Geology of Manitoba

Geologic Settings

The most prevalent rocks in Manitoba are Precambrian in age. These rocks are almost all igneous and metamorphic. These are divided into the Superior Province and the Churchill Province.^[1]

In central Manitoba lies the Flin Flon greenstone belt, which is one of the largest Paleoproterozoic volcanic-hosted massive sulphide districts in the world, containing 27 copper-zinc-(gold) deposits from which more than 183 million tonnes of sulphide have been mined.^[2]

There are two distinct sedimentary basins in Manitoba Located in the southwest is the Williston/Elkport basin and to the North East is the Churchill Basin.

Southwestern Manitoba is located in the Williston Basin. This Basin is best known for the Bakken formation. There are a number of oil producing formations found with in this area. Both conventional and tight oil wells.^[3]

Notable geologic formations

Ashville Formation

The Ashville Formation is a geological formation in Saskatchewan and Manitoba whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.^[4]

It is geochronologically equivalent to the Lower Colorado Group and the Viking Formation in central Alberta.

Bakken Formation

References

^ "The Basic Geology of Manitoba". newion.uwinnipeg.ca. Retrieved 2025-06-28.
^ Norris, Jessica (2007). "Report on the 2007 Diamond Drilling Program McClarty Lake Project, Manitoba" (PDF). Aurora Geosciences Ltd. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-30. Retrieved 2008-02-22. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ Canada, Natural Resources (2015-07-16). "Manitoba's Shale and Tight Resources". natural-resources.canada.ca. Retrieved 2025-06-28.
^ Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Cretaceous, North America)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 574-588. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.

[1] "The Basic Geology of Manitoba". newion.uwinnipeg.ca. Retrieved 2025-06-28.

[Norris-2] Norris, Jessica (2007). "Report on the 2007 Diamond Drilling Program McClarty Lake Project, Manitoba" (PDF). Aurora Geosciences Ltd. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-30. Retrieved 2008-02-22. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[3] Canada, Natural Resources (2015-07-16). "Manitoba's Shale and Tight Resources". natural-resources.canada.ca. Retrieved 2025-06-28.

[cretaceousdistribution-4] Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Cretaceous, North America)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 574-588. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.

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