major ironstone layers in a section north of Fort McMurray. A coarse sand, the Wabiskaw Member, can be found at the base. Carrigy (1963) recorded microfossils of foraminifera, sponge spicules, hystrichosherids, fish teeth, pollen and spores from the Clearwater Formation in the Fort McMurray area. Singh (1964) described in detail the microflora recovered from three wells near Edmonton. Carrigy (1959) provided a compiled faunal list of invertebrates and foraminifera (Table 5).

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Table 5 Invertebrates and Foraminifera of the Clearwater Formation Cephalopoda Foraminifera Beudanticeras affine Ammobaculites humei Beudanticeras glabrum Ammobaculites tyrrelli Lemuroceras mcconnelli Ammodiscus sp. Lemuroceras cf. L. Belli Bathysiphon sp. Gastroplites cf. G. Canadensis? Discorbis norrisi Pelecypoda Gaudryina lacrima var canadensis Entolium irenese Haplophragmoides gigas Pecten alcesianus Haplophragmoides sluzari Camptonectes matonabbei Lenticulina bayrocki Brachidontes athabaskensis Leptodermella? sp. Nucula athabaskensis Marginulinopsis collinsi Inoceramus dowlingi Miliammina subelliptica Arctica limpidiana Nodosaria aff. N. Proboscidea Thracia kissoumi Pseudonodosaria clearwaterensis Yoldia kissoumi Quadrimorphina albertensis Goniomya matonabbei Saracenaria trollopei Psilomya elongatissima Saracenaria sp. Psilomya peterpondi Tritaxia athabascensis Onestia onestae Verneuilinoides? sp. Tellina dowlingi Gastropoda Turnus lacombi Ostracoda Cytheridea (sensu lato) Source: Carrigy (1959)

Coarse clastic beds of the Clearwater Formation can look similar to the McMurray Formation Strata. McMurray sediments are composed mainly of quartz with chert and feldspar as accessory minerals. Clearwater Formation strata are less “clean” and have glauconite, chert and quartzite along with quartz as major components. The Clearwater Formation is also characterized by the occurrence of biotite, chlorite and montmorillonite (Carrigy 1963).

Wabiskaw Member The Wabiskaw Member is made up of fine-grained, glauconitic, salt-and-pepper sandstone interbedded with black shale (Glass 1997). It was deposited as density flows on a shallow marine shelf in the Western Interior Seaway (Sharp 1982). It conformably overlies the McMurray Formation and marks a change to marine sedimentation. In the McMurray area, the Wabiskaw Member averages 10 m in thickness. Economically viable deposits of bitumen can be found in Wabiskaw Member in: • the western part of the Athabasca Oil Sands in Gulf Canada Resources Inc.’s Pelican site in the Wabasca deposit (Sharpe 1982) • the southeastern part of the Athabasca Oil Sands in the Cold Lake Area (Glass 1997) The unit is extensively bioturbated, with Terrebellina and Asterosoma as some of the common trace fossils (Sharp 1982). Keith et al. (1988) analyzed the sedimentology and trace fossil assemblages in central Athabasca Oil Sands area. Ammonites have been found in the Wabiskaw Member and significant skeletons of marine reptiles, including and

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plesiosaurs. The open pit oil sands mine has been a source of major vertebrate finds. Druckenmiller (2003) noted that the nine recovered Syncrude vertebrate fossils include two species of plesiosaurs (a short necked and long necked variety) and the Platypterygius.

2.3 Surficial Geology Surficial deposits over the lease areas consist of (Research Council of Alberta 1971): • glaciolacustrine deposits in the eastern part of the lease areas (Township 95, Range 12 and almost all the western half of Township 95, Range 11) • glaciofluvial outwash sand, in some areas reworked into the aeolian deposits in the west part of the lease areas (much of the eastern half of Township 95, Range 11) • meltwater channel sands and gravels in a wedge west of the Athabasca River in the southern part of the lease areas (1-95-11-W4M and 36-94-11-W4M) • thin colluvium over bedrock along the Ells River and Joslyn Creek • recent stream alluvium along the Athabasca River The deposits that have the greatest likelihood to yield large post-glacial mammal remains are the coarse clastics of the meltwater channel deposits. The remains of a mammoth were recovered from the Oil Sands area on the Suncor lease in 1976 (www.suncor.com).

