Paleontology and geologyThere are no Tertiary rocks on land in Newfoundland and Labrador, although they cover much of the continental shelf surrounding the province. Around 39 million years ago, a meteorite hit northern Labrador. Upon impact, the meteorite shattered and altered the Precambrian rocks in the area. Some of these rocks were melted by the heat of the impact. Others were thrown into the air and re-deposited in a layer of rock fragments, called a breccia. These more recently altered rocks underlie and surround the impact crater, which is filled with water today and forms Mistastin Lake. Some maps show these rocks as Tertiary in age, others as Precambrian. |