Nido Formation Explained

Nido Formation
Type:Geological formation[1]
Period:Neogene
Prilithology:Alkali basalt, hawaiite
Otherlithology:Fluvial gravel
Namedfor:Nido Creek
Namedby:Souther et al., 1984[2]
Region:British Columbia
Country:Canada
Coordinates:57.5°N -130.6°W[3]
Unitof:Mount Edziza volcanic complex
Subunits:Kounugu Member, Tenchen Member
Underlies:Spectrum Formation, Pyramid Formation, Ice Peak Formation, Big Raven Formation, Edziza Formation
Overlies:Raspberry Formation, Armadillo Formation, Little Iskut Formation

The Nido Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Neogene age in northwestern British Columbia, Canada.

Naming

The Nido Formation takes its name from Nido Creek, a stream flowing northeast from the eastern flank of Mount Edziza into Nuttlude Lake.[1] [4] [5] Nido means "white man" in the Tahltan language.[5]

Geology

The Nido Formation has a volume of 127km3, making it the second most voluminous geological formation of the Mount Edziza volcanic complex after the Armadillo Formation.[1] [3] It overlies the Raspberry, Armadillo and Little Iskut formations, all of which are Miocene in age. Also underlying the Nido Formation are pre-Tertiary rocks of the Stikinia terrane. Overlying the Nido Formation are the Spectrum, Pyramid, Ice Peak, Edziza and Big Raven formations which are of Pliocene age and younger.[1]

Two subunits comprise the Nido Formation, namely the Tenchen Member and the Kounugu Member. Both members are separated by the Armadillo Highlands in the middle of the Mount Edziza volcanic complex. The Tenchen Member forms a lava field north of the Armadillo Highlands while the Kounugu Member forms a lava field south of the highlands.[1]

The Nido Formation consists of alkali basalt and hawaiite lava flows that issued from multiple eruptive centres. K–Ar dating has yielded ages of 7.8 ± 0.3 million years, 5.5 ± 1.6 million years, 4.5 ± 0.3 million years and 4.4 ± 0.5 million years for Nido alkali basalt.[1]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Souther. J. G.. Jack Souther. The Late Cenozoic Mount Edziza Volcanic Complex, British Columbia. Geological Survey of Canada. Canada Communication Group. Memoir 420. 1992. 93, 95, 98, 100, 246, 248, 249, 267. 0-660-14407-7. 10.4095/133497. free.
  2. Web site: Nido Formation. Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. Government of Canada. 2023-08-04.
  3. Edwards. Benjamin Ralph. PhD. Field, kinetic, and thermodynamic studies of magmatic assimilation in the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province, northwestern British Columbia. University of British Columbia. 1997. 10. 0-612-25005-9.
  4. Telegraph Creek, Cassiar Land District, British Columbia. https://web.archive.org/web/20210502071600/https://volcano.si.edu/maps/GVAlaskaCanada/G910509-006.jpg. 1:250,000. 104 G. A 502. 3. Topographic map. Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. 1989. en,fr. 2023-06-29. 2021-05-02.
  5. 14307. Nido Creek. 2023-06-29.