BULLETIN OF CANADIAN PETROLEUM GEOLOGY

VOL. 19, NO. 4 (DECEMBER, 1971) P. 730-781

A LATE DEVONIAN R E E F TRACT ON NORTHEASTERN

BANKS ISLAND, N.W.T.'

ASHTON F. EWIBRY
I I I ~and J. EDWARD
KLOVAN"

The Upper Devonian Weatherall Formation, outcropping on northeastern Banks

Island, N.W.T., contains a 200-ft-thick limestone unit here termed the Mercy Bay
Member. The member is Middle to Late Frasnian in age. Gyrfalcon Bluff has
been chosen as the type section.
Mercy Bay Member outcrops on the extreme northeastern portion of Banks
Island, and many excellent exposures permit detailed paleogeographical and
paleoecological stuclies. The member contains numerous organic build-ups and
represents a Late Devonian reef tract located in the marine-shelf environment
of a n exogeosyncline sit~lateclbetween a tectonic highland to the northwest and
a stable craton to the souiheast.
The main facies changes in the Mercy Bay Member occur in a n east-west
direction. The organic build-ups in the eastern part of the study area a r e
narrow, linear bioherms trending north.scuth. They are encased in younger
terrigenous clastic rocks. To the west the organic build-ups, which are biohermal
in the lower p a r t and biostromal in the upper, a r e more numerous. The lower
bioherms trend east.west. P e n e c ~ n t e m p o ~ a n e o u interbiohermal
s
strata consist
of dark, fine-grained argillaceous limestone. Organic build-ups on the western
edge of the outcrop area a r e bioherms which trend north-south.
The lower portion in all organic build-ups consists of corals and tabular
stromatoporoids. These are interpreted a s biogenetic banks constructecl in the
quiet and intermediate-energy zones (water clepths more than 30 f t ) . The upper
portion is composed of massive stromatoporoids. This facies represents rigid
reefs constructed in the high-energy zone (above 30 feet). Successive sea-level
rises allowed the reefs to grow upward. Cessation of reef growth was caused
by a n influx of terrigenous sediment related to the seaward migration of the
northern and western shorelines.
The outcropping organic build-ups of the Mercy Bay Member are tightly
cemented, but frequent bitumen occurrences indicate that they were once oilbearing. Organic build-ups of the Mercy Bay Member probably occur in the
subsurface t o the west.

1Revised Manuscript received June 30, 1971.

"Mobil Oil Canada Ltd., Calgary, Alberta.
SDepartment of Geology, The University of Calgary.
This paper is basecl on a portion of an M.Sc. thesis submitted to the University
of Calgary by the senior author. Operating expenses were covered by contributions from Alminex Ltd., Amoco Canada Ltd., Banff Oil Ltd., Canadian Superior
Oil Ltd., Chevron Standard Lid., and King Resources Co. Financial assistance
was also provided by two N.R.C. scholarships to the senior author and a n N.R.C.
g r a n t to the junior author. The Inuvik Research Laboratory provided the paiTy
with accommodation in Inuvilr and supplied camp gear. Polar Continental Shelf
Project provided transportation to the study area and served a s a vital link to
the outside world. Charles Ellsworth ably piloted the Piper Super Cub (CF-GOD)
which was the mode of transportation within the study area. Bernard Plauchut
of Elf Oil Canada gave invaluable advice on both logistical and geological
problems. Gordon Marney of Amoco Canada acted a s the field assistant. The
University of Calgary provided laboratory and photographic facilities.

730
Copyright 1971 - Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists

A L A T E DEVONIAN R E E F TRACT

The Upper Devonian stratigraphy of northeastern Banlts Island has

been outlined by Iclovan and Embry (1971). The lone carbonate unit
occurring within the strata is herein named the Mercy Bay Member of
the Weatherall Formation. I t is Middle to Late Frasnian in age. I t has
been studied in detail because it contains numerous organic build-ups,
occurrences which, in the Devonian of Western Canada, a r e of great
econonlic importance. The purpose of this paper is to describe the
inember from paleogeographical, paleoecological and economical points
of view.

Roclts from t h e Mercy Bay Member were first described by A. Armstrong (1857) who was the surgeon on M'Clure's ill-fated ship I~~.uest.igntoi~.
I~tuestigcttorbecame entrapped in the ice of Mercy Bay during the search
for the Northwest Passage, and the crew remained there for two years
before finally abandoning ship. Armstrong collected fossils from the
exposure of the Mercy Bay Member a t the head of Mercy Bay (Gyrfalcon
Bluff) and described the mcmber as ". . . a remarltable limestone formation rising allnost vertically to a height of 500 feet. Its character is
mountain limestone and contained fossils."
Armstrong's fossil identifications led Washburn (1949) to assign a
Permian age to the strata. This error was corl.ectcc1 when Porsild (1950)
collected fossils from Gyrfalcon Bluff which were assigned a Devonian
age by Dr. Alice Wilson of the G.S.C. Thorsteinsson and Tozcr (1962)
briefly describe the Mercy Bay h/Iember in their account of the regional
geology of Banks, Victoria and Stephansson islands. Their descriptions
and illustrations pron~ptedthe present study.

Figure 1 is a map of the study area showing the outcrop pattern of

the Mercy Bay Member. The member outcrops in the northern half of
the Devonian outcrop area. I t is approximately 200 ft thick and therefore
constitutes a very small portion of the total Devonian section. Outcrops
are usually found as very steep cliffs in many of the river valleys. For
ease of reference to sections, names have been assigned to major rivers
in the study area (Fig. 1). These names are not recognized by the
Canadian Board on Geographical Names.
In the eastern part of the study area, the Mercy Bay Member outcrops
only in Ifl'Clure River \:alley and on the sea cliffs on M'Ciure Strait near
the mouth of M'Clure River. To the west, the next exposures of the
member occur in Manning River valley and the eastern valley of Mercy
River. Here, the member forms a marlted bench on the valley walls,
the tops of which a r c usually capped by rubble of the Nccla Bay Formation. Westward and southward, the member forms the cap of the valley
walls and, in Mercy River valley, numerous, small, irregular mesas capped
by the member occur (Plate 1). Further to the west, in the area near
the head of Mercy Bay, the member occurs as scattered hills on a lowland. Gyrfalcon Bluff is the most spectacular of these hills. In the

Fig. 1.

Outcrop p a t t e r n o f M e r c y Boy M e m b e r and section localities

A LATE DEVONIAN REEF TRACT

733

southern part of the area the Mercy Bay Member is thin (50-100 f t ) , but
as it forms the cap of the valley walls the top has probably been eroded.
The member was studied a t four localities: 1. Manning River, 2. East
Mercy River, 3. Gyrfalccn Bluffl 4. MIClure River (Fig. 1, Locs. 1 - 4 ) .
A t these localities detailed descriptions of the Mercy Bay Member were
made, and representative samples of all different rock types encountered
were collected. Polaroid snapshots were found to be useful for plotting
obvious facies changes and sample locations. Other exposures of the
member were briefly examined (Fig. 1, Loc. 5-9), but by no means was
the entire outcrop examined in detail.
A N D CLASSIFICATION
CARBONATE
TERMINOLOGY

Since t h e Mercy Bay Member contains numerous organic build-ups,

the terminology used to describe organic build-ups and the rock types
in them is briefly reviewed. The term o~ga?licbuild-up is applied to any
carbonate rock: body composed primarily of fossil organisms, regardless
of the shape or mode ol origin of the rock body. Reef, b m k , b i o h e ~ m
and biost~onzea r e terms applied to specific types of organic build-up
according to the shape and mode of origin of the rock body. They have
been recently discussed by Dolphin and Klovan (1970).
The various types of carbonate particles which compose carbonate
1-oc1:s have been thoroughly described in many previous papers (Folk,
1959; Leighton and Pendexter, 1962; I<lovan, 1964; Murray, 1966 and
Pischbuch, 1968). Terminology used to describe carbonate particles has
become standard and is followed in this study.
The widely used limestone classifications of Folk (1959, 1962) and
Dunham (1962) have been found inadequate for describing the diverse
rock types that occur in organic build-ups. This inadequacy has been
noted previously (Murray, 1966; Leavitt, 1968).
Folk's 1959 classification makes t h e basic distinction between organically bound (autochthonous) and not organically bound (allochthonous)
limestones. For allochthonous carbonate rock types he used particle
type and size a s the bases for his classification. The important parameter
that Folk disregarded is grain-to-matrix relationship; i.e., whether the
grains or the matrix form t h e supporting framework. Another shortcoming of Folk's classification is t h a t all autochthonous limestones are
described by one term - biolithite. It is recognized that organisms bind
sediment in different ways and these differences, which of course produce
different rock types, should not be ignored in a basic classification.
Bunham's classification also distinguishes between autochthonous and
allochthonous limestones. For all allochthonous limestones the classification is based on t h e grain-to-matrix relationship. The only size distinction made is between mud (<.03mm) and grains (>.03mm). This
classification is more flexible than t h a t of Folk because particle types
are used as modifiers. A defect in Dunham's classification is t h e lack
of size differentiation. Dunham made the same oversimplification as
Folk and grouped all autochthonous limestones into one term - bozmd-

stone.