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3 Methods

Field Assessment A field assessment was conducted in three outcrop areas (Figure 2): • MacKay River • Ells River • Joslyn Creek, near confluence with Ells River As much as possible, the field assessment was limited to the lease areas. Access was via truck and quad. It was an exceptionally wet year, so access into low-lying parts of the leases was limited. A pedestrian traverse was conducted along the watercourses looking for outcrop. Where outcrop was encountered it was closely examined for lithology and any fossils. The amount of overburden was also noted.

Impact Assessment Information gathered from the field assessment was extrapolated to the lease areas in general. Isopach maps of the surficial geology, Clearwater Formation and depth to the Wabiskaw Member were generated. Development plans were reviewed against the isopach maps to predict where the Joslyn North Mine Project would disturb strata with high palaeontological potential. Surficial glaciofluvial gravel and the Wabiskaw Member of the Clearwater Formation are considered high potential strata.

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4 Results

Results of the field assessment and analysis of where the development will disturb strata with high palaeontological potential are presented in this section.

4.1 Field Assessment Waypoints taken during the field survey are shown on Figure 2. The primary target was the Wabiskaw Member of the Clearwater Formation, but all strata encountered were examined.

4.1.1 MacKay River The MacKay River is deeply incised with some well-exposed strata. Exposures were examined at the bridge where the Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) Road crosses the river (Waypoint 1, Plate 1). Excellent exposures of the Devonian Waterways Formation occur. Fossils are abundant in this limestone, with layers of concentrated brachiopods (Plate 2) interbedded with layers of concentrated reef builders (Plate 3). The overlying McMurray Formation consists of interbedded sandstone and siltstone (Plate 4). The finer units are generally dark grey to black and the sandstone light brown. Bitumen saturation is not evident at this site. The Clearwater Formation has been removed by erosion in this area. The MacKay River exposures were also examined further upstream (west) where the Clearwater Formation occurs (Waypoints 2 and 3). Two exposures show the Wabiskaw Member exposed near the top of the valley slope (Plates 5 and 6). The strata are a grey, salt- and-pepper sandstone with chert clasts and some organic material (Plate 7). Burrow mottling also occurs (Plate 8). A shaly interval separates two sandstone beds at Waypoint 3. No fossils were found.

4.1.2 Ells River The Ells River is not as large as the MacKay River, and not as deeply incised. Well-exposed McMurray Formation strata occur near the CNRL Road bridge over the Ells River (Plate 9). The strata consist of interbedded sandstone and shale. No exposures of the Clearwater Formation occur in this area. Every effort was made to assess exposures on the Ells River further to the west in Sections 12 to 14 (Township 95, Range 12) where exposures of the Wabiskaw Member were expected; however, with the extremely wet conditions, the traverse ended at Waypoint 4. Several sections east of this point were traversed on foot, but the valley slope was vegetated and the only exposures were small cutbanks right along the river (Plate 10). Exposed strata were all McMurray Formation and consisted of sandstone with interbedded siltstone.

4.1.3 Joslyn Creek/Ells River Confluence Joslyn Creek converges with the Ells River, near the confluence of the Ells River with the Athabasca River (Figure 2, Plate 11). Part of this area is mapped as underlain with the Clearwater Formation, and a traverse was conducted along the area with high potential for exposure.

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While deeply incised by the waterways, the area is covered in thick vegetation. Small, isolated patches of outcrop occur. The upper slope is covered in all areas and the Clearwater Formation strata were not encountered. Exposures in the lower slope consist of sandstone and shale of the McMurray Formation (Plates 12 and 13).

4.1.4 Field Results Little outcrop of the Wabiskaw Formation was encountered during the field reconnaissance, and none with fossils. Based on the limited information gathered, it is not possible to extrapolate results to covered bedrock within the lease areas.

4.2 Impact Assessment Detailed mapping of the subsurface deposits has been completed in the lease areas. Isopach maps are presented for the Clearwater Formation (Figure 3) and surficial deposits (Figure 4). Outlines of the major project components are plotted on these maps and labelled in Figure 2. A isopach map of units overlying the Wabiskaw Member was also examined (not included as run on a different model). Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the infrastructure components and the drainage system at 2010, 2024 and 2036, respectively. The mining operation is designed to start production in 2010, with Phase I production of 50,000 bbl/cd and Phase II production of 100,000 bbl/cd by 2013.

