Alan J. Deal

B. Sc. Honours Thesis

Carboniferous Fluvial Strata of the Inverness Formation at Finlay Point, Southwest Cape Breton Island.

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A red bed unit of Westphalian C age at Finlay Point, Mabou Mines, Inverness County, Nova Scotia occurs stratigraphically near the base of the Inverness Formation and is correlated with offshore coal seams in the St. Lawrence Basin. A succession of sandstone and mudstone facies compose the measured section at Finlay Point and are indicative of a fluvial deposition environment. A sandstone facies assemblage represents in-channel deposits similar to those observed in braided streams. An alternating facies assemblage of sandstone and mudstone represents floodplain deposits which are deposited adjacent to the paleochannels.

The internal morphology and geometry of the sandstone bodies suggest that normal braiding did not develop and this enabled thick accumulation of floodplain deposits. Sandstone bodies are multi-storied and indicate vertical aggradation between banks and flood plain deposits are thick indicating they are removed from channels for extended periods. The fluvial environment which deposited these strata is interpreted as transitional between meandering and braided, possibly representing the early stages of development of the St. Lawrence Basin.

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Pages: 85
Supervisor: Martin Gibling