Paleontology and geologyAll the exposed rock on the Labrador Peninsula, with the exception of two very small pockets near the Strait of Belle Isle, is Precambrian in age. Geologists have divided these Precambrian rocks, which span three billion years (3.6-0.54 Ga) into geologic provinces that have similar histories. The 3.8-3.6 Ga gneisses of the Nain Province in northern Labrador are some of the oldest rocks known on the planet. Other rocks belong to the Churchill and Grenville Provinces, ranging in age from 3.2-0.5 Ga. These rocks are part of the Canadian Shield, and formed the southern edge of Laurentia during the Precambrian. A group of rocks in Gros Morne National Park, western Newfoundland, were declared an UNESCO World Heritage site because they are thought to represent a unique environment: the Earth's mantle. Current research has questioned this interpretation, but the geological importance and natural beauty of this area are irrefutable. On the Avalon Peninsula in eastern Newfoundland, there are 565 Ma igneous and sedimentary rocks that were once part of the continent of Gondwana. These deposits of sandstone, shale, and volcanic ash collected in shallow basins at the edge of the continent and preserve an extraordinary fauna. Fossils of over 30 species of rare, Precambrian soft-bodied animals were found here, and most represent extinct groups of animals. |