734

A. F. EMBRY 111 cmd J . E. ICLOVAN

The classification we propose in Figure 2 is an attempt to differentiate

the autochthonous limestones into meaningful categories. Further, the
limestone conglomerates a r e recognized as important rock types. Essentially this scheme is an expanded version of Dunham's classification.
Limestones a r e first divided into autochthonous and allochthonous
groups. The allochthonous group is classified according to particle size
and grain-to-matrix relationship. A third size division, >2mm component, has been adopted, and the size divisions used are, mud (<.03mm),
grains (>.03mm - <2mm) and >2mm component. This particle - size
classification is basically that used in classifying terrigenous clastic rocks.
Klovan (1964) has elaborated on the practicality of this size classification
f o r carbonate rocks. The combination of the parameters, particle size
and grain-to-matrix relationship results in six rock types: s?zzidstone,
tc;ackesto.rle, packsto?le, g?'ainsto?le, floatstoxe a?td ~udstone. Mudstone,
wackestone, packstone and grainstone are used in exactly the same sense
as originally defined by Dunham (1962). Floatstone and rudstone ( ~ z ~ d z t s ,
rubble) are new terms and describe rocks whic11 contain greater than
10 percent >2mm component. These rock types are the 'carbonate conglomerates.' There is an obvious need t o recognize these two 1.ock types
because >2mm particles are usually the most important constituents
for describing and interpreting rocks of organic build-ups. The difference
between the two rocli types is that in a rudstone the >21nm particles
form the supporting framework whereas in a floatstone they 'float' in the
finer-grained matrix that forms the framewoi-li.
Autochthonous limestones may also be further subdivided. They have
been split into three types because there are three main ways in which
organisms bind sediment: 1,constructing a rigid framework, 2. encrusting
and binding, 3. baffling (Klement, 1967). The three rock types have therefore been named frawzesto?le, bi?ldsto?le and baffZesto?le.
These rock types are not purely descriptive as are those of the allochthonous group, but involve interpretation a s regards the paleoecological
role of the fossils in the rocli. The interpretations of the geologist as to
whether ill situ fossils in a rock bound the original sediment during
deposition and, if so, by which method of binding, are the basic criteria
for assigning rocks to the various classes of autochthonous limestones.
Thus, good outcrop exposures or continuous cores are usually needed to
recognize these different classes.
Framestones contain i??sitl~massive fossils which constructed a rigid
three-dimensional framework during deposition. The in sitzc fossils therefore form the supporting framework of the rock, with matrix material
occurring in the interstices between the fossils.
Bindstones contain is1 situ, tabular or lamellar fossils which encrusted
and bound sediment during deposition. In bindstones the matrix, not the
i?l situ fossils, forms the supporting framework of the rock, and the fossils
may form a s little as 15 percent of the constituents of the rock.
PLATE 1
Looking eastward over the Mercy River Valley.
Mesas copped by the Mercy Boy
Member are in the foreground and left centre. Further to the east the Mercy Bay Member
i s visible as a white band on the valley wall (RCAF T421R-202).

735

A L A T E DEVONIAN R E E F TRACT

PLATE 1

LESS THAN 10% > 2mm COMPONENTS

MUD SUPPORTED
SUPPORTED

Fig. 2.

Classification of limestones according to depositional texture.

A L A T E DEVONIAN R E E F T R A C T

737

Bafflestones are the least common and most interpretive of the autochthonous lin~estones. They contain i i l sit.11, stalk-shaped fossils which, during deposition, trapped sediment by acting as baMes (i.e., reducing the
rate of flow of water, thus causing deposition). The ingredients for the
recognition of a bamestcne are t h e presence of a large number of Z?L situ
stalk-shaped fossils, and a good imagination on the part of the geologist.
The term bo?c?ld.sto.)leof Dunhain is retained for authochthonous limestones in which the specific mode of organic binding cannot be recognized.
Modifiers such as particle type, further grain-size qualification (Wentworth scale), impurities and colour can add to the terminology of the
basic classification.
The proposed limestone classification can be used in two ways. The
different classes can be used both as roclt names and a s textural modifiers
for describing the matrix of a rock type. An example of the use of this
classification is: "thamnoporid floatstone with a fine-grained, skeletal
wacltestone matrix." In this case floatstolle is used a s the roclr name
~ v l ~ e r e at~ackestoue
s
is a textural modfier. Another example is: "tabular stromatoporoid bindstone with a thamnoporoid floatstone matrix with
a fine-grained wackestone matrix." Ln this case bind.sto?ze is the rock
name whereas both flontsto?le and wackesto)le are textural modifiers. In
the description of autochtonous limestones, as illustrated above, the
matrix of the rock type often has to be described on two scales: the
>2mm particle-size scale and the <2mm particle-size scale. This results
in 'the matrix having a matrix.'
This classification may seem complicated a t first but it gives a relatively
complete description of the rock type. The last roclr type described above,
Folk's classification would name a "tabular stromatoporoid biolithite;"
Dunham's a "tabular stromatoporoid boundstone." In both the matrix
of the roclr is ignored. Thus the proposed classification conveys a much
more coi~~plete
picture of the rock type than does either Folli's or Dunham's.
PALEONTOLOGY
A N D PALEOECOLOGY

The main fossil types found in the present study are stromatoporoids,
corals, crinoids, brachiopods, gastropods and bryozoans.
No generic identifications have been attempted for the stromatoporoids.
They have been classified according to shape into four types: nznss,tve,
tnbz~la~.,
cyZi?~.&ical,and ,iri*eguln?.. F o r laterally extensive stromatoporoids, any colonies less than two inches thiclt were arbitrarily assigned to
the tabular growth form; those greater than two inches thick are termed massive.
Corals were given generic names where possible; e.g., Alueolites, but
often 'basket' names such a s thanzxoporid were applied to corals (and
perhaps bryozoans) which are distinctive but may consist of several very
similar genera. Shape adjectives were also added to these names.
Crinoids, brachiopods, gastropods, and bryozoans were not identified
further.

738

A. F . E M B R Y I I I CL?ICZ J . E. KLOVAN

Paleoecological studies of Upper Devonian organic build-ups (Klovan,

1964) have established a faunal-zonation model for the common fossils of
this age. Dolphin and Klovan (1970) have summarized this model and
applied i t successfully to a n Upper Devonian carbonate bank.
Three major paleoecological zones are recognized:
1. An underturbulent o r quiet-water zone, which receives a minimum
amount of wave agitation and is located well below wave base. This zone
is characterized by corals (AlveoZites, disphyllids and thamnoporids)
2. A subturbulent or semi-rough water zone, which is located below
average wave base but is still within the reach of storm waves. This
zone is characterized by tabular stromatoporoids.
3. A turbulent o r rough-water zone, which receives the maximum
amount of wave agitation and is located above wave base. This zone is
charac terized by msssive stromatoporoids.

Logan (1969) has studied Recent organic build-ups on the Yucatan

shelf and has recognized a similar ecological zonation for their main
organisms. His ecological zones are:
1.A quiet low-energy zone occurring a t a depth of water below '75 f t
and characterized by an Aga~icia-Mmztastreacommunity.
2.An agitated t o quiet intermediate-energy zone occurring between 75
and 30 f t of water dcpth and characterized by a Diplow"-Mo?~tast?'ectPorites community.
3. A wave-agitated, high-energy zone occurring between 30 feet and
sea level and characterized by an Acropo~apnlnzcrtn community.
Logan has demonstrated t h a t these three zones correlate with two
thresholds of wave acticn; one a t 30-35 f t (average wave base) and the
other a t 70-75 it (storm wave base). These thresholds were delineated on
wave-current velocity curves plotted against depth. The thresholds were
taken a t marked inflections on the curves.
There is a parallelism between Recent and Late Devonian ecological
zones; three zones, reflecting increasing water energy, have been recognized in each case. Late Devonian paleoecological zones are qualitative
with regard t o water depth whereas Recent ecological zones have been
related to absolute water depths. It is suggested that the water depths
critical for the three organic communities of Recent organic build-ups
are directly applicable to the Late Devonian paleoecologic zones (Fig. 3 ) .
This comparison implies t h a t massive stromatoporoids grew mainly between sea level and 30 f t , that tabular stromatoporoids were predominant
between 30 and 75 ft, and that below 75 f t corals were predominant.
Later it will be demonstrated that these depths for Late Devonian organic
communities are reasonable estimates.
It should be emphasized that these depth estimates can be applied only
to Devonian organic build-ups that were situated on a n open-marine shelf.
Further, the build-ups must have had relatively steep slopes, so that wave
energy was not dissipated while the waves transversed the outer slope.
Dolphin and Klovan (1970) have demonstrated that the large, Devonian
carbonate banks of southwestern Alberta had very shallow slopes and
t h a t wave energy over the slope was greatly reduced. In such a case the
proposed depths would not apply.

A L A T E DEVONIAN R E E F TRACT

The NIercy Bay Member is approximately 200 f t thick throughout the

study area, and outcrops as steep cliffs on many river valley walls. The
member is composed of organic build-ups and interorganic build-up strata.
The organic build-ups, which are biohermal and biostromal, a r e usually
well exposed and weather a light grey to yellow-orange color. The interorganic build-up strata are poorly exposed and weather a dark grey to
black. It is emphasized that the Mercy Bay Member is a limestone and
that no dolomite was observed in outcrop, hand sample or thin section.
The member was studied in detail a t four localities: Manning River,
East Mercy River, Gyrfalcon Bluff and M'Clure River. The observations
and interpretations nlade for the Mercy Bay Member a t these localities
a r e presented in the following sections, with an effort having been made
to separate the facts from the speculations.

nfe~~cy
Bcty nlenzber* at Jfa)l?li?lg RivetManning River is located east of Mercy Bay and flows westward for
part of its course, then turns abruptly northward and flows into M'Clure
Strait just west of Cape Vesey Hamilton (Fig. 1). Mercy Bay Member
outcrops along the southern portion of the river valley and was studied
near the point where the river turns northward. Plate 2 presents an
over-all view of this locality.
Deso-iptm)). Strata u ~ d e r l y i n gthe Mercy Bay Member are exposed only
on the western valley wall. Eighty-seven feet of terrigenous elastic roclts
a r e exposed. The lower 60 f t consist of drab green to grey, very fincgrained, argillaceous, quartz sandstone. The upper 27 f t contain sporadic
exposures of siltstone with 3 f t of massive, fine-grained sandstone a t the
top. The sandstone is red and, where i t underlies the organic build-up,
contains scattered corals, crinoids and brachiopods. Underlying the interorganic build-up strata the sandstone is green and contains only a few
scattered crinoid ossicles.
The organic build-up, exposed on the valley walls of a tributary which
joins Manning River a t its north~vardturn, was studied in detail (Plate
2 ; A,B). The organic build-up has been divided into six vertically separable rock stratigraphic units. The lower two units are the first and
second coral - tabular stromatoporoid units. They are lithologically similar but are separated by a thin recessive interval. Overlying these units
a r e four massive-stromatoporoid units separated by thin recessive and
covered intervals.
Plate 3 illustrates the organic build-up on the western valley wall (Plate
2 ; A) whereas Plate 4 illustrates the same organic build-up on the eastern
valley wall (Plate 2; B ) .
The first (lowermost) coral - tabular stromatoporoid unit is biohermal
with a maximum thickness of 35 ft. The bioherm is approximately 200
f t wide. The loweri~lost3 f t form a horizontal extension over the entire
Manning River locality. The lithology of the extension is a dark grey,
AlveoZites bindstone with a fine-grained, skeletal wackestone to packstone
matrix. A1z;eolites content decreases with increasing distance from the
maximum development of the bioherm.

940

A. F . EMBRY ZZZ a ? ~ dJ . E. ZI'LOVAN

PLATE 2
A n over-all view of the Monning River locality. The various organic build-ups described
and illustrated i n the text are lettered. View looking south.

