A Field Trip to the Ellisville Potsdam Sandstone Quarry

Last Sunday I visited the sandstone quarry at Ellisville, Ontario as part of an annual field trip organized by the Niagara Peninsula Geological Society.  It was sunny with a cool breeze – a perfect day to visit a quarry.

While only a few attended, something of interest was found by everyone.

Miniature Chevron Shaped Sand Dunes

Below is a photograph  of a texture in the sandstone that I’d never seen before, namely miniature chevron shaped sand dunes.

The simplest explanation is that the dunes are wind-generated dunes, with the arms pointing downwind, similar to Barchan dunes that one would see (on a much larger scale) in a desert.  However, I’ve noted references to the formation of chevron shaped dunes in experiments conducted in a water tank, so the chevron shaped dunes in the photograph could be water generated.

The Climactichnites burrowing trace: Climactichnites youngi.

Below are photographs of burrowing in sandstone. At least fifteen separated burrows are visible on the surface of the specimen.   I noted the specimen while walking with Peter Lee of Gananoque and Paul Musiol of Kingston.  I believe that the specimen shows the Climactichnites burrowing trace: Climactichnites youngi.   While not that obvious from the photographs, the burrows appear at a number of different levels in the specimen.

Subsequently Peter Lee found another specimen showing similar burrowing.

The Niagara Peninsula Geological Society may be scheduling another field trip to the quarry this October in conjunction with a trip to the Wollastonite mine along Highway 15 and the Frontenac Lead Mine.   Check their web site  http://www.ccfms.ca/clubs/NPGS/    and Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1392693367698780/   for updates.

At the end of this email I’ve provided the dates and titles of my earlier blog postings where I  provided photographs of trace fossils and textures in the sandstone that were found at the Ellisville Quarry.
   
Christopher Brett
Ottawa, Ontario


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Monday, 31 October 2016
The Ellisville Potsdam Sandstone Quarry Revisited

Thursday, 16 July 2015
Burrows or Not Burrows - Part 2

Tuesday, 18 August 2015
If there's something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call?

Monday, 12 August 2013
The Trace Fossil Diplichnites – A New Occurrence in Eastern Ontario

Tuesday, 9 July 2013
A New Occurrence of Protichnites in Potsdam Group Sandstone near Kingston, Ontario

Thursday, 20 June 2013
A Few Trace Fossils in Potsdam Group Sandstones of Eastern Ontario