12 CEOLOaY AND ECONOMIC MINERALS OF NORTHERN NEW BRUNSWICK. 



ichi area, nor, indeed, anywlicre in the do[)().-its overlying Cav- 

 !)oniferoiis rocks. A niolluscan fauna must have existed in the 

 coast waters of the southern part of the Gulf in Pleistocene time, 

 however, as Avell as in those of the Baie des Chaleurs hasin. 



The general succession of the superficial deposits of north- 

 ern New Brunswick has heen given in the tahle on classification, 

 and their origin is explained hy supposing that the region was 

 dry land for a very long time, even geologically considered, 

 previous to the ice age, during which the rocks hecame decom- 

 posed to great depths. When glacial conditions supervened the 

 material thus produced was greatly denuded, some portions 

 forming houlder clay. The stratified beds resulted from the 

 modification of this boulder clay and of the decomposed rock 

 beneath, at a later stage. In the period of maximum ice ex- 

 tension the region stood higher, and much scoring and erosion 

 of the rocks took place from ice-action. This was followed by 

 a subsidence, when the land reached a level of about 200 feet 

 lower than it is at the present day. Succeeding this was an 

 upheaval, when it rose slightly higher than it is now. Since 

 then a slight downward movement hns again taken place along 

 the coast border as evidenced by the peat bogs settling down be- 

 low the sea-level, and the land does not yet seem to have reach- 

 ed a position of stable equililn-iuin. 



9. 



MINERALS AND MATERIALS OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. 



Although northern New Brunswick has hitherto produced 

 little of importance from the mine or quarry, except building 

 stone, lime and bricks, nevertheless, a large number of minerals 

 are known to exist here. The gray Carboniferous sandstone and 

 granite furnisli excellent building stone, and the former has also 

 for many years been quarried for grindstones in eastern Glou- 

 cester. Limestone is abundant throughout the whole Silurian 

 area, but has, so far, been manufactured into lime only for local 

 use. Clay suitable for brick making is common and brick-kilns 

 are in operation in several places in the Miramichi and Baic des 

 Chaleurs districts. Peat bogs are numerous, and peat exists here 



