Unit Name: Little Buffalo Formation
Unit Type: Lithostratigraphic
Rank: Formation
Status: Formal
Usage: Currently in use
Age Interval: Givetian (391.8 - 385.3 ma)
Age Justification: Fossils present in the upper unit include sponge spicules, undetermined cup corals, crinoid ossicles and brachiopods, whereas the lower part appears to be unfossiliferous.
Province/Territory: Northwest Territories

Originator: A.W. Norris, 1965.

Type Locality:
Little Buffalo River where it is exposed in the immediate vicinity of the falls where the river cuts through an eastward facing escarpment some 45 km (28 mi) west of Fort Smith. About 60 deg 08'N, 112 deg 41'08"W.

Distribution:
About 29 m (96 ft) south of Great Slave Lake.

Lithology:
Consists of a lower 17 m (56 ft) thick unit of pale to dark brown, aphanitic to medium-grained, thick-bedded to massive dolomite with some massive, coarsely vuggy dolomite with some carbonaceous bands near the base and an upper 12 m (40 ft) thick medium brown, aphanitic, rubbly, thin-bedded, fossiliferous limestone separated by shale partings (6 m; 20 ft) followed by a 0.6 m (2 ft) covered interval followed by medium to dark brown; fine to coarse-grained, irregularly bedded gypsiferous dolomite (ca. 6 m; 20 ft thick).

Relationship:
Conformably overlies the evaporitic Chinchaga Fm and is conformably overlain by the Nyarling Fm. It is roughly equivalent to the lower part of the Pine Point Fm to the north. The Little Buffalo Fm is interpreted to be equivalent to the upper part of the Nahanni Fm.

Other Citations:
A.W. Norris, 1965.

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; A.W. Norris
Entry Reviewed: Yes
Name Set: Lithostratigraphic Lexicon
LastChange: 29 Apr 2003