The 17-005A sandstone showings are located south of the Peace Reach of Williston Lake, on east and west sides of an embayment, approximately 45 kilometres west of Hudson Hope, in the Liard Mining Division.
The 17-005A showing is located approximately 40 kilometres west of the eastern extent of deformation in the fold and thrust belt that characterizes the Rocky Mountain Front. The region is underlain by dominantly Jurassic to Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of Ancestral North American tectonic provenance. Deformation is characterized by kilometre-scale complex folding and dominantly west-dipping thrusting.
Sandstones were identified within the Minnes Group on the property, which consists of various very fine to medium-grained quartzose sandstones, siltstones, mudstones and marine shales (Assessment Report 38047). Work completed by 543077 Alberta Ltd. in 2018 focused on collecting samples and any other regional-scale data. The chemical and physical traits of the silica, and grading its suitability for use as a proppant, were to be conducted in 2019 (Assessment Reports 38046). Similar work was conducted at three locations south of 17-005A; these are recorded as locations 17-005B, C and D and are addressed in Assessment Reports 38045, 38048 and 38047, respectively. At property 17-005D, analysis reported that 87 per cent of grains fall within the 40/70 and 100 mesh size range and are suitable for typical proppant products (Assessment Report 38047). Further results are not available.