14 
CANAL FLATS SECTION 
A section, of the Lower Cambrian rocks below the Elko limestone was 
examined on the south side of Kootenay river about 4 miles east of Canal 
flats. Kootenay river enters the Rocky Mountain trench from the east at 
Canal flats. The contact of the Lower Cambrian and the Precambrian is 
not exposed, but the strata from which the fossils were collected correspond 
to those of the Ram Creek section below the Elko limestone and above the 
very thick white quartzites and conglomerates. Dr. Walcott identified 
the following genera and species and made the following comments : 
“ Olenellus or Mesonacis (fragments) 
Corynexochus fieldensis Walcott 
Agraulos sp. 
Micromitra ( Paterina ) labradorica Bill 
Kutorgina cingulata Bill 
Stenotheca rugoaa Hall 
The various species mentioned above are characteristic of the Lower 
Cambrian Mount Whyte formation of the section at McArthur pass and 3 
miles east of Field, B.C. There is nothing to suggest a Middle Cambrian 
fauna except such forms as Ptychoparia and Agraulos , If the typical 
Burton is of Middle Cambrian age, then this formation is not to be corre- 
lated with the Burton but with the Mount Whyte formation.” 
“The section of the Burton near Elko, B.C., as published in 1914, 
indicated that 5 of the section is to be compared with Ptarmigan formation 
(Middle Cambrian) and 4, 3, 2 with the Mount Whyte formation (Lower 
Cambrian) of the section at Kicking Horse pass, east of Field, B.C.” 
GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE PRECAMBRIAN-CAMBRIAN 
CONTACT IN SOUTHEASTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA 
(1) The Lower Cambrian conglomerate rests with no discordance of 
dip on the underlying Precambrian formations except in the southern part 
of the Cranbrook area, where the structural relationships indicate an 
unconformity of erosion. This general lack of structural discordance of 
strike and dip indicates that no orogenic movements could possibly have 
intervened between the Cambrian and Precambrian periods in southeastern 
British Columbia. The fact that the Lower Cambrian basal conglomerate 
rests on horizons so widely separated stratigraphically as the Siyeh and 
the Roosville indicates that several thousand feet of strata at least have 
' been locally removed in the interval represented by the unconformity. 
(2) The underlying Precambrian surface shows no evidence of weather- 
ing, the rocks at the contact being fresh and unaltered. The encroachment 
of the Lower Cambrian sea was presumably slow, thus permitting the 
entire erosion of the weathered surface. 
(3) The basal conglomerate varies greatly in thickness, thus pointing 
to an irregular Precambrian land surface. 
(4) The fineness of the basal conglomerate together with its mineral- 
ogical composition, mainly quartz, indicates thorough weathering of the 
Precambrian land surface and an almost perfect sorting of these products 
by the advancing Lower Cambrian sea. Also the fineness of the basal 
conglomerate indicates comparatively mild transportation agents and, by 
inference, a neighbouring Precambrian land surface of low relief. 
