Unit Name: Queenston Formation
Unit Type: Lithostratigraphic
Rank: Formation
Status: Formal
Usage: Currently in use
Age Interval: Richmondian (449 - 445.6 ma)
Age Justification: Biostratigraphy (Thurston et al., 1992).
Province/Territory: Ontario

Originator: Caley, 1940.

Type Locality:
No type section specified.

Distribution:
The Queenston formation occurs in southwestern, south central and eastern Ontario (Thurston et al., 1992, p. 936).

Locality Data:
Thickness(m): Minimum 45, Maximum 335.

Lithology:
Maroon shale, slightly to not calcareous, locally gypsiferous,, with interbeds of grey-green shale, bioclastic limestone and calcareous siltstone (Thurston et al., 1992, p. 936).

Fossils:
Sparsely fossiliferous; brachiopods, ostracods, bryozoans, algal remains and burrows (Thurston et al., 1992).

Paleo Environment:
marine, nearshore

Relationship:
The upper contact of the Queenston formation is sharp and unconformable with the whirlpool and Manitoulin formations, and its lower contact with the Geogian Bay and Carlsbad formations is gradational and marked by the lowest significant bed of red shale (Thurston et al., 1992).

History:
The term Queenston beds was proposed by Grabau (1908) for a shale unit in western New York State. In Québec, the equivalent unit is termed the Queenston Group (Globensky et al., 1993).

References:
Caley, J.F. 1940. Paleozoic geology of the Toronto-Hamilton area, Ontario. Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 224, 284 pages.
Globensky, Y., et.al., 1993. Lexique stratigraphique Canadien, vol. V-B, Région des Appalaches, des Basses Terres Saint Laurent et des Iles des Madeleine, Ministère de l'Énergie et des Ressources du Québec, DV 91-23.
Grabau, A.W., 1908. A revised classification of the North American Siluric system, Science, vol. 27, pp. 622-623
Thurston, P.C., Williams, H.R., Sutcliffe, R.H. and Stott, G.M. 1992. Geology of Ontario; Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, Ontario Geological Survey Special Volume 4, 1525 p.

Source: GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA
Contributor: P.H. Davenport
Entry Reviewed: No
Name Set: Lithostratigraphic Lexicon
LastChange: 09 Dec 2009