Introduction to the Geology of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan’s natural resources have been studied since the middle of the 19th century. In 1857 and 1858, a British aristocrat named John Palliser, led one of the first well-recorded expeditions through what is today the southern half of Saskatchewan. He was accompanied by a geologist, a botanist, an astronomer, and a magnetic observer and together they recorded the flora, fauna, and minerals of the region, ultimately resulting in a report to the British Colonial Office in 1862. A separate expedition that was tasked with finding a reliable route from Lake Superior to the Red River, was led by geologist Henry Youle Hind, departing from Toronto in 1857 and spending the summer of 1858 over what is now southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Both expeditions identified the river valleys as most suitable for future settlement, while Palliser deemed a large part of southwestern Saskatchewan (later referred to as the Palliser triangle) as unsuitable for settling due to its arid climate and lack of trees. In the early part of the 20th century, the Province was visited by geologists of the Geological Survey of Canada and since 1948 provincial geologists have been studying the rocks, and mineral and petroleum resources of Saskatchewan.

Geologists divide rock units in many ways, depending upon their interests and purpose. For this discussion, Saskatchewan is divided into two geologic regions, each underlain by a different suite of rock types. The Precambrian Shield, exposed in northern Saskatchewan, comprises crystalline basement rocks and sedimentary rocks of the Athabasca Basin, which together represent more than two billion years of Earth history. Younger sedimentary rocks cover the crystalline basement rocks in the Phanerozoic Basin which occupies the southern part of the province.

Research is on-going and reported on at the annual Saskatchewan Geological Survey Open House. Reports and maps are published in the Summary of Investigations twice a year. Episodically, the most current research is captured in comprehensive publications that compile and summarize this wealth of information into manageable reports and maps. To access these, go to the Geoscience Publications page.

To find out more go to the Geology, and Mineral and Petroleum Resources of Saskatchewan publication or any of the other related documents below.

Discover the geology of Saskatchewan using a Geographic Information System (GIS) by going to the Geological Atlas of Saskatchewan.