4.2.1 Pit 1 Pit 1 is the approximately 2200 ha mining area for the Joslyn North Mine Project. Tree clearing will happen during pre-construction in 2006 to 2009. In 2009, removal of overburden, including the Wabiskaw Member, in the northwest corner of the pit will occur. In 2010, the first mining of bitumen from the McMurray Formation will begin. Mining will occur in Pit 1 first in the northwest corner (2010), spread to the central area (2024), and finally spread to the full pit limits (2036). Ultimately, mining will remove all of the Wabiskaw Member within the pit limits. Figure 3 illustrates the extent of the Clearwater Formation within Pit 1. These are the areas, primarily in the western and northeastern parts of the pit, where impacts to potential palaeontological resources by mining activities are expected. During the early years of mining at Pit 1, other developments will occur that might disturb bedrock and affect potential palaeontological resources. These include a series of drainage and perimeter ditches (Figures 5 and 6), discussed further in Section 4.2.4. A Basal Water Injection Pipeline will run across the northern part of Pit 1 to an injection locality near the northeast pit boundary (Figure 5). This injection pipeline will likely be above ground and will cause no disturbance of bedrock.

4.2.2 Pond 1 and External Disposal Areas Pond 1 (external tailings pond) and the external disposal areas will hold tailings and water from the project. These holding areas will be situated above grade within berms. Pond 1 will cover approximately 600 ha and the five external disposal areas approximately 1650 ha. Located northwest of Pond 1, the first pre-production external disposal area for the management of overburden will be in use by 2009. No subsurface disturbance is expected by construction or use of the holding areas. Therefore, no impacts to palaeontological resources are expected.

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4.2.3 Plant Site Recycle Water Pond The Recycle Water Pond will lie about midway along the east side of the Plant Site (Figure 5). It will be approximately 8 m deep. Surficial cover is 6–8 m thick in this area, underlain by approximately 15–20 m of Clearwater Formation. Combined surficial deposits and Clearwater shale facies overlying the Wabiskaw member are 15–20 m thick. No disturbance of the Wabiskaw Member or impacts to potential significant palaeontological resources is expected.

4.2.4 Drainage and Perimeter Ditches Low wet muskeg areas will be drained by drainage ditches and perimeter ditches will be dug around the developments to catch surface runoff. New ditches will be added over the life of the project as different elements of the project are developed (Figures 5 to 7). At most, the ditches will be 4 m deep, and graded to direct water south and east of the development area. Considering the extent of the Clearwater Formation deposits (Figure 3) and depth of surficial cover (Figure 4), ditches could intersect the Wabiskaw Member and affect potential palaeontological resources in the following areas: • ditches around the initial (2010) mine development in the northwest corner of Pit 1 (Figure 5) • perimeter ditches around the east corner of the southern external disposal area (2024 and 2036, Figures 6 and 7) • any outflow ditch from Polishing Pond 7 to the Ells River (2024 and 2036, Figures 6 and 7) Initial ditches (2010) through the middle of the southern external disposal area that go through areas of thin surficial cover (Figure 5) were also screened. Combined surficial deposits and Clearwater shale facies overlying the Wabiskaw member in this area are at least 5 m thick. As trenching will only be 4 m deep at most, no disturbance of the Wabiskaw Member or impacts to potential significant palaeontological resources is expected.

4.2.5 Polishing Ponds There will be seven polishing ponds scattered around the periphery of the developments to collect water from the drainage ditches. Water from the diverted Joslyn Creek will also flow through Polishing Pond 4. These ponds will be approximately 3–4 m deep.

Polishing Pond 1 Polishing Pond 1 will lie south of the CNRL Road and northeast of the external disposal area just south of Pit 1 (Figure 5). By 2024, it will be replaced by Polishing Pond 5 to the south. It will collect water from perimeter ditches running around the periphery of the disposal area, and drain east into the Ells River via Tributary 1. No disturbance of the Wabiskaw Member or impacts to potential significant palaeontological resources will occur as the Clearwater Formation is absent in this area.

