Van Hauen Formation

Unit Name: Van Hauen Formation
Unit Type: Lithostratigraphic
Rank: Formation
Status: Formal
Usage: Currently in use
Age Interval: Early Permian (299 - 270.6 ma)
Province/Territory: Nunavut

Originator: Thorsteinsson, 1974.

Type Locality:

Northeast of van Hauen Pass between Hare Fiord and Otto Fiord, northwestern Ellesmere Island (81 deg 03'N, 85 deg 37'W).

Distribution:

Thickness varies from a feather-edge to nearly 800 m. The type section is 401 m thick; member A 180 m thick and member B 221 m. Widely distributed from southwestern to northwestern Ellesmere Island; also widespread on western, northern and eastern Axel Heiberg Island.

Locality Data:

Thickness(m): Maximum 800, Typical 401.

Lithology:

Dark, well-bedded siltstone and chert with some cherty limestone. The lower informal member A in the type section is recessing and includes grey to black shale, siltstone and sandstone. Informal member B contains resistant uniformly thick beds of spicular chert and siltstone.

Relationship:

In type area and elsewhere in central regions of Sverdrup Basin, Van Hauen rests conformably on Hare Fiord Formation and is overlain by Degerböls Formation. Elsewhere it overlies the Nansen and Belcher Channel Formations, both of which are equivalent to the Hare Fiord Formation; overlain by the Trold Fiord Formation, which is equivalent to the Degerböls. Locally, van Hauen overlain by Triassic Blind Fiord Formation. Fossils rare but brachiopods and ammonoids indicate Roadian age and correlation with the basin margin, Assistance Formation.

Remark:

First Published: Thorsteinsson and Tozer, 1970.

Other Citations:

Thorsteinsson and Tozer, 1970; Thorsteinsson, 1974; Nassichuk, 1975; Nassichuk and Wilde, 1977.

References:

Thorsteinsson, R. and Tozer, E.T., 1970. Geology of the Arctic Archipelago, Chapter X, pp. 458-590; in Douglas, R. J. W. (ed.), Geology and Economic Minerals of Canada, Geological Survey of Canada, Economic Geology Report, no. 1, 5th ed., 838 p.

Thorsteinsson, R., 1974. Carboniferous and Permian stratigraphy of Axel Heiberg Island and western Ellesmere Island, Canadian Arctic Archipelago; Geological Survey of Canada, Bulletin 224, 115 p.

Source: CSPG Lexicon of Canadian Stratigraphy, Volume 1, Arctic Archigelage (District of Franklin); R.L. Christie, A.F. Embry, G.A. Van Dyck (editor)
Contributor: W.W. Nassichuk; Ed Fogg
Entry Reviewed: Yes
Name Set: Lithostratigraphic Lexicon
LastChange: 16 Feb 2009