Unit Name: Sabine Formation
Unit Type: Lithostratigraphic
Rank: Formation
Status: Formal
Usage: Currently in use
Age Interval: Late Cambrian (499 - 488.3 ma)
Age Justification: Howell et al. (1944) identified an abundant trilobite fauna as the Pro-Saukia zone of the Upper Cambrian Franconian Stage. Representatives of the Saukia zone of the Trempealeauan Stage are also present at the top of the unit.
Province/Territory: Alberta; British Columbia

Originator: Schofield, S.J., 1921.

Type Locality:
On Sabine Mountain, at the south end of the Stanford-Brisco Range, near Canal Flats, British Columbia.

Distribution:
On Sabine Mountain the formation is just over 214 m (700 ft) thick (North and Henderson, 1954). On Fairmont Ridge it ranges from 46 to 107 m (150 to 350 ft). Walcott assigned a thickness of 154 m (505 ft) to the unit in the Glacier Lake area.

Lithology:
None designated by Schofield. North and Henderson (1954) described the Sabine as a series of thin beds of bluish grey limestone interbedded with thicker beds of grey shales, the limestone beds weathering a characteristic reddish brown.

Relationship:
Schofield described the Sabine Formation as being overlain by Devonian limestones. However, further work has shown it to be a time-equivalent of the Bison Creek Formation, and therefore overlain by the Upper Cambrian (Trempealeauan) Mistaya Formation. It is underlain with sharp contact by the massive carbonates of the Lyell Formation.

History:
The term Sabine Formation has been applied by various authors (Walcott, 1928; Evans, 1933; North and Henderson, 1954; Leech, 1959). North and Henderson noted that its use should be confined to the immediate area of Sabine Mountain, as elsewhere its lithology does not differ appreciably from the rest of the McKay Group.

Other Citations:
Burling, 1955; Evans, 1933; Howell et al., 1944; Leech, 1959; North and Henderson, 1954; Schofield, 1921; Walcott, 1924, 1928.

Source: CSPG Lexicon of Canadian Stratigraphy, Volume 4, western Canada, including eastern British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba; D.J. Glass (editor)
Contributor: R.G. Greggs
Entry Reviewed: Yes
Name Set: Lithostratigraphic Lexicon
LastChange: 29 Apr 2003