The central part of the bioherm (core) is massive whereas the edges
(flank) a r e crudely bedded with depositional dips up to 20". The lower
15 feet of the bioherm consist of Alveolitas and tabular-stromatoporoid
bindstone which has a thamnoporid floatstone matrix with a finegrained, skeletal wackestone matrix. AZveoliles and tabular stromatoporoids make up from 20 to 50 per cent of the rock. Bushes of 2 . i ~ sitzc
disphyllid corals occur in places but often the colonies are disoriented
and encrusted by AZueolites and stromatoporoids (Plate 5, Fig. 1).Brachiopods a r e found in scattered 'nests' in which some of the brachiopods
a r e i n sittc. Crinoid ossicles a r e ubicluitous but not volumetrically important. Argillaceous material is present in small pocltets, and thin shaIe
partings occur in the flank portion.
In the upper part of the bioherm corals become far less abundant and
tabular stromatoporoids predominate. Fragmented thamnoporids are also
common. Tabular stro~natoporoidsform bindstone but generally make up
less than 40 percent of the rock. The matrix is a thamnoporid floatstone
with a skeletal wackestone matrix.

PLATE 3
A n organic build-up of the Mercy Bay Member which outcrops on the western valley wall
of the Manning River (Plate 2; A). This organic build-up was studied i n detail. View
!goking west.

A LATE DEVONIAN REEF TRACT

741

PLATE 3

$@
;

INTERORGANIC BUILDUP

.. ...
.;:::;:??,?
..,.....,.,
.
:.:::::...,
.. . ,

TERRIGENOUS CLASflC ROCKS

A. P. EMBRY 111 and J . E. KLOVAN

742

ECOLOGICAL ZONES

RECENT ORGANIC BUILBU6

YUCATAN SHELF

ENVIRONMENT

STRUCTURE
BUILDING POTENTIAL

SL
A c r o p ~ apalmato
-

WAVE AGITATED

WAVE - RESISTANT

COMMUNITY

HIGH ENERGY

REEF

PALEOECOLQGICAL
ZONES
DEVONIAN
ORGANIC BUILDUPS

7
'

#SL

MASSIVE
STROMATOPOROID
COMMUNITY

30'

30'
TABULAR

Mol~riaMontortrea-

AGITATED TO QUIET

BlOGENETlC

INTERMEDIATE ENERGY

BANK

STROMATOPOROID
COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

70'

70'
AparicioMontortrea-

QUIET

BlOGENETlC

LOW ENERGY

BANK

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

Fig. 3.

Alveolites
dirphyllidr

Comparison o f Recent a n d Devonian ecological zones.

Flank beds, like the core, consist mainly of ill sitz~o r nearly i ? ~sitz~
fossils. This type of flank bed is not to be confused with a detrital flanlt
bed, which consists mainly of transported and abraded fossils.
The second coral -tabular stromatoporoid unit, with a maximum thickness of 20 ft, is biohermal on the western valley wall. On the eastern
valley wall it is tabular in form and extends southward over the underlying unit (Plate 4 ) . The lithology is predominantly tabular-stromatoporoid bindstone which has a thamnoporid floatstone matrix with a
mottled, red, yellow, and grey, fine-grained, skeletal waclcestone matrix.
The first massive-stromatoporoid unit has a flat top with an irregular
base conforming t o the shape of the underlying unit. The unit is 30 f t
thiclc where it overlies the maximum development of the two coral tabular stromatoporoid units and thickens to 50 f t along the flanks.
The unit is divisible into a massive core and a bedded flanlt. The core
is a white, massive-stromatoporoid framestone (Plate 5, Fig. 2) with
stromatoporoids laterally and vertically continuous over large areas (50
sq f t ) . Matrix material is rare (55;) and consists of medium to coarsegrained stromatoporoid grainstone. Towards the south, the core lithology
changes and stromatoporoid rudstone is interbedded with massive-stromatoporoid framestone. Matrix material in both rock types consists of
brown, medium-grained, skeletal grainstone t o pacltstone.
Flank beds vary in thickness between 1 and 3 f t and in depositional
dip between 5 and 20" (Plate 5, Fig. 3 ) . The main lithologies are dark
brown, stromatoporoid rudstone and floatstone with a fine-grained, sltele-

A LATE DEVONIAN REEF TRACT

743

tal paclrstone matrix. Large stromatoporoid fragments become less abundant down dip, and there is a n increase in argillaceous content. The flank
beds eventually pass into the interorganic build-up strata.
The lithology of the overlying 1-ft-thicle recessive interval is variable.
Slightly argillaceous, stromatoporoid rudstone is the main lithology
present.
The second massive-stromatoporoid unit is lithologically and faunally
similar to the first. The unit is 25 f t thick with a flat top and bottom.
As seen on the western valley wall, this unit oversteps the first massivestromatoporoid unit in a southward direction (Plate 3 ) . On the eastern
valley wall it appears to contain interorganic build-up strata (Plate 4 ) .
Stratigraphically equivalent to the two coral -tabular stromatoporoid
units and t h e first two massive-stromatoporoid units are horizontally
bedded, interorganic build-up strata. Beds vary between 3 in and 3 f t
thick (Plate 5, Fig. 4 ) . The main lithologies are platy-weathering, dark
grey, argillaceous, very fine-grained, skeletal wackestone and massiveweathering, fine-grained skeletal packstone. Insoluble residues indicate
that the wackestones contain a s high a s 30 percent argillaceous material
and bitumen. Ostracods and brachiopods a r e the only fossils present.
The two coral - tabular stromatoporoid units and the first two massivestromatoporoid units f6i.m a bioherm 110 it high, 600 f t wide and of
unknown length. It is elongate in an east-west direction. The north
side is linear and slopes steeply upward toward the south; the south side
is irregular with t h e units overstepping each other in a southward direction.
The third massive-stromatoporoid unit, in contrast to the preceding
ones, occurs as a continuous biostrome over the entire Manning River
locality. It is thicker (30 f t ) above the underlying bioherm than over
the interbioherm strata (20 f t ) . The unit does not drape over the
bioherm, indicating t h a t the interorganic build-up strata have not been
differentially compacted. The unit is massive over its entire extent and
consists of massive-stroinatoporoid framestone and stromatoporoid rudstone with a skeletal grainstone matrix.

A 35-ft-thick covered interval overlies the third massive-stromatoporoid unit. The lithology is inferred to be similar t o t h a t of the interorganic build-up strata.
Overlying the covered interval is the fourth massive-stromatoporoid
unit, a 40-ft-thick, continuous biostrome. The unit is well bedded (Plate
5, Fig. I),with beds 1 to 3 f t thick. The main lithologies are, once again,
massive-stromatoporoid framestone and stromatoporoid rudstone, both
with medium-grained, slieletal grainstone matrices. Massive stromatoporoids of this unit are large hemispheres over half a foot in diameter, and
give the rock the appearance of a conglomcratc. A t one locality a large
framestone.
wood fragment occurs imbedded in massive-~t~ornatoporoid
The middle of the unit has beds of thamnoporid floatstone with a dark
brown, fine-grained, skeletal paclistone matrix. Thin, tabular stromatoporoids and AZveoZi.tes are also present, possibly forming bindstone. A few
Pl~ill~ipsast~~eu
and Hezayo7~c(?*ia
colonies occur in this interval. This is the
only place in the entire organic build-up where these corals were found.

744

A. F . EMBRY I I I

c ~ l dJ .

E. KLOVAN

Overlying beds a r e riot exposed but are presumed to be terrigenous

clastic roclis.
Plate 6 illustrates some of the different rock types t h a t have been
described and shows their relative positions in the Mercy Bay Member.
More organic build-ups are exposed a t the Manning River locality but
they were not studied in detail. Panoramic photographs were talten of
some of them and interpretations of lithologies made from the photographs. One thousand feet to the south of the organic build-up described above is another well-exposed organic build-up (Plate 2; C ) . The
same six units appear to be present (Plate 7, Figs. 1 and 2 ) .
In an organic build-up outcropping 1500 f t to the north of the one
studied (Plate 2; D ) , the various units are not as well displayed. However, the lower bioherm and the two upper biostromes are easily delineated (Plate 7, Figs. 3 and 4).
An insight into the evolution of an organic build-up is gained by studying a panorainic view of one outcropping to the north of the one studied
(Plate 2; E) , (Plate 8). Three coral - tabular stromatoporoid bioherms
a r e present, one a t each end of the cliff and one in the middle. The
massive-~t~omatoporoid
units that occur on top of the northern bioherm
extend progressively southward. The fourth massive-stromatoporoid unit
extends over the southern bioherm and forms a continuous biostrome.
Detritus from the third stromatoporoid unit of the northern bioherm
apparently caused the massive-stromatoporoid growth on the southern
bioherni to cease. Detritus from the two end bioherms evidently caused
a n earlier cessation of growth on the middle bioherm.

I?zte)p?.etntio?~.Figure 4 illustrates the fossil distribution in the Mercy

Bay Member a t Manning River. This distribution is very important for
the interpretation of environment and depositional history. Figure 5
summarizes the interpreted depositional history discussed below.
Immediately before the start of Mercy Bay Member deposition, the
depositional environment was a shallow-marine shelf of the quiet-energy
zone. Very fine sand, silt, and clay accumulated on the shelf, with brachiopods, crinoids and corals growing on slightly elevated areas. The influx
of terrigenous sediment became drastically reduced, and thus prolific
organic growth was able t o commence. Corals built small, 100 to 200 f t
wide, biogenetic banks, elongate in an east-west direction (Fig 5 a ) . These
banks grew upward into the intermediate-energy zone, where tabular
stromatoporoids became the predominant faunal element (first and second
coral - tabular stromatoporoid units). Upward growth of these banks continued until the high-energy zone was entered (Fig. 5b). At this point
massive stromatoporoids colonized the upper surface of the biogenetic
bank and built a rigid, wave-resistant, platform reef up to the surface

PLATE 4
The same organic build-up as Plate 3, outcropping on the eastern valley wall of the
Manning River (Plate 2; B). lnterorganic build-up strata are well exposed to the left of
the organic build-up. View looking east.
The size of this organic build-up can be appreciated by noting M r . Marney (the black
dot to which the arrow points).

ERRIGENOUS CLASTIC ROCKS

PLATE 4

A. F.EMBRY I11 c~wdJ . E. KLOVAN

ZONE

-- -- -

MASSIVE STROMATOPOROIDS
ALVEOLITES, HEXAGONARIA, PHI L l l PSASTREA
MASSIVE STROMATOPOROIDS

BRACHIOPODS, OSTRACODS

MASSIVE STBOMATOPORQIDS

BRACHIOPODS

ALVEOLITES
Fig. 4.

