Banff Formation
Stratigraphic range: Famennian–Tournaisian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
The Banff Formation is visible on the eastern (left) slope of Mount Rundle
Type	Geological formation
Sub-units	Members A to F
Underlies	Pekisko Formation, Livingstone Formation
Overlies	Palliser Formation, Wabamun Formation, Exshaw Formation
Thickness	up to 400 metres (1,310 ft)^[1]
Lithology
Primary	Shale, limestone
Other	Chert, sandstone, siltstone
Location
Coordinates	51°09′54″N 115°31′08″W / 51.16500°N 115.51889°W / 51.16500; -115.51889 (Banff Formation)
Region	Alberta, British Columbia
Country	Canada
Type section
Named for	Banff, Alberta
Named by	E.M. Kindle, 1924

The Banff Formation is a stratigraphical unit of Devonian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

It takes the name from the town of Banff, Alberta, and was first described on the north-west slope of Mount Rundle, near Banff by E.M. Kindle in 1924.^[2]

Lithology

The Banff Formation is composed of shale and marlstone in the base, chert and limestone in the middle, sandstone, siltstone and shale at the top.

Distribution

The Banff Formation extends from the 49th parallel in southern Alberta and the Kootenays region of British Columbia to north-eastern British Columbia, northern Alberta and the District of Mackenzie in the Northwest Territories. In its southern area, the thickness ranges from 400 feet (120 m) in the Rocky Mountains to 150 feet (50 m) in the sub-surface of the prairies. In the north, it ranges from 450 feet (140 m) in the Peace River Country to 450 feet (140 m) in northern Alberta.

The age of the formation ranges from late Famennian to Tournaisian.

Relationship to other units

The Banff Formation is overlies the Palliser Formation in the Canadian Rockies, the Wabamun Formation in central Alberta, the Exshaw Formation in southern Alberta and in the Fort Nelson area. It is overlain by the Pekisko Formation and the Livingstone Formation in north-central and southern Alberta respectively, and it is followed by the Shunda Formation in north-eastern British Columbia. An unconformity is observed between Banff and the Rundle Group in outcrop.

The Banff Formation is equivalent to the Lodgepole Formation in Montana. It can be correlated with the Besa River Formation in north-eastern British Columbia. In the southeastern Rocky Mountains, part of the formation passes laterally into the Pekisko Formation.

References

^ Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Banff Formation". Archived from the original on 2013-02-21. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
^ Kindle, E.M., 1924b. Standard Paleozoic section of Rocky Mountains near Banff, Alberta; Pan-American Geologist, vol. 42, no. 2 (September), pp. 113-124.

v t e Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin
Hydrocarbon history	Oil sands and heavy oil Frontier exploration and development Natural gas liquids Natural gas
Depositional regions	Southern Alberta Central Alberta Northwestern Alberta Plains South-central Canadian Rockies foothills North-east Plains North-central foothills Liard River Fort Nelson Northern Rocky Mountains Fort St. John Saskatchewan Western Manitoba
Northwest plains	Paskapoo FM Scollard FM Wapiti GRP Smoky GRP Puskwaskau FM Badheart FM Muskiki FM Cardium FM Kaskapau FM Pouce Coupe MBR Doe Creek MBR Dunvegan FM Fort St. John GRP Shaftesbury FM Peace River FM Spirit River FM Bullhead GRP Bluesky FM Gething FM Cadomin FM Nikanassin FM Fernie GRP Rock Creek MBR Poker Chip Shale Nordegg MBR Schooler Creek GRP Baldonnel FM Charlie Lake FM Halfway FM Doig FM Montney FM Belloy FM Stoddart GRP Taylor Flat FM Kiskatinaw FM Golata FM Rundle GRP Debolt FM Shunda FM Pekisko FM Banff FM Exshaw FM Wabamun FM Trout River FM Kakisa FM Redknife FM Jean Marie MBR Woodbend GRP Irteton FM Fort Simpson FM Leduc FM Duvernay FM Cooking Lake FM Beaverhill Lake GRP Waterways FM Swan Hills FM Fort Vermilion FM Elk Point GRP Watt Mountain FM Gillwood MBR Presqu’ile FM Sulphur Point FM Pine Point FM Muskeg FM Zama MBR Black Shale Keg River FM Rainbow MBR Chinchaga FM Cold Lake FM Ernestina FM Basal Red Beds Granite Wash Canadian Shield
Northeastern plains	Bearpaw FM Belly River GRP Lea Park FM La Biche GRP Viking FM Joli Fou FM Colony SS Mannville GRP McLaren MBR Grand Rapids FM Waseca SS Sparky SS Gen. Petr. SS Clearwater FM Rex SS Lloydminster SS Wabiskaw MBR Cummings MBR McMurray FM Dina MBR Banff FM Exshaw FM Wabamun FM Winterburn FM Woodbend GRP Grosmont FM Irteton FM Cooking Lake FM Beaverhill Lake GRP Elk Point GRP Canadian Shield
Southern Alberta plains	Cypress Hills FM Porcupine Hills FM Ravenscrag FM Edmonton GRP Belly River GRP Oldman FM Foremost FM Pakowki FM Milk River FM Colorado GRP Mannville GRP Ellis GRP Swift FM Rierdon FM Sawtooth FM Rundle GRP Banff FM Exshaw FM Bakken FM Wabamun FM Crowfoot FM Nisku FM Ireton FM Leduc FM Cooking Lake FM Beaverhill Lake GRP Elk Point GRP Canadian Shield