Geology of New Brunswick: field guide to excursions, 1973: Trip A-1

Radforth, N.W.

English

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University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository NEIGC Trips New England Intercollegiate Geological Excursion Collection 1-1-1973 Minto Coal Fields Radforth, N.W. Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/neigc_trips Recommended Citation Radforth, N.W., "Minto Coal Fields" (1973). NEIGC Trips. 196. https://scholars.unh.edu/neigc_trips/196 This Text is brought to you for free and open access by the New England Intercollegiate Geological Excursion Collection at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in NEIGC Trips by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu. TRIP A -ll, by N. W. Radforth, Muskeg Research Institute,Fredericton, N. B.MINTO COAL FIELDSThis area is the site of one of the earliest industrial develop­ments in the Province with coal exports to the United States starting over 100 years ago. Geologically, it lies within a large area of eastern New Brunswick composed of red to grey sand­stones of Pennsylvanian age. The piles of mine wastes and newly exposed faces in the open pit mines have been a popular “Mecca” for paleobotanists for many years. With a minimum of exploration, a fascinating accumulation of plant fossils can be recovered with only a geologist’s hammer.. This ease of access enables the amateur naturalist and professional paleobotanist alike to encounter one of the continent’s best fossil records of the Carboniferous system.NEWCASTLEBULLPASTURE MINTOFREDERICTONAINT JOHNSCALE IN MILESBULL PASTURE BOGThis muskeg or peatland area is an excellent, undisturbed example of a raised bog. It is typical in that it encompasses all die aspects of raised bog development from minerotrophic to ombrotrophic conditions with an accompanying wide array of plant communities and a wider diversity of species.96Its proximity to the University of New Brunswick and the lack of ecosystem disturbance has enabled researchers at UNB to carry out surveying, development of sampling techniques, paly- nology, measurement of permeability and thermal conductivity of peat, remote sensing (airborne) techniques of analysis of ground water and vegetation distribution, ground water be­haviour and developmental history of muskeg.The geological significance of this and similar areas is that they provide a fossil record of the recent vegetational climatic and hydrological history of the region.Easily identified as organic terrain, it is particularly impres­sive when viewed from the air, when it becomes obvious as a dynamic, developing feature of the New Brunswick landscape.LOG AND DIRECTIONSLocation of Field Study:— near Minto at the site of New Brunswick Coal Strip Mine and Bull Pasture in the Acadian Forest Reserve.SITE 1 -  ROUTE:9:00 — leave Fredericton (Route 10) Geology Bldg. to nearMinto — see N. B. Road map — about 25 miles.10:00 — arrive Minto Coalfield (site of strip mine)12:00 to 1:00 — Lunch (box lunch)SITE 2 -  ROUTE:14:00 — leave strip mines for Bull Pasture (see airphoto) viaRoute 10 towards Fredericton taking access forest trail (no. 10) to Bull Pasture (topo map)15:30 — leave for Fredericton16:30 — arrive FrederictonObjectives, Site 1 — to hear short account of Minto Coal Floraand geology of Minto Basin— to engage in fossil hunt Objectives, Site 2 — to hear story of the Bull Pasture Bog, studymuskeg type, hydrology and survey proce­dure97— Knee waders, geologists hammer, box lunch, 4 old news­papers, 1 1/2” nails— For those keeping fossil compressions (the best in N. America), boxes will be provided and shipping charges levied.— packing of fossils (by delegates at strip mine)FIE L D  TEAM:— courtesy Muskeg Research Institute, U.N.B.In event of rain:— lunch in buses and no shipment of fossils98

Minto Coal Fields

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Minto Coal Fields

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