Lily Wilson, BSc
L. Wilson1, L. Patterson2
1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Saint Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
2Department of Aquatic Resources, Saint Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Lithium is a critical metal for battery and energy-transition technologies, yet Canada’s current lithium production is dominated by hard-rock pegmatite deposits. Sedimentary geothermal brines provide a potential low-carbon source of lithium, but exploration has largely focused on volcanic and clastic basins. In contrast, western Canada hosts extensive Devonian carbonate reef reservoirs containing hot, saline formation waters that may represent a distinct geothermal-lithium system. This study evaluates whether the Leduc Formation beneath the Hinton–Edson corridor of west-central Alberta exhibits the thermal and geochemical conditions required for lithium recovery.
The Leduc Formation consists of laterally extensive, reef-rimmed carbonate platforms at depth. These reservoirs contain hot, highly saline formation waters, making them favourable for both geothermal energy production and direct lithium extraction (DLE). In carbonate systems, dolomitization and Mg–Ca exchange can control how lithium partitions between minerals and brines, which affects both lithium concentration and recoverability.
This project integrates formation-water geochemistry, well-log records, and temperature–depth models to assess lithium potential and geothermal co-production in the Leduc Formation. Publicly available brine analyses were screened for Li, Na, Ca, Mg, and Cl to evaluate lithium concentration, Mg/Li ratios, and compatibility with adsorption- and ion-exchange-based DLE technologies. Reservoir depth and temperature data were used to identify zones where favourable thermal and geochemical conditions coincide.
Screened formation-water data show that Leduc brines in the Hinton–Edson area commonly contain tens of milligrams per litre of lithium, with higher values concentrated in structurally confined reef complexes. Public formation-water records compiled by the Government of Alberta indicate that Devonian carbonate units, including the Leduc Formation, contain lithium concentrations of up to approximately 140 mg/L in some wells, with many values above 50 mg/L in central and west-central Alberta. These concentrations are comparable to those reported from early-stage geothermal lithium projects in Europe and the western United States. High salinity, elevated temperature, and carbonate buffering favour lithium extraction, while the region’s extensive oil and gas well network provides a low-cost pathway for resource testing and development.
These results suggest that Alberta’s Devonian reef systems represent a previously under-recognized carbonate-hosted geothermal lithium target. The Leduc Formation has the potential to support co-production of geothermal energy and lithium, providing a low-carbon, infrastructure-ready pathway for critical-mineral development in western Canada.