THAMNOPORIDS
BRACHIOPODS
DISPHYLLIDS
THAMNOPORIDS

Fossil distribution i n the Mercy Bay Member a t Manning River

of the water (Fig. 5c). A reef flat then developed and reef construction
was limited to the windward edge. Most of the stromatoporoid detritus
in the first massive-stromatoporoid unit occurs in the southern portion.
As modern reefs often have the main accumulations of detritus on the
windward side (Mesolella et nl., 1970), the windward edge is interpreted
to be the south side. The recessive interval of the top of the first massivestromatoporoid unit is interpreted a s a reef-flat deposit. Continual erosion
and regeneration of the reef produced slteletal debris which gradually
filled up the deeper interreef areas.
The next event in the depositional history was a rise in sea level.
Massive stromatoporoids were able to recolonize the entire reef surface.
The reef eventually grew up to the surface, and another reef flat formed
over most of the reef platform (second massive-stromatoporoid unit)
(Fig. 5d). Eventually organic growth ceased because of extreme shallowing of the interreef areas. Further degradation of the reefs created an

PLATE 5
Lower part of the first coral - tabular stromatoporoid unit, with disoriented
disphyllid corals encrusted by Alveolites and thin, tabular stromotoporoids.
The divisions
on the pole are in feet.
Fig. 2. Massive-stromotoporoid fromestone with the laminae of the stromatoporoids
being visible.
Fig. 3 . Flank beds of the first massive-stromatoporoid u n i t dipping a t 15".
Fig. 4.
Bedded interorganic build-up strata with platy weathering, argillaceous, skeletal
wackestone and massive weathering, skeletal packstone. The large divisions on the pole are
i n feet.

Fig. 1.

A LATE D E V O N I A N REEF TRACT

747

A. P. EAZBRY I I I a~lclJ . E. ICLOVAN

748

MASSIVE STROMATOPORQID

11-

4F
-

TAsuLAa sTRoMAToPoRolD
C
Fig. 5.

SKELETAL DETRITUS
TERRlGENous SEDIMENT

- CORALS

Depositional history of the Mercy Ray Member a t Manning River.

A L A T E DEVOA7lilN REEF TRACT

749

extensive, debris-covered surface. Two lines of evidence support this conclusion: 1. The site of organic growth must have been a topographic high
on the sea floor. 2. When the next period of organic growth began, the
organic build-up extended laterally over the former interreef areas. Thus
organic growth must have ceased, with the entire area becoming a nearlevel surface. Exposure of the reef to subaerial erosion could also account
for the above observations, but no evidence was found to support this
interpretation.
A rise of sea level again created a high-energy environment over the
area. An extensive, stromatoporoid, platform reef formed ( t h i r d massivestromatoporoid unit) and grew up to the sui,face, where another reef
flat formed (Fig. 51).
When sea level rose again, massive stromatoporoids did not recolonize
the area. Instead, the area received interreef sediment or possibly lagoonal sediment (covered interval). Evidence from other localities shows
t h a t reef growth was occurring elsewhere a t this time.
Eventually massive stromatoporoids did recolonize the area and another
extensive platform reef grew up t o the surface, where a reef flat formed
(Fig. 5 g ) . The bedded nature of the fourth massive-stromatoporoid unit
and the presence of coral beds indicates that it was probably well within
the interior of the platform reef. Similar bedded, 'conglomerate,' massive
stromatoporoids and corals have been described for the backreef deposits
of a n Upper Devonian organic build-up in Australia (Playford, 1967).
An influx of terrigenous sediment combined with a risc in sea lcvel
ended reef growth ( F i g . 5 h ) .
Absollcte Wcrter D e p t l ~ sof De,~o.iricr?~
PaZeoecologiccrZ Zos~es.In a preceding
section, absolute water depths were assigned to the three Late Devonian
paleoccological zones oil the basis of a comparison with Recent ecological
zones. The first part of the interpreted depositional history of the Mercy
Bay NIen~bera t Manning River p r o ~ ~ i d ea s check for these absolute water
depths.
If, a s postulated, the lower part of the organic build-up (first and
second coral - tabular stromatoporoid units, and first massive-stromatoporoid unit) was built ~ipniardfrom t h e sea floor to the surface during a
time of static sea level, it is possible to calculate approximate water
depths for the three faunal communities from the thicltnesses of the
different units. T h e aggregate thickness of the two coral - tabular
stromatoporoid units is 55 ft, of which the lo\ver 1~5f t is composed of
corals and the uppcr 40 ft is predonlinantly tabular stromatoporoids. The
first massive-stromatoporoid unit is 30 f t thick.
According to this interpretation, the coral biogenetic bank began in 85
ft of ~ v a t e r ,with the tabular stroinatoporoids becorning the predominant
fauna a t a depth of 70 i t . Massive stromatoporoids began a t a depth of
30 ft and grew up to the surface. These calculated depths of the three
Late Devonian paleoecoiogical zones a r e remarltably similar to the depths
previously postulated (Fig. 3 ) .

T h e fl!Iel7cy Bcry Me?nber crt East M e w y River

The Mercy Ba17 Member is well exposed on the valley walls of the
Mcrcy River. The cliff face studied is 7 mi due south of the Manning
River locality (Fig. 1).

750

A. F . EMBRY 111 c i i ~ dJ . E. IiLOVAN

Descl'iptioz.
this locality.
interorganic
left side was

Plate 9 is a panoramic view of the Mercy Bay Member a t

Organic build-ups a r e located a t the ends of the cliff, with
build-up strata in between. The organic build-up on the
the only one studied. It is 225 S t thick.

The Mercy Bay Member here is similar to that exposed a t Manning

Rivcr, and the same faunal zones were delineated. Plate 10, Figs. 2 and
3 illustrate typical lithologies. Recessive intervals separate the upper part
of the organic build-up into massive-stron~atopo~oid
units (Plate 10, Fig.
1). Two biostromes are again present, but here they are separated by a
thin recessive interval. A t Manning River, the biostromes are always
separated by a thick, covered interval (interorganic build-up s t r a t a ) .
Overlying the second massive-stromatoporoid biostrome (Unit 6) is a
red to grey, coarse-grained, brachiopod, coral, bryozoan and crinoid grainstone (coquina). Many of the skeletal fragments have a hematite coating
(Plate 10, Fig. 4 ) . This rock type is interpreted to be a subaerial, reefflat accumulation of slteletal debris. This ty?e of deposit is corn~nonon
Recent reefs (Maxwell, 1968; Logan, 1969), alid Lowenstam (1950, 1937)
has describccl a n identical rock type overlying the Silurian, IVIariile reef.
He too interpreted it as a subaerial deposit, and presented considerable
evidence to support his interpretation.
Directly overlying the coquina are 1.0 i t of fissile, black shale. Above
the shale is a sequence of drab green to grey, very fine-grained, argillaceous sandstones, siltstones and shales with scattered brachiopods. The
Iqecla Bay Formation is 130 f t above the Mercy Bay h4ember a t this
locality.
I)lte)*l)retatiou. The depositional history of the nicmber a t this locality is
similar to that interpreted for the Manning River locality. The only
notable difference is that, in places, massive-strornatoporoid growth began
immediately after the first biostronie became submergent. This stromatoporoid growth was biohcrmal and occurred only over the sites of undcrlying bioherms. Intemcef areas were filled after the reefs reached the
surface, and another rise in sea level allowed the massive stromatoporoids
to form an extensive platforln recf. When this recf reached the surface,

PLATE 6
Fig. I. A n outcrop of the f o u r t h massive-stromotoporoid u n i t showing the bedded n o t u r e
o f the u n i t . A p p r o x i m a t e l y 20 f t o f section is exposed.
Massive-stromatoporoid floatstone w i t h o fine-groined, skeletol pockstone m a t r i x .
Fig. 2.
Massive-stromatoporoid rudstone w i t h a fine- to medium-grained, skeletal pockFig. 3.
stone m a t r i x .
Massive-stromatoporoid rudstone w i t h o coorLe- t o fine-grained, skeletol grainstone
Fig. 4.
matrix.
Massive-stromatoporoid framestone.
Fig. 5 .
Photomicrograph o f a very fine-grained, skeletol wacltestone.
Fig. 6.
Photomicrograph o f a n argillaceous, fine-grained, q u a r t z sondstone w i t h scottered
Fig. 7.
c r i n o i d ossicles.
Fig. 8. Globular Alveolites i n a corol flootstone m a t r i x .
Fig. 9 . Disphyllid coral bafflestone w i t h a mudstone m a t r i x .
Fig.
matrix.

10.

Thin,

tabular-stromatoporoid

bindstone

with

mottled,

skeletol

wackestone

A LATE DEVONIAN REEF TRACT

PLATE 6

751

752

A. F. EMBRY I I I and J . E. KLOVAN

islands of debris accumulated on the reef flat. The presence of a marine

shale overlying the subaerial coquina unit indicates that a rise in sea level
accompanied the influx of terrigenous clastic material that ended reef
growth.

Mercy Bay Member at Gyrfalcon. Bluff

Gyrfalcon Bluff is located on the eastern side of the head of Mercy Bay.
The locality has been chosen as the type section of the Mercy Bay Member
for two reasons: 1. The entire carbonate unit is well exposed with terrigenous clastic rocks outcropping above and below the carbonate. 2. The
locality is unmistakable, and is easily accessible because aircraft on large
tires can land on the flat lands near the bluff. A detailed description of
the type Mercy Bay Member is included in the appendix.

