Canadian Shield

E1206

The Canadian Shield is a vast geological region of exposed Precambrian rock and thin soils that forms the ancient core of North America, stretching across much of Canada and parts of the northern United States.


Statements (51)
Predicate Object
instanceOf craton
geological region
physiographic region
alsoKnownAs Laurentian Plateau
Laurentian Shield
characterizedBy exposed Precambrian bedrock
thin soils
contains abundant lakes
boreal forest
taiga ecosystems
wetlands
continent North America
country Canada
coversArea approximately 8 million square kilometres
economicResource copper
diamonds
gold
iron ore
nickel
uranium
extendsAcross Alberta
Labrador
Manitoba
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Ontario
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
northern Minnesota
northern New York
northern Wisconsin
parts of New England
extendsInto United States
forms ancient core of North America
geologicalAge Precambrian
geologicalEraFormation Archean Eon
Proterozoic Eon
highestPoint Mont D’Iberville
highestPointElevation 1652 metres
namedAfter shield-like shape on maps
partOf Laurentia
North American craton
rockType igneous rock
metamorphic rock
sedimentary rock
shapedBy Pleistocene glaciation
surfaceShape gently rolling hills
numerous lakes
plateaus
underlies Hudson Bay


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