A living from the land

Simplified geological map of the Vancouver area showing different rock types and earth resources.

GEODIVERSITY: All Rocks Are Not The Same

The Vancouver area is underlain by a variety of rocks and sediments. The Coast and Cascade Mountains are largely composed of granitic and metamorphic rocks. Granitic rock forms from great bodies of molten rock that crystallize deep in the Earth and are now exposed at the Earth's surface by erosion. Deeply buried rocks that have been deformed at high temperatures and pressures are called metamorphic rock. Thick sedimentary rocks (e.g. sandstone) occur throughout the Fraser Valley, but they are covered by thick layers of younger sediments, except in the Vancouver and Bellingham areas. These younger sediments were deposited by Ice Age glaciers and rivers and by modern streams. The youngest rocks in the region are volcanic: lavas and ash from volcanoes such as Mt. Baker and Mt. Garibaldi.

Different Rocks, Different Resources

Many different materials used by humans come from the earth. Copper for wires and pipes, stone for buildings, and gravel for road construction are just a few examples. These earth materials are essential to our society. Our local geology determines where our resources come from.

	Granitic rocks. Minerals in granite.
	Young volcanic rocks. Columns in lava.
	Sedimentary rocks. Fossil plants in sandstone.
	Sediments. Rippled beach sand.
	Metamorphic rocks. Folds in slate.