Description. Gyrfalcon Bluff is an imposing landmark, rising 475 f t above

sea level. The bluff itself is formed by the Mercy Bay Member, which is
exposed on steep cliffs on the western and southern sides. The northern
side has been rounded by glacial action (Plate 11).
Below the steep cliffs is a talus slope, and a small exposure of terrigenous clastic rocks occurs on the southwest corner of the hillside. Ninetyfive feet of terrigenous clastic rocks are exposed. The lower 70 ft consist
of drab, grey to green, very fine to fine-grained, argillaceous, quartz sandstone. Fine laminations, planar cross-laminations and burrows are common sedimentary structures. The uppermost part is ferruginous (hematitic) and contains corals.
The upper 25 ft consist of poorly exposed, green siltstone. A green,
fine-grained, highly burrowed sandstone occurs a t the top of this unit.
The Mercy Bay Member rests abruptly on this sandstone (Plate 12, Fig.
1).
Two sections were measured in the Mercy Bay Member on Gyrfalcon
Bluff, one on the south face and the other on the west. As the south
face, consisting of two outcrop areas, exposes eastward-dipping beds, the
section was measured along the base of the bluff. The west face is approximately parallel to the strike of the beds, and a vertical section
was measured up the precipitous surface.
A thin (3-5 f t ) horizontal limestone bed occurs along the base of the
south face. It is a dark grey, Alveolites and tabular-stromatoporoid bindstone with a fine-grained, skeletal packstone to grainstone matrix. To the
east the content of in situ fossils decreases almost to zero. Above this
bed, beds dip eastward a t angles up to 20". Beds are between 2 and 10
f t thick, and they thicken upward to the west.
The lithology of the distal ends of these beds is consistent along the
entire south face, and is tabular-stromatoporoid bindstone with a light
grey-yellow-maroon mottled, fine-grained, skeletal wackestone matrix.
PLATE 7
Figs. 1, 2.
3 and 4 (Plate
Figs. 3, 4.
3 and 4 (Plate

The organic build-up that outcrops to the south of the one pictured i n Plates
2; C). View looking west.
The organic build-up that outcrops to the north of the one pictured i n Plates
2; Dl. View looking east.

r - t

,?-

.'

754

A. F. EMBRY 111 a ) ~ dJ . E.IiLOVAN

Disphyllids, thamnoporids, brachiopods, crinoids and infrequent niassivestromatoporoid fragments are often present, forming a floatstone matrix.
Thin tabular stromatoporoids vary in abundance from 20 to 60 percent.
They are usually i?l situ but fragmented ones a r e not uncommon (Plate
12, Fig. 2 ) . In thin section, corals and stromatoporoids are seen to be
coated by the blue-green alga Sphnerocodiz~nzmny?zzsnz Wray (= Rothpletxella Wood). This alga also occurs as discontinuous strands in the
wackestone matrix.
Pockets of argillaceous material and thin shale partings are common,
and the wackestone matrix is slightly argillaceous. Limonite is common
a s finely disseminated flecks o r concentrated along stylolites.
The west face exposes 190 f t of limestone which has been divided into
three units. Unit 1 is 65 f t thiclt and consists of approximately the same
lithology a s was described for the south-face section. The only notable
difference is t h a t tabular stronlatoporoids in this unit tend to be thicker
and sometimes swell into massive and irregular forms. The upper boundary of this unit is talten a t the first occurrence of massive-stromatoporoid framestone.
Unit 2 is 75 f t thiclt and contains tabular-stromatoporoid bindstone
similar to t h a t of the preceding unit, except t h a t massive-stromatoporoid
fragments a r e more common. Massive-stromatoporid framestone with a
medium-grained, slteletal packstone to grainstone matrix is also a common
rock type, and is interbedded with t h e tabular-stromatoporoid bindstone.
The upper 50 f t of the section (Unit 3 ) consists predominantly of massive-stromatoporoid framestone (Plate 12, Fig. 3 ) with minor occurrences
of tabular - stromatoporoid bindstone.
Overlying the Mercy Bay Member is a green, very fine-grained, highly
argillaceous, quartz sandstone. Only one small outcrop is present and it
occurs on the northeastern part of the bluff. The contact of this sandstone and the Mercy Bay Member a t this location definitely appears to be
topographically lower than the frontal portion of the bluff. As the base
of the Mercy Bay Member is horizontal, this apparent eastward slope of
the top may be depositional.
Iqztmp~etatio?~.
Interpretations of environment and depositional history of
the Mercy Bay Meinber a t this locality are difficult because a large part
of the organic build-up has been removed by erosion. However, by applying the paleoecological model and by comparing the facies relationships
with those of the Recent reefs of the Yucatan shelf, the following interpretations have been made.
The presence of abundant tabular stromatoporoids a t the base of the
organic build-up suggests t h a t it began to form in the intermediate-energy
zone. A tabular-stromatoporoid biogenetic bank, centered to the west
PLATE 8
The same organic build-up as Plate 7, Figs. 3 and 4, which outcrops on the opposite
valley wall (Plate 2: E).
The southward growth of the massive-stromatoporoid units is
clearly illustrated.
Detritus from the third growth u n i t of the north bioherm (right side)
evidently caused a cessation of growth over the south bioherm. View looking west.

A. F . E M B R Y 111 ([)idJ . E. IIT,OVAN

756

- -.

-'

--.

-- e y - = q @ - j g
- - .--&
v
'b-.
.

-. .

..

A-

- .

.x::.+;".i

- ,-- ..

.. "

y,,

'.,.'-.,"*

. W". C _~
a~~~
- .
- .
,

-.

at-

-..

'

=- -=.
.*a,

(
5 .-

. -+ .,:.
X . .

PLATE 9
A panoramic view of the Mercy Bay Member a t East Mercy River valley, The bioherms
are a t the ends of the c l i f f . The coral tabular stromatoporold unit of the organic build-up
on the l e f t can be distinguished by its lighter tone. View looking northeast.

of the present exposure, grew upwards. The thin, horizontal extension

of this mound formed a platforn~over most of the area. When the highenergy zone was reached, massive stromatoporoids became predominant
and formed a rigid platform reef which grew up t o the water surface.
Following the reasoning given earlier, the eastern edge of the organic
build-up is interpreted to have had a massive-stromatoporoid zone from
0 t o 30 f t of water depth, and a tabular-stromatoporoid zone from 30 f t
t o the bottom. Algae probably played an important role as carbonatemud producers and binders in this lower zone. Zonation up the edge
of the organic build-up does not occur a t the localities previously described. A t these localities the reefs were more closely spaced and thus the
water would have contailled a greater amount of reef detritus. The water
below 30 f t may have been too turbid for stromatoporoid growth along
the deeper reef edges.
As sea level rose, these two zones shifted upward and eastward. The
interorganic build-up areas received some sediment but never came close
t o being filled, The eastward extent of the organic build-up cannot be
established because of erosion, but the uppermost massive-stromatoporoid
unit does not form a biostrome.

(,

A I,ATE D E V O F I B N R E E F T R A C T

.TII

$4

INTERORGANIC BUILDUP
STRATA

TERRIGENOUS CLASTIC ROCKS

..c

0
Ya APPR

Erosion has also removed t h e western part of t h e organic build-up. This

presumably contained t h c massive-stromatoporoid framcstone equivalent
to t h e lower portion of t h e tabular-stromatoporoid bindstone exposed on
t h e south face.
Figure 6 illustrates t h e 1-econstruction of the organic build-up and t h e
outline of t h e present outcrop area.
A similar organic build-up was briefly studied a t location 7 (Fig. I),
and t h e same facics relationships t h a t occur a t Gyrfalcon Bluff were recognized. Tabular stromatoporoids were Sound i l l sit11 in the underlying
quartz sandstone.
T h e M e r m ~Bcty Mevzbel a t M'Clzt~e River
NI'Clure River is located in the eastern part of t h e study area and flows
northeastward into M'Clure Strait 1 2 mi southeast of Rotld Head (Fig.
1 ) . T h e river is dceply incised into t h e plateau and a t its niouth t h e walls
a r e over 700 f t high. I t is 8 mi long, and the Mercy Bay Member and
its stratigraphical ecluivalents a r e exceptionally well exposed along t h e
valley walls (Fig. 7 ) .

MASSIVE STROMATOPOROIDS

SKELETAL DETRITUS

TABULAR STROMATOPOROIDS

TERRIGENOUS SEDIMENTS

Fig. 6.

Diagrammatic reconstruction of the Gyrfalcon Bluff organic build-up.

Descl-iptio?~.Six miles upstream from the mouth of the river, the Mercy
Bay Member is exposed in the valley of a northward-flowing tributary.
Here the Mercy Bay Member consists of an organic build-up in which a
lower, coral - tabular stromatoporoid unit and two massive-sti*omatoporoid
units were recognized. The thickness of t h e organic build-up was esti.
mated to be at least 200 ft.
In the northern part of the valley, a sequence of terrigenous clastic
~-ocks,predominantly sandstones, is stratigraphically equivalent to the
organic build-up. The contact between this sequence and the organic
build-up trends east-west (Plate 13, Fig. 1). The actual contact was not
exposed, but evidence from other localities suggests that the clastic roclts
onlap the organic build-up with no interfingering. At the base of the
clastic sequence is a 10-ft-thick, white-weathering, covered interval which
is probably time-equivalent to the Mercy Bay Member; the rest of the
sequence is definitely younger. These conclusions will be substantiated
later.
The sequence of terrigenous clastic rocks continues northeastward along
M'Clure River Valley for the next
mi, after which the Mercy Bay
PLATE 10
Fig. 1. The recessive intervals that separate the massive-stromatoporoid units ore easily
seen. The cliff is approximately 130 f t high.
Fig. 2 . Massive-stromatoporoid frarnestone. Note the absence of motrix and the "wavy"
growth pattern of the massive strornatoporoids.
Fig. 3. Tharnnoporid floatstone with most of the thomnoporid corals lying disoriented.
Note the hematite coating on the corals
Fig. 4. Photomicrograph of the "coquina".
and the spar matrix.

A LATE D E V O N I A N R E E F TRACT
PLATE 10

759

760

A. F . EMBRY 111 n ) i d J . E. K L O V A N

SW

CORAL-TABULAR STROMATOt'OROlI)
MASSIVE STROMATOPOROID

MILES

NE

SHALE

SKELETAL DETRITUS

0SANDSTONE

Fig. 7 . Diagrammatic SW-NE stratigraphic

along the M'Clure River.

cross-section of

C C C CORAL HEADS

the Mercy

Bay Member

Member reappears on the valley wall a s a 200-ft-thiclt (visual estimate)

600-ft-wide bioherln which is linear in a north-south direction (Plate 13,
Fig. 2 ) . The bioherm's total length is unltnomn, but it extends f o r a t
least 1000 f t . The lower half is composed of corals and tabular strornatoporoids; the upper half' consists of massive-stromatoporoid framestonc
with stromatoporoid rudstone predominating near the edges. The massivestromatoporoid portion could not be subdivided. Flank beds a r e not apparent on t h e edges of the bioherm and it is completely encased in terrigenous clastic rocks.
The Mercy Bay NIenlber a t this locality and a t the previous one a r e
probably the same type of organic build-up: a narrow, linear bioherm,
trending north-south and completely surrounded by terrigenous clastic
rocks. T h e first locality exposes a north-south cross-section parallel to
t h e long axis of t h e bioherm, while t h e second exposes a n east-west crosssection perpendicular to the long axis.
The sequence of terrigenous clastic rocks continues northeastward along
the valley walls with the thin, white-weathering covered interval a t the

PLATE 1 1
"The Three Faces of Gyrfalcon Bluff"
Fig. 1. The west face of Gyrfalcon Bluff (approximately Y2 mi long and 200 f t high).
View looking east.
Figs. 2, 3 . The south face of Gyrfalcon Bluff. Note the eastward-dipping flank beds.
The arrow i n Fig. 2 points to the terrigenous clastic rock outcrop on top of the bluff. View
looking north.
Fig. 4. The north face of Gyrfacon Bluff, which has been rounded by glacial action.
Part of the eastward slope may be depositional. View looking south.

