Ma Butte Formation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ma Butte FormationStratigraphic range: Early Cretaceous (Albian) |
|
|---|---|
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Blairmore Group |
| Underlies | Crowsnest Formation |
| Overlies | Beaver Mines Formation |
| Thickness | up to 132 metres (430 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Sandstone, siltstone, mudstone |
| Other | Conglomerate, bentonite, tuff |
| Location | |
| Region |  Alberta |
| Country |  Canada |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Ma Butte |
| Named by | J.R. McLean |
| Year defined | 1980 |
The Ma Butte Formation is a special layer of rock found in western Canada. It formed a long time ago, during the Early Cretaceous period, about 100 to 113 million years ago. This rock unit is named after Ma Butte, a mountain in Alberta, Canada. Geologist J.R. McLean gave it this name in 1980. You can find the Ma Butte Formation in the foothills of southwestern Alberta. It's famous for containing ancient plant fossils.
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What is the Ma Butte Formation?
The Ma Butte Formation is part of a larger group of rocks called the Blairmore Group. It is mostly made of fine-grained sandstone, which is like very tiny sand stuck together. You'll also find layers of siltstone and mudstone mixed in. These are even finer types of rock.
What Rocks Make Up Ma Butte?
Sometimes, you can see thicker beds of coarser sandstones. There are also conglomerate beds, which are rocks made of rounded pebbles and stones cemented together. As you go higher in the formation, there are more layers of bentonite and tuff. These rocks come from ancient volcanic ash. The sandstones in the Ma Butte Formation are rich in quartz. This is different from the rocks below it, which have more feldspar.
Where Can You Find Ma Butte Formation?
The Ma Butte Formation is found in the southern foothills of Alberta, Canada. It stretches as far north as the Red Deer River. The thickest part of this rock layer is near the Bow River. Here, it can be up to 132 meters (about 433 feet) thick.
How Did Ma Butte Formation Form?
The rocks of the Ma Butte Formation were created from material that came from mountains to the west. Ancient rivers carried this material, like sand and mud, eastward. It then settled and built up in different areas, like old floodplains.
Discovering Ancient Plants
One of the most exciting things about the Ma Butte Formation is the fossils it holds. Scientists have found angiosperm (flowering plant) fossils here. Angiosperms are plants that produce flowers and seeds. This is important because it marks the first time these types of flowering plants appeared in this part of the world. The rocks below the Ma Butte Formation do not have these kinds of plant fossils.
How Ma Butte Formation Connects to Other Rocks
The Ma Butte Formation is sometimes called the Mill Creek Formation. It sits on top of the Beaver Mines Formation, but there's a gap in time between them. Above the Ma Butte Formation, you'll find the Crowsnest Formation. In the southern areas, these two formations blend smoothly into each other. Further north, the Ma Butte Formation is covered by the Blackstone Formation. The Ma Butte Formation is also similar in age to the Bow Island Formation found to the east.
