A note on post-Mississippian thrust faulting in northwestern Cape Breton Island

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
• Main Author: Currie, K. L.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1977
• Subjects: Breton Island; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e77-254; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/e77-254

Thrust faulting, apparently of major proportions, has been observed at five localities in northwestern Cape Breton Island and inferred at several more. The thrust blocks of Precambrian crystalline rocks and Horton Group clastic sedimentary rocks have over-ridden Windsor Group (Viséan–Namurian) rocks but not Riversdale Group rocks (Westphalian). Thrusting can be explained by sliding of material from an elongate horst extending from northern Cape Breton Island to southwestern Newfoundland which rose throughout Tournaisian and Viséan time.