Outram Formation | |
---|---|
Stratigraphic range: Early Ordovician ~ | |
Type | Formation |
Underlies | Skoki Formation |
Overlies | Survey Peak Formation |
Thickness | Up to 443 metres (1453 ft) [1] |
Lithology | |
Primary | Limestone, siltstone |
Other | Shale, chert |
Location | |
Coordinates | 51°52′54″N116°52′31″W / 51.88167°N 116.87528°W |
Region | Canadian Rockies |
Country | ![]() |
Type section | |
Named for | Mount Outram |
Named by | J.D. Aitken and B.S. Norford [2] |
The Outram Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Early Ordovician age that is present on the western edge of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta and British Columbia. [3] It was named for Mount Outram in Banff National Park by J.D. Aitken and B.S. Norford in 1967. [2] The Outram Formation is fossiliferous and includes remains of trilobites and other marine invertebrates, as well as stromatolites and thrombolites. [1] [2]
The Outram Formation formed as a shallow and at times emergent marine shelf along the western shoreline of the North American Craton during Early Ordovician time. [2] [3] It consists primarily of nodular limestone, calcareous quartzose siltstone, limestone pebble-conglomerate, and brown shale. Nodules of grey chert occur throughout the formation. [1] [2]
The Outram is present in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and British Columbia. Its thickness and shale content increase toward the west. [1] [2] It overlies the Survey Peak Formation and underlies the Skoki Formation. [4] Both contacts are gradational. [1] [2]
The Outram Formation contains several genera of trilobites, as well as brachiopods, conodonts, gastropods, sponges, echinoderms, bivalves, gastropods, stromatolites, thrombolites, oncolites, rare graptolites, and others. [1] [2]
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