Sask flag

Saskatchewan's Geological Time Scale

  • 4600 BCE

    Earth is formed.

  • 2500 BCE

    Saskatchewan is part of a large ancient continent.

  • 2100 BCE

    Break up of the ancient continent, creation of a large ocean.

  • 1900 BCE

    Volcanoes in Saskatchewan

  • 1850 BCE

    Wathaman Batholith (an intrusion of magma under the surface

  • 1800 BCE

    Orogeny (mountain building) Trans-Hudson Orogen. Earth changes from an an oxygenic environment to an oxygenic environment. Martin Sandstone is deposited with Stromataolites (mounds created by blue and green algae).

  • 1700 BCE

    Erosion of the Mountains

  • 1300 BCE

    Uranium deposited

  • 544 BCE

    Saskatchewan gets covered by the epicontinental Sauk Sea. Hard shelled invertebrates including Trilobites.

  • 478 BCE

    Meteorite hits Sask, leaving behind the Carswell Meteorite Crater.

  • 470 BCE

    Tyndall Stone deposited as massive limestone

  • 390 BCE

    Winnipegosis Reefs are deposited, later to become a trap for oil deposits.

  • 385 BCE

    Potash is deposited in the shallow sea that covers Saskatchewan.

  • 355 BCE

    First amphibians

  • 248 BCE

    Mass extinction in the oceans, 90% of the species disappear.

  • 245 BCE

    First Dinosaurs

  • 220 BCE

    First Mammals.

  • 213 BCE

    Saskatchewan is again covered by a shallow sea.

  • 100 BCE

    Diamonds are brought to the surface of Sask in volcanic pipes.

  • 75 BCE

    Shallow sea begins to retreat.

  • 70 BCE

    Swamps, rivers, and lakes from the badlands. Lignite (brown coal) is formed from the plants deposited in swamps.

  • 66 BCE

    Triceratops roam Saskatchewan

  • 65 BCE

    Extinction of the dinosaurs

  • 50 BCE

    Climate changes, Saskatchewan plateau develops

  • 2 BCE

    Ice age begins, covering Sask except for the Cypress Hills area. Diamonds covered by glacial till.