74.

Table of Formations

Formation Lithology Faunal zones

(Thickness in feet)

Cruiser Marine shale
800-900
a = IT :
2 5 |Goodrich Marine sandstone and |Neogastroplites and
Ss op 500-600 shale Posidonomya nahwist
oC
$ 2) |e ya Rn 5 i Sama] th
5s) S |Hasler j———| Marine shale
Ome te 1,100-1,200 ee | ae
be a3 | |\Gastroplites
oO G2 |
ett tikes ull | a —
S| 8S |Gates Marine sandstone and |
E 950-40 shal |
ee 250-400 aa |Lemuroceras and
—— _ i= See , be 2
| ; Beudanticeras affine
|Moosebar |Marine shale - f ai

1,100-1,200 |

Moosebar Formation

The Moosebar is the lowest formation of the Fort St. John group in
Pine and Peace River Valleys, and lies between the Gething formation of
the Bullhead group below and the Gates or Commotion formation of the
Fort St. John group above. It consists of 1,000 to 1,200 feet of marine,
dark shale, with, in places, thin layers of clay ironstone and, particularly
in the upper part, some beds of sandstone. The type section is that exposed
in the central part of Peace River Canyon, and in valleys of streams enter-
ing the canyon from the south and southwest.

The name was first used by McLearn (1923), and applied as a forma-
tion name to what had previously been called the lower shale member of
the Fort St. John formation (McLearn, 1918). The beds on Crassier
Creek, to which Spieker (1921) gave the name of Pine River formation,
are interpreted by Wickenden and Shaw to be equivalent to the Moosebar
on Peace River; Spieker, on the other hand, thought that he was naming
Jurassic beds underlying, not overlying, the Bullhead group. If the
identity of the Pine River with the Moosebar can be proved, the question
arises as to the priority of the name Pine River over Moosebar. It must be
remembered, however, that the name Moosebar is now established in the
literature, that it has been retained by Wickenden and Shaw, and that, if
changed to Pine River, the change will lead to confusion.

In Pine River Valley, the Moosebar formation is exposed on Hasler
Creek and underlies a fairly large area south of Pine River, from Hasler
Creek to and beyond Falls (Falling) Mountain. Wickenden and Shaw
(1943) state definitely that the shales of this formation overlie the Bullhead
on Hasler Creek. They also measured a section of this formation on
Crassier Creek, a northern tributary of Pine River, consisting of 540 feet
of dark grey, calcareous shale, with scattered brown weathering concre-
tions, a thin seam of bentonite, and some beds of sandstone. Farther
west, Mathews (1947) has mapped an area of Moosebar in the valleys of
Fisher and Falls (Falling) Crecks, tributaries of Pine River. Within this