Materials Identification Guide

Manitoba Lithic Material

 











Name Natural Non-heat treated points Heat treated points Color details Primary found in: Associated      Formation / Member
Abitibi Chert
AKA: Lake of the Woods Chert
Ranges in color white mottled with green, to a homogenous dark green Southern Manitoba South Kakagi Lake formation 
Bakers Narrows Chert Two variations.  The most common is a dark dense chert with wide irregular lighter colored banding.  The second is a white limestone chert. West central Manitoba  
Calcite            
Cat Head Chert Ranges from a pale yellowish gray to a slightly mottled yellowish gray, black when heat treated South central Manitoba Cat Head Member of the Red River Formation.
Greenstone            
Hudson Bay Lowland Chert Bluish gray to a light tan or pale yellow Eastern Manitoba Severen, Ekwan, and Stooping river formations
Knife River Flint
Knife River Chert, Knife River Chalcedony
  Ranges in color from a root beer, tea, coffee, or caramel brown Southwestern Manitoba Eocene Golden Valley Formation
Lake of the Woods Chert Ranges from a white mottled with green to a homogenous dark green to black color Central to southern Manitoba South Kakagi Lake Formation
Lake of the Woods Rhyolite
  Ranges in color from a greenish gray to less commonly a gray.  Streaks of brown to orangish brown may be present. Central to southern Manitoba  
Red River Chert Ranges from white to light gray or light brown and may vary from a solid color to mottled Southern Manitoba  
Selkirk Chert
AKA: Dundee Chert
Range in color from light gray to yellowish gray, dark gray, , black or brown.  White to light gray bands or clouds are present Southeastern Manitoba Dundee Limestone Formation
Souris Gravel Agate       Colors of clear to a waxy yellow, light blue with black inclusions, clear with red or white inclusions, black, and red and green moss agate.  Banding may be present.   Souris Gravel Formation
Swan River Chert Ranges from a creamy white to gray, pink to a rust, or pale yellow to deep orange, commonly has banding Southern Manitoba Souris River Formation, Point Wilks Member