762

A. F . E M B R Y 111 c l ~ dJ . E. RLOVAA7

base. This covered interval swells to a thickness of approximately 100 i t

and remains a t this thickness for 2 mi, then thins to less than 10 f t over
a distancc of 100 ft. Sporadic outcrops of dark brown, silty, fine-grained,
skeletal packstone occur in this interval. Brachiopods and ostracocls a r e
t h e only fossils present.
Near the mouth of the M'Clure River t h e Mercy Bay Member is again
present and is divisible into two units. The lower unit is 100 f t thick and
recessive. I t appears a s a distinctive, yellow-white weathering mud, A
2-it bed of AZueo7ites - tabular stromatoporoid bindstone with a finegrained, skeletal ivacltestone matrix outcrops near t h e base of the unit.
On M'Clure Strait, darlt brown, fine-grained, sltelctal wacltestones, quartz
siltstones and shales a r e exposed in this interval. Numerous large coral
heads, mainly Atueolites and disphyllids, occur in the soft mud talus of
the upper portion.
The upper unit of the Mercy Bay Member is a 90-ft-thiclc bioherm
(Plate 14, 15). Corals and tabular stromatoporoids prcdominate in the
lower half and form bindstone; massive stromatoporoids a r e present in
the upper half, forming framestone and rudstone. The 400-ft-wide bioherm is elongate in a north-south direction and outcrops on both sides of
the valley and on M'Clure Strait (Plate 1 6 ) .
A bed of coral and stromatoporoid rudstone with a medium-grained,
skeletal packstone matrix occurs on the west side of the biolierm. The
bcd s t a r t s a t t h e top of the bioherm and dips westward a t a n angle of 20".
It falls stratigraphically below the bioherm and alnlost cuts of1 the entire
underlying covered interval. Downdip the bed contains fewer large fossil
fragments and becomes very arenaceous. Eventually, it becomes a horizontal, fine-grained, argillaceous, quartz sandstonc, beneath which is the
distinctive, white-weathcring, coverecl interval ( 1 0 St) ( P l a t c 1 4 ; Plate 15,
Fig. 1).

Tcrrigenous clastic roclts, consisting of interbedded sandstone, siltstone

and shale, with brachiopods and crinoids a t various intervals, onlap the
dipping limestone bed and eventually covcr the Mercy Bay Member. Thus
t h e sequence of terrigenous clastic roclts, which is stratigraphically ecluivalent to t h e Mercy Bay Member, is obviously younger.
Horizontal beds of argillaceous and arenaceous limesloncs, interbeddcd
with quartz sandstones, siltstones and shales occur to t h e east of the
bioherm. The limestone beds pass into the biohcrn~ (Plate 15; Plate 1 6 ) ,
indicating time equivalence with it. Near the biohenn, t h e liniestonrs
consist of coral and stromatoporoid floatstone with a silty, skeletal pacltstone matrix. Away from it, large fossil fragments become less abundant
and quartz sand and silt content increases. Eventually, the beds bccome
very fine-grained, argillaceous, quartz sandstones. This transition occurs
PLATE 12
Fig. 1 . Abrupt contact of the Mercy Bay Member and the underlying quartz sandstone.
The divisions on the pole are i n feet.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 .

Tabular-stromatoporoid bindstone with a coral floatstone matrix.

Massive-stroniatoporoid framestone with no visible matrix.

laminae of the stromotoporoids. The exposure is 2 f t thick.

The cracks follow

A LATE D E V O N I A N R E E F TRACT
PLATE 12

763

over a distance of 300 i t . The entire sequence appears to be converging

to the east (Plate 15, Fig. 1).
Along M'Clure Strait the same facies distribution is present. To the
north a sequence of terrigenous clastic roclts is stratigl-aphically ecluivalent to the Alercy Bay Member (Plate 16, Fig. 2 ) .
Plate 17 illustrates the main rock types found in the Mercy Bay Menlber
a t this locality.

I7rtelpretcctiml. Figure 7 is a diagrammatic stratigraphic cross-section of

the Mercy Bay Member and its stratigraphic equivalents along the M'Clure
River Valley. The Member's depositional history is interpreted from this
diagram. Linear, coral-tabular stromatoporoid, biogenetic banks, oriented
in a north-south direction, grew up through the low- and intermediateenergy zones into the high-energy zone. Here, massive-stromatoporoid
'eefs began, and grew upward to the surface of the water. Strong currents paralleled the reefs, from the vicinity of which much of the detritus
was carried away and deposited as large mounds. Terrigenous sediment
was also deposited in these mounds. As sea level rose, the massivestromatoporoid reefs grew upward, a s did the detrital mounds. On the
edge of a t least one of these mounds, coral growth became prolific and a
coral biogenetic bank formed. This bank grew upwards and became a
tabular-stromatoporoid biogenetic bank. When the high-energy zone was
reached, a massive-stromatoporoid reef formed. This reef grew along
the edge of the mound, and skeletal detritus along with terrigcnous sediment was deposited in the bacltreef area on top of the mound. The forereef side was a 150-ft-deep channel. A talus bed, which is probably a
storm deposit, accumulated on the slope of the forereef channel. An increase in the influx of terrigenous sediment, combincd with a rise in sea
level, caused the cessation of organic growth. The interreef and intermound channels were filled with terrigenous sediment, and the recfs were
eventually covered.
Jle?'cy Bay Jlenzber of the Jlesas
The mesas of the Mercy River valley, pictured in Platc 1, are spcctacular
topographic features of northeastern Banks Island. The Mercy Bay Member, which forms the resistant cap of the mesas, was not studied in detail
in this area, but panoramic pictures were talten along one of the mesas
(Fig. 1, Location 5 ) . Plate 18 illustrates the panoramic view and thc
interpretation of the nature of the Mercy Bay Member a t this locality.
The inember is approxilllately 125 f t thick and consists of mounds of
inassive limestone (cores of biohermal organic build-ups) with well-bedded

PLATE 13
The organic build-up exposed in a tributary valley near the head of the M'Clure
which is stratigraphically equivalent to the
build-up, I S on the right. The view looks southwest, and the contact between the
build-up and the quartz sandstones trends east-west. The largest talus block is the
a two-storey house.
Fig. 2. The organic build-up exposed in the M'Clure River valley 1 '/2 m i downstream
from the one pictured i n Fig. 1 . A sequence of quartz sandstones occurs to the right of
the organic build-up. View looking north, parallel to the trend of the organic build-up.

Fig. 1.

River.
organic
organic
size of

A sequence of quartz sandstones,

A L A T E D E V O N I A N R E E F TRACT

765

766

A. F. EMBRY I I I cl~tdJ . E. Ir'LOVAN

limestones (flank and interorganic build-up strata) between the mounds.

The bioherms are close together and the flank beds often merge. Because
there is only a small a ~ n o u n tof interorganic build-up strata, the Mercy
Bay Member is well exposed everywhere and forms a continuous cliff.
This contrasts with exposures to the east and northeast of the Mesas,
where there is a much larger amount of interorganic strata and exposures
of the member, except for the upper biostro~nalunit, are discontinuous.

RECONSTRUCTION
This section attempts to synthesize observations and interprctations
made for the localities previously described. I t presents a depositional
pattern and history for the Mercy Bay Member over the entire study
area.

Paleogeogi-crphg
In any attempt to interpret the depositional history of the NIercy Bay
Member, regional pale~geographicalsetting is of prime importance. A
very general picture of the paleogeography of the Canadian Arctic during
the Late Devonian has been put forward by previous authors. During
Late Devonian time a tectonic highland extendcd along the entire contincntal shelf from the northern Yukon Territory to Ellesnlere Island (Martin,
1961; Tozer and Thorsteinsson, 1964; Ziegler, 1969). The tectonic higliland probably consisted of folded and intruded, Proterozoic to Lower
Paleozoic, miogeosynclinal and eugcosynclinal roclts similar to those outcropping on northern Ellesmere Island (Trettin, 1969). The actual trend
of this highland through the Arctic Islands is open to speculation because
of the extensive Late Paleozoic, hfesozoic and Tertiary cover throughout
the area. The interpretation offered here (Fig. 8) is based on facies
trends of the Upper Devonian strata throughout the Arctic Islands.
Between the highland and the stable craton to the southeast was an
area of strong subsidence which accumulated large thicltnesses of lnarinc
and nonmarinc strata - an ect.ogeosy?~cli)~e
in the ter~~linology
of Kay
(1951). The Mercy Bay Member represents a reef tract which was located in the marine-shelf environment of the exogeosy~iclinc (Fig. 9 ) .
Land areas were present t o the north and west, with thc shorelines far
removed from the reef tract. Very fine clastic sediment derived from the
north and west was deposited in the areas surrounding the reefs, but this
influx of sediment was apparently small enough t o allow prolific organic
growth. The actual areal extent of the reef tract is unknown because of
erosion and Mesozoic-Tertiary cover.

Physical Enzji?*o?z?ne?lt
The physical environ~nentof the Mercy Bay reef tract must also be
considered. By taking into account t h e proposed paleogeography and the
PLATE 14
The Mercy Bay Member on the southeastern valley wall a t the mouth of the M'Clure
River. The lower 100 f t is a white-weathering, covered interval with the upper 90 f t being
on organic build-up. On the right a limestone bed dips steeply off the top of the organic
build-up and a sequence of quartz sandstones and shales onlops the bed. To the left of
the organic build-up there is a horizontal sequence of interbedded limestones and shales.
View looking southeast.

