Innuitian Mountains
| Innuitian Mountains | |
|---|---|
|
British Empire Range, in the north of Tanquary Fiord | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Barbeau Peak |
| Elevation | 2,616 m (8,583 ft) |
| Coordinates | 81°54′30″N 75°01′30″W / 81.90833°N 75.02500°WCoordinates: 81°54′30″N 75°01′30″W / 81.90833°N 75.02500°W |
| Geography | |
| Country | Canada |
| States/Provinces | Nunavut and Northwest Territories |
| Parent range | Arctic Cordillera |
| Geology | |
| Orogeny | Innuitian |
| Age of rock | Mesozoic |
| Type of rock | Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary |
The Innuitian Mountains are a mountain range in Canada's Arctic territories of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. They are part of the Arctic Cordillera and are largely unexplored, due to the hostile climate. They are named after the northern indigenous people, who live in the region. In some locations the Innuitian Mountains measure over 2,500 m (8,202 ft) in height, and 1,290 km (802 mi) in length. The highest point is Barbeau Peak at 2,616 m (8,583 ft). There are no trees or wildlife in the Innuitian Mountains due to the harsh cold climate as well as being located north of the Arctic tree line. This region is mostly barren with vast areas of permafrost. There are metallic mineral resources including iron and zinc and fossil fuel resources such as coal.
The Innuitian Mountains consist of numerous smaller mountain ranges. Some of these are the British Empire Range, the Princess Margaret Range and the United States Range, which is the world's second most Northern mountain range after the Challenger Mountains.
The Innuitian Mountains were first seen by European explorers in 1882 by the explorer Adolphus Greely from Lake Hazen.
Geology
The Innuitian Mountains present form was shaped during the Innuitian orogeny in the middle of the Mesozoic era when the North American Plate moved northward. The Innuitian Mountains contain igneous and metamorphic rocks, but for the most part are composed of sedimentary rock. They are younger than the Appalachians, and so erosion has not yet rounded them significantly.
The Innuitian Mountains resemble the Appalachian Mountains in composition and contain similar types of minerals. The mineral resources have not been greatly exploited, due to the cost of developing such a remote region while cheaper alternatives are available elsewhere. The estimate amount of petrol in the area is approximately 281.4 Billion barrels of oil equivalent to 36% of all extractable oil left in the world.[1]
Minerals
The Innuitian Mountains are mainly composed of Granite mountains that are high in Iron, Zinc and Cobalt. The area also is high in Natural gas, poor coal and some petrol.[2]
See also
References
- Clark, Bruce W. and Wallace, John K. Making Connections: Canada's Geography, 1999
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