Download Landform Regions of Canada

10/3/2014
Landform Regions of Canada
Unit 2 – second half
Canadian Shield
• Covers more than half of
Canada’s area (4800 000 km2)
• Contains some of the world’s
oldest rocks (3.69 billion yrs old)
• Made up of two types of rocks
1) Igneous
2) Metamorphic
Canadian shield Images
• Contains valuable minerals in
great quantities.
• Often called the “storehouse” of
Canada’s metallic minerals
• Vast deposits of lead, gold, nickel,
copper and zinc.
The Lowlands
• There are 3 lowland areas
surrounding the shield.
1) Interior Plains
2) The Great Lakes-St Lawrence
Lowlands
3) The Hudson Bay-Arctic
Lowlands
• Bedrock formed of sediments
eroded from the shield and laid
down under the seas that existed
millions of years ago.
• Weight of the upper layers
compressed lower layers into
sedimentary rock.
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The Lowlands
The Highlands
• In Canada lie to the East, West
and North of the shield and
lowlands. There are 3 types of
Highlands
• Each has a very different history
and thus looks very different from
each other.
(The Highlands)
1) The Appalachian Mountains
-stretch from the state of Georgia
through the Maritimes to
Newfoundland.
-oldest highland region (300 million
yrs old)
-Rich in non-metallic minerals (ex
coal)
2) The Innuitian Mountains
- Located in Canada’s far north
- Contain all three types of rock, but
mainly composed of sedimentary
rock.
- Contain many non-metallic minerals
- Minerals have not been exploited
because of the location.
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3) Western Cordillera
- Stand along the western edge of
Canada.
- 3 major divisions (see textbook)
a) Rocky Mountains
b) Interior Plateaus
c) The Coast Mountains
• Youngest of the Cdn
mountain ranges.
• Stand the tallest
• Composed of
metamorphic & igneous
rocks.
• Contain metallic
minerals
Highlands
• Activity/Homework: Textbook page __
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