Report 30

Author(s) Date 1934-03-12

During the past fifteen years the Geological Survey Division of the Research Council of Alberta has examined many parts of Alberta. Some of the investigations have been of a detailed nature on relatively small areas, others have been more general, and reconnaissance traverses have been made in areas reported on in detail by other organizations. One of the ultimate objects of this work has been to gradually assimilate the information in order that larger areas might be mapped in a general way. In 1925 the first geological map of Alberta was published. In preparing this map all available information was used and the positions of many of the geological boundaries were changed. This map is now out of print and a new edition will require several changes as a result of new information. The work done in the northern part of Alberta since 1925 has not added much information relative to the general distribution of the formations. Much new geological data on the central part of Alberta have been obtained since 1925, and although there are still relatively large districts that have not been examined in detail, the available data have been used in preparing the geological map of central Alberta, which accompanies this report.

The writers have examined the greater part of the area with varying degrees of detail, and the geological information mapped and discussed is based largely on these observations. There are two general areas that have not been examined, namely, that along the Athabasca north of Calling river, and parts of the mountains and foothills along the headwaters of Smoky River. In addition there are some relatively inaccessible interstream areas that have not been studied, especially in the north central part and in some districts between Athabasca and Smoky Rivers. It is believed, however, that an examination of these interstream areas on the plains would not add materially to our general knowledge of the distribution and character of the underlying formations, although such work might necessitate minor changes in the mapping.

In the following discussion use has been made of information contained in various reports dealing with areas where detailed work has been done. Many of these publications are cited, but no attempt has been made to compile a complete bibliography of the geology of central Alberta. Considerable geological data have been obtained within recent years in some parts on which very little has been published and in such cases the discussions have been made somewhat fuller than in dealing with districts on which there are detailed reports of relatively recent date.

Fossil material collected at various places has been determined and classified by P.S. Warren who, on occasions, has cooperated in the field examinations of some districts. We are indebted to B.F. Hake for information regarding the distribution of the Cretaceous formations in the foothills northwest of Smoky River.

Theme Keywords

Allan, J.A. (1934): Geology of central Alberta; Research Council of Alberta, RCA/AGS Report 30, 53 p.