Discovery of Mazama ash in Saskatchewan, Canada
The first known Mazama ash occurrence in Saskatchewan was discovered in eolian sediments at the top of the bluffs on the South Saskatchewan River valley 20 miles (~32 km) west of Leader, Saskatchewan. The chemical composition and the refractive index of the volcanic glass serve for the definite identification of the Mazama ash. The ash layer is a useful horizon marker in the eolian sediments, for it represents a time-break at 6 600 years ago. It is suggested that eolian deposits in similar sedimentary environments be examined for other occurrences of the Mazama ash.