Materials Identification Guide

Quebec Lithic Material

 











Name Natural Non-heat treated points Heat treated points Color details Primary found in: Associated Formation / Member
Alison Quartzite
AKA: Allison Quartzite
  Ranges from a green to gray or black Northern Quebec Alison Quartzite Formation of the Kaniapiskau Supergroup
Argillite
(Generic type)
  Light to dark green, but may range to various shades of gray. North America Varies
Bonnecherre Chert Ranges  from black to light grey with darker fine banding and quartz vug Southern Quebec Hull Formation of the Ottawa Group
Breakeyville Orthoquartzite   Very quartz rich sandstone forming an orthoquartzite. Southeastern Quebec Breakeyville Formation of the Sillery Group
Carrabassett Metamorphic Quartzite   Dark gray when freshly fractured weathering to a medium gray. Southeastern Quebec Quartzite member of the Carrabassett Formation
Chert de Kitchispi
AKA: Deschambauklt Chert
Ranges from a medium to dark gray or black to a light brown.
Southeastern Quebec Deschambault Formation of the Trenton Group
Crown Point Chert Dark bluish black Southeastern Quebec Crown Point Limestone Formation of the Chazy Group
Crystal Quartz   clear colorless stone similar to clear glass Eastern North America  
Flemming Chert Ranges in color from white to shades of tan or gray to black.  It is mottled and commonly banded. North central Quebec Fleming Formation
Flemming Chert Breccia Fractured gray and black chert in a gray quartzite matrix. North central Quebec Fleming Formation
Flemming Quartzite Gray North central Quebec Fleming Formation
Hathaway Chert
AKA: St. Albans Chert
Ranges from a homogenous olive green to black or a  olive green with black mottling. Southeastern Quebec  Hathaway Formation
Hudson Bay Lowland Chert Bluish gray to a light tan or pale yellow Southwestern Quebec Severen, Ekwan, and Stooping River formations
Indian Cove Chert   East central Quebec Indian Cove Formation of the Gaspé Limestone Group
Kichispi Chert
Upper Gull River variant
Continuously banded chert ranging in color from a brownish grey or greyish beige. Southern Quebec Upper Gull River Formation
Lowville Chert
AKA: Birdseye Chert
Ranges from a dark gray to black. Southern Quebec Lowville Limestone Formation of the Black River Group
Mistassini Quartzite
AKA: Albanel Quartzite
  Ranges from a bright white to light gray with medium to dark gray or black streaks or inclusions. Southeastern Quebec Temiscamie Formation of the Mistassini Group
Munsungun Chert
AKA: Munsungun Lake Chert
Diverse coloration ranging from a light gray or greenish gray to black or red weathering to a light tan or gray.  Southeastern Quebec Munsungun Formation 
Naskapoka Chert Dark gray with mottling or striation commonly present. West central Quebec  
Needle Chert
AKA: Needle Hornfels, Cap Bon Ami Hornfels
  Ranges from a tan or yellowish brown to dark brown or dark gray East central Quebec Cap Bon Ami Formation
Nullatuktok Chert Mottled and ranges from white, gray, and black. Northern Quebec Nullatuktok Formation of the Ramah Group
Onondaga Chert
AKA: See page
Vary from light to dark gray to a mottled bluish gray to a dark brown or black or tan. Southern Quebec Onondaga Limestone Formation
Orthoquartzite
(Generic type)
  Varies North America Varies
Quartz   Milky white with thin veins
North America  
Quartzite   Varies from white to gray, or pink and tan in color North America  
Ramah Chert
AKA: Mugsford Chert
  Ranges from a light gray to a frosted white with parallel black bands, black iron inclusions, and orange rust spots commonly present.  Northeastern Quebec  
Rhyolite   Gray to grayish black, flow banding may be present alternating from light to darker gray North America  
Roquemaure Jasper   Red and black South central Quebec Basalt formations
Ruth Lake Chert Ranges from a dark gray to green. North central Quebec Ruth Lake Formation of the Knob Lake Group.
Seritized Rhyolite     Quebec Watson Lake Group
Seward Quartzite   White North central Quebec Seward Formation of the Knob Lake Group
Shiphead Chert   East central Quebec Shiphead Formation of the Gaspé Limestone Group
Sims Quartzite   White North central Quebec Sims Formation of the Knob Lake Group
Sokoman Chert Ranges from a dark greenish gray to a grayish black weathering to a brown or gray. Northern Quebec Sokoman Formation of the Knob Lake Group
Touladi Chert
Trout Lake Chert
AKA: Cabano Chert
Ranges from gray to a bluish gray or black with tans also occurring.
East central Quebec Cabano Formation
Tourelle Chert Radiolarian chert Southeastern Quebec Tourelle Formation, Quebec Supergroup
Weir Chert
AKA: Armstrong Brook Chert
Chert, quartz, and jasper all occur in this formation East central Quebec Weir Formation
Wishart Quartzite   Ranges from white to light gray North central Quebec Wishart Formation of the Knob Lake Group