Type Locality:

Canadian Seaboard Ernestina Lake 10-13-60-4W4M, in Alberta, between 1,057.7 m (3,470 ft) and 1,225.8 m (4,020 ft).

Distribution:

The Lotsberg Formation ranges up to 229 m (750 ft) thick. It extends from the Meadow Lake Escarpment from approximately 53 deg to 53 deg 45'N and 109 deg 30' to 112 deg W northwards through western Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta to approximately 56 deg 15'N.

Lithology:

The type section is almost pure halite. More commonly thin beds of red and green calcareous shale occur and, in the centre of the basin a red shale unit ranging from 30 to 60 m (100 to 200 ft) separates the salt sequence into two units.

Relationship:

In western Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta the Lotsberg Formation rests on red sandstones and dolomites at the base of the Devonian. Where salt is not present the Lotsberg Formation becomes part of the basal Devonian red bed unit in northern Alberta and southern District of Mackenzie, the Meadow Lake Formation of Saskatchewan and the La Loche Formation of the outcrop area in northeastern Alberta. The unit is overlain by the Ernestina Lake Formation and is equivalent to the lower part of the Stone and Arnica formations in northeastern British Columbia and southern District of Mackenzie, and part of the Mirage Point Formation of District of Mackenzie. It is Member 8 of Crickmay (1954), the Third Salt of van Hees (1956).

Other Citations:

Belyea, 1970; Crickmay, 1954; Grayston et al., 1964; Sherwin, 1962; van Hees, 1956.