Mineral Core Research Facility
Mineral Core Research Facility (MCRF) in Edmonton, run by the Alberta Geological Survey (AGS), stores mineral core and rock samples collected under Alberta's Mines and Minerals Act. The Crown collects these cores from companies with mineral permits and makes them available for prospectors, exploration firms, and researchers.
The MCRF is a large warehouse with two viewing areas and a visitors office, about 1,235 square metres (plus 310 square metres on a mezzanine). It holds more than 58,572 metres of drill core and 17,000 rock samples, mainly from the Canadian Shield in northeast Alberta.
The Diamond drillcore program began in 1979. Submitting drillcore is required during exploration for metallic or industrial minerals. AGS was contracted to create, manage, and select core for Alberta Energy. The original facility was called Mineral Exploration Core and Sample Storage; in the early 1980s a research component was added and it became the Mineral Core Research Facility (MCRF). In 1995 the function became an integrated activity of AGS.
Core and rock samples are collected by AGS geologists and exploration companies and sent to the MCRF, where they are catalogued, stored, and available for logging or sampling by the public, industry, or scientists. Assessment reports document past exploration work on mineral claims and help future owners avoid duplicating efforts. They remain confidential for one year after submission. AGS has 675 assessment reports on file from 1949 to 2002; non-confidential reports are available to view. Location: 53°30′12″N 113°24′46″W.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 17:50 (CET).