Reappraisal of the Beekmantown Group sedimentology and stratigraphy, Montréal area, southwestern Quebec: implications for understanding the depositional evolution of the Lower-Middle Ordovician Laurentian passive margin of eastern Canada

Abstract

Detailed lithostratigraphic mapping of the Beekmantown Group of southwestern Quebec has refined the field application of the previously proposed tripartite division of the group (i.e., Theresa, Beauharnois, and Carillon formations). The group is a peritidal-dominated succession that accumulated on the epicontinental Laurentian passive margin. Biostratigraphic data based on conodonts from this group indicate an Early to early Middle Ordovician age and are partially time-correlative with the Wallace Creek to Naylor Ledge strata of the Philipsburg Group, southern Quebec. This conodont biostratigraphy sheds new light on the temporal evolution and depositional framework of the Beekmantown platform. The platform evolved as a distally steepened ramp during deposition of the Theresa Formation and the Ogdensburg Member of the Beauharnois Formation (early to middle Ibexian). Correlative strata of the Philipsburg Group include the Wallace Creek and Morgan Corner formations, which represent outer platform sediments. The coarse-grained sandstone of the Theresa Formation accumulated in the innermost platform, whereas coarse-grained carbonates of the Ogdensburg Member indicate open-marine, subtidal to intertidal carbonate sand shoals. By late Ibexian, the platform developed a pronounced margin where thrombolites flourished under high-energy conditions. These are represented by the thrombolite-rich Hasting Creek and Naylor Ledge formations of the Philipsburg Group. Consequently, a broad lagoon formed on the lee side of the platform margin, where low-energy conditions prevailed and accumulation of burrow-mottled dolostones of the Huntingdon Member of the upper Beauharnois Formation took place. The lagoon became more restricted during the latest stages of the basin fill (Whiterockian), and high intertidal to supratidal sediments of the Carillon Formation were deposited.