Polishing Pond 2 Polishing Pond 2 will lie at the southwest corner of the Plant Site (Figures 5 to 7). It will collect water running around the periphery of the Plant Site and Pond 1, and drain south into the drainage ditches around an external disposal area. Surficial cover is 8–10 m thick in this

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area. No disturbance of bedrock or impacts to potential significant palaeontological resources are expected at Pond 2 as disturbance will be a maximum of 4 m deep.

Polishing Pond 3 Polishing Pond 3 will lie along the east margin of Pit 1, along the old valley of Joslyn Creek, near its confluence with the Ells River (Figure 5). It will collect water from a drainage ditch running through Pit 1 in 2010. As the pond will be situated at a low elevation within the old creek valley, no disturbance of the Wabiskaw Member is expected, as this member only occurs in the upper valley walls. No impacts to potential significant palaeontological resources are expected at Pond 3.

Polishing Pond 4 Polishing Pond 4 will lie southwest of the external disposal area south of the CNRL Road (Figures 5 to 7). It will collect water from the diverted Joslyn Creek, Tributary 4 and the southwest perimeter ditch around the external disposal area. Surficial cover is 8–10 m thick in this area. No disturbance of bedrock or impacts to potential significant palaeontological resources are expected at Pond 4 as disturbance will be a maximum of 4 m deep.

Polishing Pond 5 Polishing Pond 5 will lie south of the CNRL Road and south of the external disposal area just south of Pit 1 (Figures 6 and 7). It replaces Polishing Pond 1 in this area by 2024. It will collect water running around the periphery of the disposal area, and drain southeast into the Ells River. Surficial cover is 4 m or less in this area, thickening to approximately 6 m or more near the Ells River. The area is underlain by the Clearwater Formation. Disturbance of the Wabiskaw Member and impacts to potential significant palaeontological resources could occur at Pond 5. Detailed final construction plans should be reviewed when available.

Polishing Pond 6 Polishing Pond 6 will lie just north of the CNRL Road and east of an external disposal area (Figures 6 and 7). It will collect water running around the periphery of the disposal area, and drain via Tributary 1 into the Ells River. No disturbance of the Wabiskaw Member or impacts to potential significant palaeontological resources will occur as the Clearwater Formation is absent in this area.

Polishing Pond 7 Polishing Pond 7 will lie in the northeast corner of the lease, at the northeast corner of Pit 1 (Figures 6 and 7). It will collect water from the north perimeter ditch and empty into the Ells River. Surficial cover is as thin as 2 m in this area, which is partly underlain by the Clearwater Formation. Disturbance of the Wabiskaw Member and impacts to potential significant palaeontological resources could occur at Pond 7. Detailed final construction plans should be reviewed when available.

4.2.6 Diversion Channels, Joslyn Creek Joslyn Creek will be dammed at the outflow from Joslyn Lake, and diverted south through a channel to Tributary 4. Tributary 4 will flow into Polishing Pond 4, and the outflow will be diverted south, merging with an unnamed tributary and entering the Ells River via a concrete

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chute spillway. Construction of the diversion channels will begin in 2008. The channels will be approximately 3 m deep. Surficial cover ranges from approximately 8 to 12 m deep around the northern diversion channel and 6 to 12 m deep around the southern diversion channel. No disturbance of bedrock is expected as depth of disturbance is only 3 m. Construction of the spillway into the Ells River will largely build up rather than remove material, but bedrock is likely exposed at or close to the surface on the valley slope, and disturbance might occur. Impacts to significant palaeontological resources could occur in the area and detailed final construction plans for the spillway should be reviewed when available.

4.2.7 Raw Water Intake Pipeline The Raw Water Intake Pipeline will run from an intake location on the Athabasca River, southwest then west to a crossing location on the Ells River, then northwest to the Plant Site. The ditch will be approximately 2–3 m deep and the Ells River will be directionally drilled. For most of the eastern extent of the pipeline, the route is not underlain by the Clearwater Formation and no palaeontological concerns exist. This includes the current pipeline crossing location of the Ells River. For the northern part of the route where the Clearwater Formation occurs, surficial thickness is a minimum of 4 m, and generally at least 6 m. Ditching of a 2– 3 m trench through this area is not expected to disturb bedrock or affect potential significant palaeontological resources.