Fig.

orientations, shapes, sizes, and facies distributions of the organic buildups, some interpretations regarding the physical environment can be made.
T h e main changes in over-all character of the Mercy Bay Member
appear to occur in a n east-west direction. F o r ease of discussion the
a r e a of study has been divided into three north-south trending areas: 1.
western area (Gyrfalcon Bluff and Loc. 7) ; 2, central area (Manning
River, East Mercy River, Loc. 5 ) ; 3. eastern area (M'Clure River).
In the eastern area the organic build-ups a r e narrow, linear, north-south
trending bioherms. Interorganic build-up strata a r e mostly younger than
the organic, indicating the former presence of deep east-west and northsouth channels between the bioherms. Organic build-ups a r e wiclely
spaced, being o17er a mile apart.
I n t h e central area organic build-ups a r e a combination of lower, small
biohcrms (banks and reefs) and overlying, extensive biostromes (reefs).
T h e spacing of t h e bioherms is approximately 1 per 1000 i t , and their
orientations vary from east-west to northeast-southwest. Interbiohern~
areas have penecontetnporaneous strata, indicating t h a t currents in these
areas were not strong. A southerly current or wave direction is indicated
a t t h e Manning River locality.
In the western area erosion has made any interpretation diflicult. Thc
organic build-ups maintained a biohernial shape throughout and were

PLATE 15
Fig. 1. A view of the southeastern valley wall a t the mouth of the M'Clure River.
Note the organic build-up (90 f t high) i n the centre of the picture and the different
stratigraphic sequences on eithel side of the orgonic build-up. View looking south.
Fig. 2. View of the 'backreef' side of the organic build-up pictured in Plate 14 and
Plate 15, Fig, 1 .
Note the limestone beds passing into the organic build-up.
View
looking southwest.
Fig. 3 . Close-up of the 'bockreef' side of the organic build-up. View looking southwest.

A LATE D E T 7 0 N l r l N REEF TRACT

PLATE 15

769

A. P. EnlBRP I I I a n d 3. E. KLOVAN

Fig. 9 .

Schematic paleogeography of the Mercy Bay reef tract.

quite large. They definitely grew eastward and probably were oriented
in a north-south direction.
Figure 10 illustrates the observed orientations of organic build-ups in
the Mercy Bay Member, and the inferred wave and current directions.
The two most prominent directions a r e east l o west and south to north.
These a r e the onshore directions on the paleogeographic map (Fig. 9),and
a r c interpreted t o be t h e paths of the dominant winds. Logan (1969)
h a s demonstrated t h a t the onshore winds, although not the prevailing

PLATE 16
Fig. 1 . The Mercy Say Member outcropping along M'Clure Strait just north of the
mouth of M'Clure River. Note the lower recessive interval a n d the upper orgonic build-up.
The sea cliff is approximately 700 f t high. View looking west.
Fig. 2. Terrigenous clostic rocks are stratigraphically equivalent to the Mercy Bay
Note the Hecla Bay Formation outcropping
Member to the north along M'Clure Strait.
above the Mercy Bay Member. V ~ e wlooking southwest.
Fig. 3. A view of the 'backreef' side of the orgonic build-up on the right side of
Figure 1 . Note the close resemblance of this picture to that of Plate 15, Fig. 2. View
looking west.
Fig. 4. A close-up of the 'backreef' side of the organic buildup. The massive c l i f f is
45 f t high and is the upper half of the organic build-up. View looking west,

A LATE D E V O N I A N R E E F TRACT

PLATE 16

771

A. F . EMBRY I I I

-Fig. 10.

(111~1 J .

BIOHERM
CURRENT

E. K L O V A N

MILES

Ip

Organic build-up orientations and postulated wave and current directions.

ones, a r e the dominant ones affecting the Recent reefs of the Yucatan
shelf. The reason for this is that in the onshore direction fetch for wave
build-up is long and bottom drag minimal.
The climate of the area during the Late Frasnian was most likely
different from the present 'frozen desert.' Many authors have assumed
that organic build-ups grow only in warm climates, but this assumption
is cluestionable since large, deep-water, organic build-ups are a t present
growing in cold-water areas (Teichert, 1958). Recent shallow-water,
organic build-ups,, however, are found only in warm-water areas. The

PLATE 17
Fig. 1. Coral-stromatoporoid floatstone with a highly arenaceous, skeletal wackestone
matrlx.
Fig. 2. Tabular-stromatoporoid - Alveolites bindstone with a n argillaceous, skeletal
wackestone matrix.
Fig. 3. Coral-stromatoporoid framestone. A thick, tabular stromatoporoid overlies thamnoporids and is overlain by a Phillipsastrea colony.
Fig. 4. Photomicrograph of the ironstone bond with brachiopods and crinoids in a highly
silty, hematitic, clay motrix.
Fig. 5. Coral-stramatoporoid - crinoid rudstone with a medium-grained, skeletal packstone
matrix.
Fig. 6 . Photomicrograph o l a very fine-grained, highly argillaceous, quartz sondstone.
Fig. 3 . Coral-stromatoporoid floatstone with a n arenaceous, fine-grained, skeletal packstone matrix.
Fig. 8. Photcmicrograph of a fine-grained, argillaceous, quartz sondstone with scattered
coral fragments.
Fig. 9 . Tabular Alveolites and stromotoporoid bindstone with a very fine-grained, skeletal
wackestone matrix.
Fig. 10. Very fine-grained, highly argillaceous, quartz sandstone. Note the coral fragment i n the upper left corner.

A LATE DEVONIAN REEF TRACT

PLATE 17

773

A. F. EMBRY PII and J . E. RLOVAN

774

-.

T
.
.
,

=
.
.
r
&
_

1 -

-C

PLATE 18
Panoramic view of the Mercy Bay Member topping one of the rnesos in the Mercy River
Volley (Lot. 5). Note the massive cores of h e organic build-ups and the bedded flanks and
interorgon~cbu~ld-upstrota. View looking east.

occurrence of abundant tree fragments and plant material, coal and red
beds in the Upper Devonian strata adds support for a warm climate in the
study area during t h e Late Devonian,
Palmmagnetic reconstruction of the paleogeography of the world during
the Devonian period (Creer, 1967) places northern Banks IsIand a t 25"
south latitude. This agrees with the interpretation of a warm climate.
D E W S ~ Q N HISTORY
AL
OF THE MERCY BAYMEMBER

The development of the Mercy Bay Member was undoubtedly very

complicated. The interpretations offered are based on observations from
four localities, three of which form an east-west line across the Mercy Bay
Member. The depositional history has been divided into six stages, and
a schematic cross-section is presented for each stage.
Stage 1. The influx of terrigenous clastic sediment into the marinesheIf environment of the study area was greatly reduced This reduction
was probabIy caused by a rise in sea level which drowned portions of the
source area. Coral growth became prolific, and small cord biogenetic
banks grew up on the sea floor in the low-energy zone. The orientation,

A L A T E DEVONIAA' REEF T R A C T

775

size, shape and density of these coral banlts over the arca was strongly
influenced by the prevailing physical environment.
I11 the western and central areas biogenetic banlts grew upward through
the intermediate-energy zone and reached the high-energy zone. Here,
massive stron~atoporoidsformed rigid platform reefs which grew up t o
the surface. Reef flats formed over portions of the platforms. Interreef
areas received skeletal detritus and began to fill up. In the western area
a tabular-stromatoporoid fauna grew on the deeper reef edges, and these
reefs gradually grew eastward. In the central area the interreef areas
received much more sediment because reef density was very high. In the
eastern area the biogenetic banks did not reach the high-energy zone a t
this time (Pig. l l a ) .
Stnge 2. A rise in sea level allowed massive ~ t ~ o m a t o p o r o i dtos recolonize the reef platforms. The reefs grew upward to the surface, where
reef flats again formed over portions of the reefs. In the western area
the reefs continued to grow eastward a s well a s upward. In the central
arca the interreef areas became filled with slteletal detritus. Organic
growth ceased, with thc area becoming a vast carbonate-sand waste. In
the eastern area the biogenetic banks reached the high-energy zone and
massiL7estron~atoporoidsformed narrow, linear, 'ribbon' reefs which grew
up to the surface. The f o ~ m a t i o nof these outer barrier reefs was probably
partly responsible for the rapid accuinulation of skeletal detritus in the
central area a t this time. The outer reefs may have caused a slight
restriction of water movement in the central area, so that detritus could
accumulate rather than being carried away by currents. Detritus from
the 'ribbon' reefs was snept away from their vicinity by strong currents
and deposited in large rriounds t o seaward. Terrigenous, clastic sediment
transported from the north was also deposited in these mounds (Fig. l l b ) .
Singe 3. Sea level rose again, and in the western area the reefs continued to grow upward and eastward. Large, extensive, platform reefs
formed in the central area and grew up to the surface, where extensive
reef flats formed. In the eastern area the 'ribbon' reefs grew upwards
a s did the detritus mounds. Coral biogenetic banlts started to grow 017
the edges of some of these mounds (Fig. l l c ) .
Stcrge 4. Another rise in sea level resulted in the continued upward
and eastward growth of the western reefs. In the central arca small platform reefs grew up over the sites of underlying bioherms. The interreef
areas eventually became filled and organic growth ceased once again. In
the eastern area thc 'ribbcn' reefs continued their upward growth. The
biogenetic banlts on the detrital mounds reached the high-energy zone,
resulting in the forlnation of linear reefs on the edges of the mounds.
Locally derived skelctal material and terrigenous sediment from the north
were deposited on top of the mounds in the bacltreef area (Fig. l l d ) .
Stage 5. Sea level rose again and the reefs of the western area continued
their upward and eastward growth. Large platform reefs formed in the
central area. These reefs grew up to the surface, and reef flats with
islands of slreletal debris formed on the platforms. The reefs of the eastern area continued their upward growth (Fig. l l e ) .
Stnge 6. An influx of terrigenous sediment due to the seaward progradation of the shorelines resulted in the cessation of organic growth

776

A. F . EIITBRY I I I cold J . E. X L O V A N

GYRFALCON
BLUFF

GYRFALCON

MESAS

MESAS

EAST MERCY R

EAST MERCY R

M'CLURE RIVER

M'CLURE RIVER

EAST MERCY

-S b ---- --

EMERGENT REEF
SUBMERGENT BlOGENETlC BANK
Fig. 1 1 .

Depositional h ~ s t o r yof the M e r c y Bay M e m b e r

over the entire area. The interreef channels were filled with terrigenous
sediment, and eventually t h e entire RIIercy Bay Member was covered
(Fig. 11s).

