A new stratigraphic framework for the Upper Colorado Group (Cretaceous) in southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada

Allostratigraphy and Biostratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous (Coniacian-Santonian) Western Canada Foreland Basin

“…A change of lithostratigraphic terminology occurs at the Canada-U.S. border: rocks of the Cardium and Wapiabi formations in Alberta being broadly correlative with the Ferdig and Kevin members of the Marias River Formation in Montana Nielsen et al, 2003;figs. 2, 3; figs.…”

“…The Lower Coniacian is not represented and the middle and upper Coniacian isotopic record has neither sufficient character nor biostratigraphic control to establish a correlation with the Cutpick Creek section. Nielsen et al (2003, citing Obradovich, personal commun., 2000 reported argon-argon ages of 89.4± 0.31 and 89.19±0.51 Ma for two bentonites located, respectively, 1.8 and 2.6 m above the E7 surface in well 13-20-17-7W4. Allostratigraphic correlation (Grifi, 2012;Grifi et al, 2013) showed that the dated bentonites were located near the base of the Muskiki Member, between surfaces CS1 and CS2 of the present study (i.e., within allomember CA2).…”

Chapter 1: Integrated, High-Resolution Allostratigraphic, Biostratigraphic and Carbon-Isotope Correlation of Coniacian Strata (Upper Cretaceous), Western Alberta and Northern Montana

“…A change of lithostratigraphic terminology occurs at the Canada-U.S. border: rocks of the Cardium and Wapiabi formations in Alberta being broadly correlative with the Ferdig and Kevin members of the Marias River Formation in Montana (Cobban et al, 1976;Nielsen et al, 2003;figs. 2, 3; figs.…”

“…The Lower Coniacian is not represented and the middle and upper Coniacian isotopic record has neither sufficient character nor biostratigraphic control to establish a correlation with the Cutpick Creek section. Nielsen et al (2003, citing Obradovich, personal commun., 2000 reported argon-argon ages of 89.4± 0.31 and 89.19±0.51 Ma for two bentonites located, respectively, 1.8 and 2.6 m above the E7 surface in well 13-20-17-7W4. Allostratigraphic correlation (Grifi, 2012;Grifi et al, 2013) showed that the dated bentonites were located near the base of the Muskiki Member, between surfaces CS1 and CS2 of the present study (i.e., within allomember CA2).…”

International Lateinamerika-Kolloquium 2009

“…Fisher and Schminke (1984) established that the term "bentonite" has become widely used to refer to any thin, widespread clay bed that is of probable volcanic origin, regardless of dominant clay mineralogy. Altered volcanic ash-beds are abundant and widespread in upper Mesozoic and Tertiary strata from SW Canada to South central United States, along the CWIS (e.g., Elder, 1988;Cadrin et al, 1995;Collins, 1997;Nielsen et al, 2003;Foreman et al, 2008). These deposits have been related with the intense volcanic activity that accompanied the development of the Western Cordillera of North America 2 (Canada to Mexico) in Late Cretaceous and Tertiary time, although volcanism has also been reported in SE United States, Central America, and Caribbean zone (Cuba, Puerto Rico & Northern Colombia) during this period (Collins, 1997).…”