# Nikanassin Formation

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The **Nikanassin Formation** is a [stratigraphic unit](/source/Stratigraphic_unit) of [Late Jurassic](/source/Late_Jurassic) ([Portlandian](/source/Portlandian)) to [Early Cretaceous](/source/Early_Cretaceous) ([Barremian](/source/Barremian)) age.[2] It is present along the western edge of the [Western Canada Sedimentary Basin](/source/Western_Canadian_Sedimentary_Basin) in western [Alberta](/source/Alberta) and northeastern [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia).[3] Its name was first proposed by D.B. Dowling in 1909 (Coal Fields South of Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountain, Alberta Page 140 paragraph 4 " to this it is proposed to give the name Nikanassin, from the Cree word meaning outer range" Also it is noted on the map by D.B. Dowling.(Geological Survey of Canada. Incorrect info follows: It was named by B.R. MacKay in 1929[1] for the [Nikanassin Range](/source/Nikanassin_Range) of the front-central ranges of the [Canadian Rockies](/source/Canadian_Rockies) (*Nikanassin* means "first range" in [Cree](/source/Cree_Language)[4]). Mackay did not designate a [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(geology)) for the [formation](/source/Formation_(stratigraphy)), although he described [outcrops](/source/Outcrop) near the hamlet of [Brûlé](/source/Brule,_Alberta), north of the [Yellowhead Highway](/source/Yellowhead_Highway) outside of [Jasper National Park](/source/Jasper_National_Park).[5][6]

## Depositional history

The Nikanassin Formation grades from marine sediments at the base to coastal and continental at the top.[5][6] The sediments were derived from newly uplifted mountains to the west and deposited along the western margin of the [Western Interior Seaway](/source/Western_Interior_Seaway), which is represented by the marine shales of the [Fernie Formation](/source/Fernie_Formation).[3]

## Lithology

The Nikanassin consists primarily of marine [sandstones](/source/Sandstone) interbedded with dark grey [shales](/source/Shale). The sandstones are dark grey, hard, mostly quartzose, and fine- to medium-grained. In the foothills the upper beds are nonmarine and include thin [coal](/source/Coal) beds and carbonaceous shales. There are no commercially significant coal beds.[5][6]

## Thickness and distribution

The Nikanassin thickens northward from the foothills near the [North Saskatchewan River](/source/North_Saskatchewan_River), reaching a maximum of about 400 meters (1,300 ft) near [Brûlé](/source/Brule,_Alberta). From there it thins toward the east and north. It extends into the southernmost part of northeastern British Columbia, where it transitions into the [Minnes Group](/source/Minnes_Group).[5][6]

## Relationship to other units

The Nikanassin is roughly equivalent to the [Kootenay Group](/source/Kootenay_Group) of the southern Alberta foothills and the [Minnes Group](/source/Minnes_Group) north of northeastern British Columbia. It conformably overlies and interfingers with the "Passage Beds" at the top of the Fernie Formation.[5][6]

A major period of regional erosion occurred after the deposition of the Nikanassin, removing some of the uppermost Nikanassin strata prior to the deposition of the overlying [conglomerates](/source/Conglomerate_(geology)) of the [Cadomin Formation](/source/Cadomin_Formation). The contact between the two formations is thus sharp and [unconformable](/source/Unconformity).[3][5]

## References

1. Mackay, B.R., 1929a. Mountain Park Sheet, West of [Fifth Meridian](/source/114th_meridian_west), Alberta; [Geological Survey of Canada](/source/Geological_Survey_of_Canada), "A" Series Map 208A, Scale: 1:63360 (1 Inch to 1 Mile).

1. Poulton, T.P., Tittemore, J. and Dolby, G. 1990. Jurassic strata of northwestern (and west-central) Alberta and northeastern British Columbia. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology 38A: 159-175.

1. Mossop, G.D. and Shetsen, I., (compilers), Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists and Alberta Geological Survey (1994). ["The Geological Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, Chapter 18: Jurassic and Lowermost Cretaceous strata of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130326021000/http://www.ags.gov.ab.ca/publications/wcsb_atlas/a_ch18/ch_18.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.ags.gov.ab.ca/publications/wcsb_atlas/a_ch18/ch_18.html) on 2013-03-26. Retrieved 2013-08-01.

1. Bivuac.com. ["Nikanassin Range"](http://www.bivouac.com/ArxPg.asp?ArxId=1032). Retrieved 2009-02-05.

1. 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.

1. [Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units](/source/Lexicon_of_Canadian_Geologic_Units). ["Nikanassin Formation"](http://cgkn1.cgkn.net/weblex/weblex_litho_detail_e.pl?00053:010770). Retrieved 2009-02-05.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nikanassin Formation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikanassin_Formation) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikanassin_Formation?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.