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5 Conclusion and Recommendations

Summary of Impacts The Joslyn North Mine Project will disturb bedrock of the Wabiskaw Member of the Clearwater Formation. This horizon potentially contains significant Cretaceous marine reptile fossils and impacts to significant palaeontological resources might occur. Areas of concern include: • Pit 1, where all occurrences of the Wabiskaw Member will be removed (Figure 3) • Polishing Ponds 5 and 7 • the concrete chute spillway for the diversion of Joslyn Creek into the Ells River • drainage and dewatering ditches in the following areas: • ditches around the initial (2010) mine development in the northwest corner of Pit 1 • perimeter ditches around the east corner of the southern external disposal area (2024 and 2036) • any outflow ditch from Polishing Pond 7 to the Ells River (2024 and 2036) The Joslyn North Mine Project will not be developed in areas of glaciofluvial gravel with high palaeontological potential and no impacts are expected to late glacial or early post- glacial mammalian fossils.

Recommendations The following are recommendations for future work and measures to ensure protection of palaeontological resources: • Construction is still a few years in the future, and development plans will likely be refined. A palaeontologist should review final development plans to ensure additional areas of disturbance of the Wabiskaw Member will not occur. • A large volume of the Wabiskaw Member will be disturbed by development or removed completely during mining operations. A palaeontological monitoring program that covers activities having a high chance of disturbing fossils should be developed by DCEL in conjunction with Alberta Community Development. The greatest impact will be the mine itself, but a full list of areas of potential impacts is given above. • As it is impossible to monitor all disturbance of the Wabiskaw Member, a palaeontological education program should be developed by DCEL that will teach operators and mining geologists how to recognize fossils and what to do when a fossil is discovered in the mine.

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6 References

6.1 Literature Cited Alberta Community Development. 2005. Listing of Significant Historical Sites and Areas (fifth edition). Historic Sites and Cultural Facilities, Alberta Community Development. Edmonton, AB. Carrigy, M.A. 1959. Geology of the McMurray Formation. Part III. General Geology of the McMurray Area. Research Council of Alberta, Geological Division Memoir 1. Carrigy, M.A. 1963. Criteria for Differentiating the McMurray and Clearwater Formations in the Athabasca Oil Sands. Research Council of Alberta Bulletin 14. Carrigy, M.A. and J.W. Kramers. 1974. Geology of the Alberta Oil Sands. Alberta Research Contribution No. 680. Druckenmiller, P. and A. Russell. 2003. A preliminary report on a diverse assemblage of Early Cretaceous plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs from the Clearwater Formation, northern Alberta, Canada. Abstract. 63 Annual Meeting, October 15-18, 2003. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23(3 Supplement):46A. Glass, D.J. 1997. Lexicon of Canadian Stratigraphy. Volume 4. Western Canada. Canadian Society of Geologists. Calgary, AB. Hamilton, W.N. and Mellon, G.B. 1973. Industrial Mineral Resources of the Fort McMurray Area. Alberta Research, Contribution No. 630. In: M.A. Carrigy. and J.W. Kramers (ed). Guide to the Athabasca Oil Sands Area. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologist Oil Sands Symposium. Alberta Research Information Series 65. Hayes, B.J.R., J.E. Christopher, L. Rosenthal, G. Los, B. McKercher, D. Minken, Y.M. Tremblay and J. Fennell. 1994. Cretaceous Mannville Group of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. In: G.D. Mossop and I. Shetson (comp.). Geological Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists and Alberta Research Council, Calgary, Alberta. Available at: http://www.ags.gov.ab.ca/publications/ATLAS_WWW/ATLAS.shtml. Accessed August 2005. Keith, D.A.W., D.M. Wightman, S.G. Pemberton, J.R. MacGillivray, T. Berezniuk and H. Berhane. 1988. Sedimentology of the McMurray Formation and Wabiskaw Member (Clearwater Formation), Lower Cretaceous, in the central region of the Athabasca Oil Sands Area, northeastern Alberta. In: D.P. James and D.A. Leckie (Ed.). Sequences, Stratigraphy, Sedimentology: Surface and Subsurface. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 15:309–324. Leavitt, E.M. and N.R, Fischbuch. 1968. Devonian Nomenclatural Changes, Swan Hills area, Alberta, Canada. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geologists 16(3):288–297. Mellon, G.B. and J.H. Wall. 1956. Geology of the McMurray Formation: Part 1: Foraminifera of the Upper McMurray and Basal Clearwater Formations. Research Council Alberta, 72:5–29.

