56

A few small areas of Tertiary sandstones and clays are known. The
Paskapoo formation is exposed on Pembina river, a tributary of the Athabaska.
There is a small area of Tertiary sediments on the Mackenzie at the mouth of
Great Bear river and another on Peel river. These sediments are gently
undulating, but do not depart much from the horizontal attitude.

As settlement advances northward and transportation lines are constructed,
increased attention is directed to the possible economic mineral deposits of
the Mackenzie basin.

Ooal seams of workable thickness are found in the Cretaceous sediments
and some of these are being mined in the basin of the Athabaska. Lignite
seams also occur in the Tertiary beds of Mackenzie and Peel rivers, but these
are too remote from a market to be of any importance for many years to come.

Extensive deposits of bituminous sands are exposed on Athabaska river at
the base of the Cretaceous system and investigations have been made into their
possibilities for commercial application.

"A gas-bearing horizon in the Cretaceous, on the Athabaska, was discovered
by the Geological Survey in 1897. Petroleum has been found on the Mackenzie
below Norman and in borings on Peace river. Very little of the country, how-
ever, has yet been prospected.

Extensive gypsum deposits are found on Peace river in a position favourable
for quarrying and for transportation. Gypsum is also found on Slave river, in
the escarpment west of Slave river, and elsewhere.

- Salt beds have been reported as discovered in bore-holes at McMurray.
Brine springs west of Fort Smith have furnished that part of the Mackenzie
valley with its salt supply for many decades.

Some clays of good grade are found on the Athabaska.

TABLE OF FORMATIONS

Quaternary........ Pleistocene, aiid ‘Recent. 32-2 S20 ee ss Pe SS Till, stratified sand, and
é : gravel.
BBOLhlaPVccooes «ce «3 RASANGO Gs eos Best Sees Ee eee es cd oe Sandstone. :
; Not SubdiWided 2. kates pc asin s xt pe Ooh askocke ek Sandstone and shale.
APlole oes oe ee Sandstone.
Smoky River......}Shale.
Peace and Dunvegan.......... Sandstone.
Smoky Rivers.| Fort St. John...... Shale.
Peace River....... Sandstone.
Loon River........ Shale.
Mesozoic........... Cretaceous.... Edmonton......... Sandstone
" ha Biche 2525 8 Shale.
Pelican sandstone..
Athabaska Pelican shale.......
River. Grand Rapids.....|Sandstone.
erate sess [phale.
a eMurray....,....|Sandstone, bituminous.
eee Not subdivided. :...'o.ccso..i has Sandstone and shale.
TYIASSIC... 0.02. see e cece ee eee eee eceeeeeees ren Se Arenaceous limestone

and calcareous sand-

stone.

—————————— ——— ————— ——SSSSSSFSFMMSSSSSsSFFseFms