Pine Point Formation

The Pine Point Formation is a stratigraphical unit of Givetian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

Pine Point Formation Stratigraphic range: Givetian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Underlies	Presqu'ile Formation, Sulphur Point Formation
Overlies	Chinchaga Formation
Thickness	up to 115 metres (380 ft)[1]
Lithology
Primary	Limestone, shale
Location
Coordinates	61.01206°N 114.25335°W
Region	WCSB
Country	Canada
Type section
Named for	Pine Point, Northwest Territories
Named by	A.E. Cameron
Year defined	1918

It takes the name from Pine Point, a promontory (and former townsite) on the south shore of the Great Slave Lake, west of Fort Resolution, and was first described in outcrop on the shore of the lake between Pine Point and Fort Resolution by A.E. Cameron in 1918.[2]

Lithology

The Pine Point Formation is composed of bituminous limestone and calcareous shale.[1]

Distribution

The Pine Point Formation reaches a thickness of up to 115 metres (380 ft) in its type locality on the shore of the Great Slave Lake.

Relationship to other units

The Pine Point Formation is overlain by the Presqu'ile Formation and Sulphur Point Formation; It conformably overlays the Chinchaga Formation and Fitzgerald Formation.[1]

It is equivalent to Muskeg Formation in northern Alberta, the Dunedin Formation in British Columbia and the upper Nahanni Formation in western Northwest Territories.

Subdivisions

The Pine Point has group status in the southern Northwest Territories, and includes:

• Buffalo River Member
• Horn River Formation shale tongues
• Keg River Formation platform facies was included in the group before 1975

References

1. Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Pine Point Formation". Retrieved 2010-01-03.
2. Cameron, A.E., 1918. Explorations in the vicinity of Great Slave Lake; Geological Survey of Canada, Summary Report 1917, Part C, pp. 21-28.