Ontario Salt Mines
Majority of the salt mines in Ontario are a part of the Salina formation, saturated in southern Ontario. The salt beds in the Salina formation are mainly mined at Goderich and Ojibway.
The salt mines in Ontario or the Salina formation is roughly a couple hundred million years ago years old. The formation took a couple hundred million years.
It began during the Paleozoic Era during the Silurian period when sea water invaded the Michigan Basin at least six times. As the sea water receded and evaporated, rock and mineral deposits, including salt, were left behind. Salt layers were laid down as evaporite (salt) deposits. Sedimentary rocks were laid down in shallow seas during the Silurian and Devonian periods (440-350mya), which were overlain by glacial and post-glacial deposits.
During the Silurian period which began 440 million years ago and lasted 30 million years, large glacial formations melted and ice receded. The elevation levels of some continents became lowers. In addition, there was a high global sea level which resulted in a flood of 65% of the shallow seas in North America. The land under warm conditions became covered by shallow seas.
Early in the Silurian period, the global climate was extremely cold as there were big ice sheets at high latitudes. During the middle of the Silurian period, the global climate became relatively much warmer. As a result, the large glacial ice sheets were melted which led to a rise in the global sea level. Consequently, the world adopted climates which are similar to today's -- glaciers in the higher latitudes and warmer climate near the equator. This warm climate consisted of dry conditions that led to the formation of the evaporite (salt) deposits near the equator.
The Ontario salt mines consists of grey and red shale, grey-brown dolomite, minor limestone and in some places, salt, anhydrite and gypsum.
The salt mines in Ontario or the Salina formation is roughly a couple hundred million years ago years old. The formation took a couple hundred million years.
It began during the Paleozoic Era during the Silurian period when sea water invaded the Michigan Basin at least six times. As the sea water receded and evaporated, rock and mineral deposits, including salt, were left behind. Salt layers were laid down as evaporite (salt) deposits. Sedimentary rocks were laid down in shallow seas during the Silurian and Devonian periods (440-350mya), which were overlain by glacial and post-glacial deposits.
During the Silurian period which began 440 million years ago and lasted 30 million years, large glacial formations melted and ice receded. The elevation levels of some continents became lowers. In addition, there was a high global sea level which resulted in a flood of 65% of the shallow seas in North America. The land under warm conditions became covered by shallow seas.
Early in the Silurian period, the global climate was extremely cold as there were big ice sheets at high latitudes. During the middle of the Silurian period, the global climate became relatively much warmer. As a result, the large glacial ice sheets were melted which led to a rise in the global sea level. Consequently, the world adopted climates which are similar to today's -- glaciers in the higher latitudes and warmer climate near the equator. This warm climate consisted of dry conditions that led to the formation of the evaporite (salt) deposits near the equator.
The Ontario salt mines consists of grey and red shale, grey-brown dolomite, minor limestone and in some places, salt, anhydrite and gypsum.