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Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 1984; v. 15; p. 127-144;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.SP.1984.015.01.08
© 1984 Geological Society of London

Terrigenous Turbidites and Associated Facies

Sedimentology of the Halifax Formation, Nova Scotia: Lower Palaeozoic fine-grained turbidites

D. A. V. Stow, M. Alam & D. J. W. Piper

, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, Scotland
Department of Geology and Mining, University of Jos, Private Mail Bag 2084, Jos, Nigeria
Atlantic Geoscience Centre, Geological Survey of Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, PO Box 1006, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada B2Y 4A2

The Halifax Formation is a several kilometre thick, shale-rich succession that forms part of the (?) Cambro-Ordovician Meguma Group of Nova Scotia. The Meguma sediments were mostly deposited by sediment gravity flows on a prograding marine slope-rise complex of uncertain water depth. Eight separate facies of the Halifax Formation are recognized on a facies continuum from very shaley to very sandy. The two most sandy facies show partial Bouma sequences; the others are best interpreted in terms of a more detailed ‘ideal sequence’ for fine-grained turbidites. Vertical sequences show thinning-upward, thickening-upward and irregular patterns of sandstone and siltstone beds on a large-scale (100–200 m). There is also much wedging, subdivision and amalgamation of these coarse lithologies. Erosional features are locally common at the base of turbidite beds and still more widespread at the top. Slumps and bioturbation are less common. The depositional setting of most of the Halifax Formation is interpreted to be the mid- or upper-fan area of a muddy deep-sea fan, passing upwards into a prograding continental slope.