Unit Name: Wernecke Supergroup
Unit Type: Lithostratigraphic
Rank: Supergroup
Status: Formal
Usage: Currently in use
Age Interval: Middle Proterozoic (1600 - 900 ma)
Province/Territory: Yukon Territory
Originator: Delaney, 1978.
Type Locality:
Wernecke Mountains, Yukon Territory. 64 deg 15'N to 65 deg 15'; 133 deg 10'W to 135 deg 15'W.
Distribution:
At least 13 and as much as 15 km thick (8-11 mi). Exposed in the Wernecke, Ogilvie, and Richardson mountains, Yukon Territory.
Lithology:
Three major subdivisions are recognized in the Wernecke Supergroup. The lowest unit, the Fairchild Lake Gp, consists of light grey to greenish-grey weathering, thinly bedded to laminated siltstone, slate and argillite with some intercalated carbonate. The Fairchild Lake Gp is conformably overlain by the Quartet Gp which consists of dark grey weathering siltstone, slate and argillite with some fine-grained sandstone beds and minor dolostone. The Quartet Gp is transitional into the Gillespie Lake Gp which is composed of buff to orange to locally grey weathering dolostone with minor siltstone and sandstone.
Relationship:
The Wernecke Supergroup is the oldest Proterozoic sequence which is exposed in the northern Cordillera. In the northeastern Wernecke Mountains, strata of the Wernecke Supergroup are unconformably overlain by the Proterozoic Pinguicula Gp (informal name, Eisbacher, 1978a).
Other Citations:
Delaney, 1978; Delaney et al., in press; Eisbacher, 1978a; Yeo et al., 1978; Young et al., 1982; Young et al., 1979.
References:
Delaney, G.D., 1978. A progress report on stratigraphic investigations of the lowermost succession of Proterozoic rocks, northern Wernecke Mountains, Yukon Territory; Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, Open File report, E.G.S. 1978-10.
Eisbacher, G.H., 1978a. Two major Proterozoic unconformities, northern Cordillera, in, Current research, Part A, Blackadar, R.G., Griffin, P.J., Dumych, H., and Irish, E.J.W. (Eds. and Compilers); Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 78-1A, pp. 53-58.
Yeo, G.M., Delaney, G.D., and Jefferson, C.W., 1978. Two major Proterozoic unconformities, Northern Cordillera: Discussion, in, Current Research, Part B, III: DIscussions and Communications, Blackadar, R.G., Griffin, P.J., Dumych, H. and Neale, E.R.W. (Eds. and Compilers); Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 78-1B, pp. 225-230.
Young, G.M., Jefferson, C.W., Delaney, G.D., and Yeo, G.M., 1979. Middle and late Proterozoic evolution of the northern Canadian Cordillera and Shield; The Geological Society of America (GSA), Geology, vol. 7, no. 3 (March), pp. 125-128.
Young, G.M., Jefferson, C.W., Long, D.G.F., Delaney, G.D., and Yeo, G.M., 1982. Upper Proterozoic stratigraphy of northwestern Canada and Precambrian history of the North American Cordillera: Society of Economic Geologists Coeur d'Alene Field Conference, Idaho Bureau of Mines Bulletin 24, pages 73-96.
Source: CSPG Lexicon of Canadian Stratigraphy, Volume 2, Yukon Territory and District of Mackenzie; L.V. Hills, E.V. Sangster and L.B. Suneby (editor)
Contributor: L.V. Hills; G.M. Yeo
Entry Reviewed: Yes
Name Set: Lithostratigraphic Lexicon
LastChange: 17 Feb 2011