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Mossop, G.D. and P.D. Flach. 1982. Depositional Environments of the McMurray Formation Oil Sands, with Reference to Surface Mining Technology. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Field Trip Guidebook. Norris, A.W. 1983. Brachiopods [Schizophoria, Strophodonta, (Strophodonta), Nervostrophia, Eostrophalosia and Devonoproductus] from the Lower Upper Devonian Waterways Formation of Northeastern Alberta. Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin 350. Norris, A.W. and T.T. Uyeno. 1981. Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Lowermost Upper Devonian Slave Point Formation on Lake Claire and the Lower Upper Devonian Waterways Formation on Birch River, Northeastern Alberta. Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin 334. Research Council of Alberta. 1971. Surficial Geology, Bitumont, NTS 74E. Map 34. 1:250,000. Geology by L.A. Bayrock, 1969 and 1970. Sharpe, R.J. 1982. Geology of Gulf’s Pelican Pilot site, Wabasca Deposit, NE Alberta. Oils Sands Seminar presented to Gulf Canada Resources Inc. on October 12, 1982, and to Alberta Association of Petroleum Geologists in June 1982. Singh, C., 1964. Microfauna of the Lower Cretaceous Mannville Group, east-central Alberta. Research Council of Alberta Bulletin 15. Uyeno, T.T. 1974. Conodonts of the Waterways Formation (Upper Devonian) of Northeastern and Central Alberta. Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin 232.

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Appendix A Figures

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Figure 1 Regional Map showing Location of Proposed Development

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Waypoint

Figure 2 Detailed Map showing Lease Areas, Development and Assessment Waypoints

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3

Figure 3 Isopach Map of the Clearwater Formation

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4

Figure 4 Isopach Map of Surficial Deposits

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Figure 5 Water Management Plan, End of Year 2010

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Figure 6 Water Management Plan, End of Year 2024

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Figure 7 Water Management Plan, End of Year 2036

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Appendix B Site Photographs

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McMurray Formation

Waterways Formation

Note: View looking east from bridge, CNRL road, Waypoint 1. Plate 1 Stratigraphy at MacKay River

Note: Brachiopod packstone, Waypoint 1. Plate 2 Waterways Formation, Brachiopods FMA Heritage Resources Consultants Inc. December 2005 Page 29

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Note: Corals and bryozoa, Waypoint 1. Plate 3 Waterways Formation, Reef Builders

Note: View looking east west near CNRL road bridge. Plate 4 McMurray Formation Exposures, MacKay River FMA Heritage Resources Consultants Inc. December 2005 Page 30

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Note: Exposure at Waypoint 2. Plate 5 Wabiskaw Member over McMurray Formation, MacKay River

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Note: View looking west at Waypoint 3. Plate 6 Wabiskaw Member, MacKay River

Note: Waypoint 2 strata. Plate 7 Wabiskaw Member with Chert and Organics FMA Heritage Resources Consultants Inc. December 2005 Page 32

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Note: Waypoint 2 strata. Plate 8 Wabiskaw Member with Burrow Mottling

Note: View looking east from CNRL Road bridge over Ells River. Plate 9 McMurray Formation Exposures, Ells River FMA Heritage Resources Consultants Inc. December 2005 Page 33

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Note: Photograph taken near Waypoint 4. Plate 10 McMurray Formation Exposures, Small Cutbank, Upstream Ells River

Note: View looking south at Waypoint 5. Plate 11 Confluence of Joslyn Creek and Ells River FMA Heritage Resources Consultants Inc. December 2005 Page 34

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Note: View looking east from Waypoint 5. Plate 12 McMurray Formation, Ells River, East of Confluence with Joslyn Creek

Note: View looking southwest from Waypoint 6. Plate 13 McMurray Formation, Joslyn Creek, West of Confluence with Ells River FMA Heritage Resources Consultants Inc. December 2005 Page 35