Since t h e close association of Devonian organic build-ups and hydrocarbons has been well documented in western Canada, the Mercy Bag
Member must be regarded as a potential hydrocarbon-bearing unit. The
outcropping organic build-ups of the member have very low porosity.
In a few outcrops weathering. has produced a rock riddled niith large

A LATE D E V O N I A N R E E F TRACT

777

vugs (Plate 19, Fig. I), and some of the massive stromatoporoids have
intrafossil porosity (Plate 19, Fig. 2 ) , but in general most of the rocks
are tightly cemented. However, porosity, or the lack of it, in surfacc
exposures is very difficult to evaluate, and is usually a poor indication
of the porosity of the same unit in the subsurface. If the organic buildups are porous in the subsurface, they definitely would form attractive
potential reservoirs.
Bead oil was often found in the organic build-ups. Black, massive
s t r ~ m a t o p o ~ o i d which
s,
were tightly cemented, were found to be completely saturated with bitumen (Plate 19, Fig. 3 ) . Bitumen was also
found in fractures and interparticle areas in tightly cemented grainstones
(Plate 19, Fig. 4 ) . Thus the outcropping organic build-ups were probably
oil-bearing a t one time, but the oil was oxidized and the rocks tightly
cemented when the organic build-ups were uplifted and exposed to surface
conditions.
Organic build-ups of the Mercy Bay Member probably occur in the subsurface to the west of the study area.

The Mercy Bay Member of the Weatherall Formation is a 200-ft-thick

limestone unit within a thick sequence of terrigenous elastic rocks. Gysfalcon Bluff has been designated as the type section, and the age of the
member is Middle to Late Frasnian.
The Mercy Bay Member contains numerous organic build-ups and represents a Late Devonian reef tract. The reef tract was located in the
marine shelf environment of an exogeosyncline, which was situated
between a tectonic highland to the northwest and the stable craton to
the southeast. The predominant wave and current directions were east
to west and south to north, and represent the paths of the onshore winds.
The initiation of prolific organic growth occurred during a reduction
of terrigenous-sediment influx caused by a rise in sea level and transgression of the sea over portions of the source area to the north and west.
Small, coral biogenetic banks formed the pioneer organic build-ups in
water depths of approximately 90 ft. Rapid organic growth raised these
banlrs through the intermediate-energy zone, where tabular stromatoporoids were the predominant fauna, into the high-energy zone where massive
stromatoporoids built rigid reefs up to sea level. Reef flats formed when
the reefs surfaced.
The geometry of the reef tract and individual reefs was closely related
to the physical environment. Reefs along the eastern edge of the reef
tract were linear 'ribbon' reefs, oriented north-south and over a mile apart.
Reefs in the central area were oriented east-west and spaced approximately one per thousand feet. Reefs in the western area were oriented northsouth and, unlike those to the east, were faunally zoned with tabular
stromatoporoids grou7ing on the basal slopes.
Periodic sea-level rise.. allowed the reefs to grow upward. In the
central area very extensive platform reefs formed during the later stages
of development, due to the infilling of the interreef areas during sea-level
standstills. Stromatoporoid reefs also formed on the edges of large car-

778

A. F . EMBRY I I I a?zd J . E. K L O V A N

bonate-detritus mounds located seaward of the reef tract. An increase

in the supply of terrigenous sediment due to the seaward migration of
t h e shorelines probably was responsible for the permanent cessation of
reef growth in the area.
The outcropping organic build-ups of the Mercy Bay Member are
tightly cemented. However, bitumen freclently occurs in them, indicating
that they were once oil-bearing. Organic build-ups of the Mercy Bay
Member probably occur in the subsurface to the west.
In the final analysis, one has to agree with Armstrong (1857),who,
over 100 years ago, recognized t h a t the Mercy Bay Member "is a remarkable formation."

Armstrong, A,, 1857, A personal narrative of the discovery of the Northwest

Passage: London, Hurst and Blackett, 616 p.
Creer, K. M., 1967, Devonian geography deduced by the Paleomagnetic method,
,in Oswald, D. H., ed., Intern. Symp. Devonian System: Calgary, Alberta Soc.
Petroleum Geologists, v. 11, p. 1371.1377.
Dolphin, D. R.,and Klovan, J. E., 1970, Stratigraphy and paleoecology of a n
Upper Devonian carbonate bank, Saskatchewan River Crossing, Alberta: Bull.
Can. Petroleum Geology, v. 18, p. 289-331.
Dunham, R. J., 1962, Classification of carbonate roclts according to depositional
texture, i71 Ham, W. E., ecl., Classification of carbonate roclts - a symposium:
Am. Assoc., Petroleum Geologists, Mem. 1, p. 108-121.
Fischbuch, N. R., 1968, Stratigraphy of the Devonian Swan Hills reef complexes
of central Alberta: Bull. Can. Petroleum Geology, v. 16, p. 444-556.
Folk, R. L., 1959, Practical petrographic classification of limestones: Am. Assoc.
Petroleum Geologists Bull., v. 43, p. 1-38.
---, 1962, Spectral subdivision of limestone types, i l l Ham, W. E., erl., Classification of carbonate rocks - a symposium: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists,
Mem. 1, p. 62-84.
Jamieson, E. R., 1967, The Alexandra reef-complex (Frasnian), Hay River area,
N.W.T., Canada: Stratigraphy, sedimentology and paleoecology: Unpublished
Ph.D, thesis, University of Reading.
Kay, M., 1951, North American geosynclines: Geol. Soc. America, Mem. 48.
Klen-ient, K . W., 1967, Practical classification of reefs and banks, bioherms and
biostromes: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull., v. 51, p. 167-168.
Iclovan, J. E., 1964, Facies analysis of Reclwater reef complex, Alberta, Canada:
Bull. Can. Petroleum Geology, v. 12, p. 1-100.
----, and Embry, A. F., 1971, Upper Devonian Stratigraphy, Northeastern Banks
Island N.W.T.: Bull. Can. Petroleum Geology, v. 19, p. 705-729.
Leavitt, E. M., 1968, Petrology, paleontology, Carson Creek north reef complex,
Alberta: Bull. Can. Petroleum Geology, v. 16, p. 244-317.

PLATE 19

Fig. 1. A highly porous area in o coral-tabular stromatoporoid u n i t . Weathering is

responsible for the vugular porosity.
Fig. 2. Massive stromatoporoid with intrafossil and vugular porosity
Fig. 3. Block, massive stromotoporoid which is tightly cemented and is saturated with
biturnen (dead oil).
Fig. 4. Bitumen occurs in the interparticle areas of the stromatoporoid floatstone with a
skeletal grainstone matrix. Note that the large stromatoporoid fragments were cemented
before the grainstone matrix.

A LATE DEVONIAN REEF TRACT

PLATE 19

779

780

A. P. EMBRY I11 c ~ l dJ . E. KLOVAN

Leighton, M. W , and Pendexter, C., 1962, Carbonate rock types, i)l Ham, W. E.,
ed., Classification of carbonate roclcs - a symposium: Am. Assoc. Petroleum
Geologists, Mem. 1, p. 33-60.
Logan, B. W., 1969, Carbonate sediments and reefs, Yucatan Shelf, Mexico, P a r t
2, Coral reefs and banks, in Logan, B. W, and McBirney, A., eds., YucatanBonacca: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists, Mem. 11, p. 129.198.
Lowenstam, H . A., 1950, Niagaran reefs of the Great Lakes area: Jour. Geology,
V. 58, p. 430.487.
--,
1957, Niagaran reefs in t h e Great Lakes area: Geol. Soc. America, hfem.
67, V. 2, p. 215-248.
Martin, L. J., 1961, Tectonic framework of northern Canada, i n Raasch, G. O.,
ed., Geology of t h e Arctic, v. 1 : Toronto, Univ. Toronto Press, p. 442-457.
Maxwell, W. G. H., 1968, Atlas of the Great Barrier Reef: Amsterdam, Elsevier,
258 p.
Mesolella, K. J., Sealy, H. A, and Matthews, R. I<., 1970, Facies geometries within
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A LATE DEVONIAN REEF TRACT

Appendix

Locntio~l: West face of Gyrfalcon Bluff, which is on the eastern side of

the head 01 Mercy Bay on northeastern Banks Island, N.W.T. (lat.
73"5g1N;
long. 118O57'W).

U I I~t

Lltllology
Post-carbonate unit of the Weatherall Formation.
Sandstone, quartzose, very fine-grained, argillaceous;
light grey, olive-green weathering, laminated.
Mercy Bay Member.
Limestone, massive strornatoporoid framestone with
coarse to medium-grained, skeletal grainstonc
matrix; white, weathers light grey.
Limestone, tabular-stromatoporoid bindstone with finegrained, skeletal waclrestone matrix, Al~'eo1,ites
present; light grey, weathers yellow.
Limestone, massive-stromatoporoicl framesionc; white,
weathers light grey to yellow.
Limestone, tabular-stromatoporoid bindstone with thamnoporoid-brachiopod floatstone matrix with a very
line-grained, slreletal wackestone matrix; mottled
light grey to yellow, weathers light yellow.
Limestone, massive-stromatoporoid framestone with
medium-grained, skeletal grainstone matrix; white,
weathers light grey.
Limestone, tabular-stromatoporoid bindstone with a
coral (thamnoporids, disphyllids, Alceolites) floatstone matrix with a very line-grained skeletal,
wackestone matrix. Corals a r e more abundant in
the lower part of the unit. Tabular stromatoporoids
make up from 20.605; of the rock. Occasionally
the tabular stromatoporoids swell into irregular
forms. Crinoids and brachiopods a r e also present; mottled light grey-yellow-maroon, weathers
light yellow.
Prexarbonate unit of the Weatherall Formation.
Sandstone, quartzose, fine-grained, argillaceous; light
grey, weathers olive green; laminated, burrows.
Siltstone, quartzose, argillaceous; light grey, weathers olive green; laminated; concretions containing
brachiopods; poor exposure.
Sandstone, quartzose, fine-grained; argillaceous, hematitic; red, weathers brown-red; contains scattered
corals (Alveolites, disphyllids, thamnoporids), crinoids, brachiopods. Alveolites i?& situ.
Sandstone, quartzose, fine-grained, argillaceous; light
grey, weathers olive green; planar cross-laminations;
contains ironstone nodules.
Siltstone, quartzose, argillaceous; grey, weathers olive
green; laminated; contains ironstone nodules.
Covered Inteival.
Sandstone, quartzose, very fine-grained, argillaceous;
grey, weathers olive green; thin-bedded; contains
ironstone nodules.

He~gIlt
above
Tl~ic7txess base
(feet)
(feet)