Tunnel Mountain Formation

The Tunnel Mountain Formation is a geologic formation that is present on the western edge of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in the Canadian Rockies of western Alberta. Named after Tunnel Mountain near Banff, it was deposited during the Early Pennsylvanian sub-period of the Carboniferous period.[2][3]

Tunnel Mountain Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early Pennsylvanian
Tunnel Mountain in Banff, the namesake of the formation
TypeFormation
Unit ofSpray Lakes Group
Sub-unitsTobermory
Storelk
Tyrwhitt
UnderliesKananaskis Formation, Ishbel Group
OverliesEtherington Formation
Thicknessup to about 200 metres
(600 ft)
Lithology
PrimarySandstone
Otherdolomite, quartzite
Location
RegionAlberta
CountryCanada
Type section
Named forTunnel Mountain
Named byF.W. Beales, 1950[1]

Lithology and stratigraphy

The Tunnel Mountain Formation consists of quartzose sandstone, interbedded with lesser amounts of dolomite, dolomitic sandstone in the lower part, and minor beds of quartzite in the upper part.[2][3] In areas where they can be differentiated, the formation is subdivided into the three formations shown below in ascending order. Where they cannot be differentiated, the name Tunnel Mountain Formation is applied to the entire sequence.[3][4]

  • Tobermory Formation: quartz-chert sandstone, very fine- to fine-grained, quartz and dolomite cement; rare cross-bedding; minor interbeds of sandy dolomite.[3][4]
  • Storelk Formation: quartz-chert sandstone, very fine- to coarse-grained, quartz cement, typically massive, very rare cross-bedding.[3][4]
  • Tyrwhitt Formation: quartz-chert sandstone, very fine- to fine-grained, quartz and dolomite cement, rare cross-bedding; minor interbeds of sandy dolomite.[3][4]

Paleontology

The dolomite beds of the Tunnel Mountain sequence include scattered brachiopods and foraminifera.[2][3]

Thickness, distribution, and relationship to other units

The Tunnel Mountain Formation is present in the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies of western Alberta, and reaches a maximum thickness of about 200 metres (600 ft). It unconformably overlies the Etherington Formation or the Todhunter Formation of the Mississippian Rundle Group, and is conformably overlain by the Late Pennsylvanian Kananaskis Formation. In areas where the Kananaskis is not present, it is unconformably overlain by the Permian Ishbel Group.[2][3]

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See also

References
  1. Beales, F.W. 1950. Late Paleozoic formations of southwestern Alberta. Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 50-27, p. 58-64.
  2. http://weblex.nrcan.gc.ca/html/015000/GSCC00053015503.html
  3. Glass, D.J. (editor) 1997. Lexicon of Canadian Stratigraphy, vol. 4, Western Canada including eastern British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, Calgary, 1423 p. on CD-ROM. ISBN 0-920230-23-7.
  4. Stott, D.L. 1967. Stratigraphy of the lower Rocky Mountain Supergroup in the southern Canadian Rocky Mountains. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, vol. 15, no. 2., p. 209.
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