Field guide to the geology, metamorphism and tectonics of the Foreland and Omineca belts of SW Alberta and SE British Columbia

Abstract

This field guide describes field localities that illuminate the geology, metamorphism and tectonics of the Foreland and Omineca belts of the southern Canadian Cordillera in southwestern Alberta and southeastern British Columbia. The Omineca belt contains the deformational, magmatic and metamorphic record of the Jurassic through Eocene development of this part of the Cordilleran orogen. Calgary, where the field trip starts, is situated just east of the edge of the Cordilleran deformation belt, so the geology of the famous Foreland fold and thrust belt is examined on the way to the Omineca belt. A theme of the field guide is that the structural, magmatic and metamorphic processes that occurred in the Omineca belt were intimately linked to the structural and sedimentary processes occurring at the same time in the Foreland belt. The geological domains covered by the field guide include (from east to west) the Foreland thrust and fold belt, Rocky Mountain Trench, Purcell anticlinorium, Kootenay arc, Quesnel terrane, and two Shuswap-type Cordilleran core complexes, the Valhalla complex and Grand Forks complex. The cities and towns within the geographic area covered by the field guide include (from east to west) Calgary and Banff (both in Alberta) and the following communities in British Columbia: Radium, Cranbrook, Kimberley, Creston, Riondel, Kaslo, Nelson, Salmo, Castlegar, Christina Lake and Grand Forks. The field guide covers all aspects of the geology traversed by the field trip. It comprises ten segments based on a combination of geology and geography. The field trip segments are preceded by an overview of the physiography, present-day geophysics, stratigraphy, magmatism, metamorphism, tectonics, ore deposits and geomorphology of the southern Canadian Cordillera. The field guide comprises 82 Stops, 49 Optional stops and 40 Road logs, and is illustrated with 114 figures comprising maps, diagrams, photographs and photomicrographs. Note: the field guide is large (~228 MB), so it may take some time to download.