Frequently Asked Questions

Q.What is geology?

A. Simply put, the study of the earth.

Q. What are geologists?

A. Geologists are scientists who have been trained to discover how the earth was formed; how mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers and oceans are created; where gold, diamonds, copper and oil can be found; where drinkable water can be found, and where there are likely to be earthquakes or landslides or flooding.

Many geologists work in the oil and gas industry finding areas to drill holes in the earth to discover oil and gas. Others look for gold, copper, diamonds, and other valuable minerals. Many geologists also work to help keep our environment clean by avoiding erosion of the soil, and by helping to locate roads and buildings so that they are safe from volcanic eruptions, landslides, earthquakes, and flooding.

Geologists are kind of like detectives, looking and observing and collecting information to help them solve a problem.

Q. What are the three main types of rocks?

Igneous
Metamorphic
Sedimentary

IGNEOUS ROCKS: Igneous rocks are formed ultimately by melting of the Earth’s interior. Igneous rocks are of two general types:

1. Intrusive, granite for example. These are rocks that have been intruded from hot liquid magma into rocks above from deep within the Earth, but never reached the surface. However, because of erosion, many of these rocks are now uncovered and we can see them in the mountains, and in many places in the landscape.

2. Extrusive, volcanic rocks for example. These rocks form volcanoes of different types, and result from outpouring of magma onto the Earth’s surface when it is then called lava. There are many types of volcanoes, some are explosive like Mt. St Helens in nearby Washington Sate, others are very liquid and flow for miles over nearly flat land like the plateau basalt lava around Kelowna. Kelowna also has very ancient explosive type volcanoes such as Knox Mountain, Mount Boucherie, and Black Knight Mountain amongst others.

METAMORPHIC ROCKS: Metamorphic rocks are rocks formed from pre-existing rock by great pressure and temperature wherein the minerals in the rock are changed and re-formed giving the rock a banded appearance, the bands being composed of different minerals. The rocks are called schist or gneiss and could be granitic, or a great variety of other compositions. Most of the rock in Okanagan Mountain Park is composed of metamorphic rock. Marble is also a metamorphic rock changed from a rock known as limestone.

SEDIMENTARY ROCK: Sedimentary rock is material formed by erosion and deposition by a great variety of processes, and turned into rock by consolidation over long periods of geologic time and a result of deep burial. Thus a sand deposit becomes a sandstone; a gravel deposit becomes a conglomerate. A mud or clay deposit becomes a shale. Sedimentary deposits are also classified, according to their origin: Clastic, sandstone, for example, Chemical, limestone, for example, Organic, coal, for example, and so on.

Q. How can one go about identifying rocks?

A. Please read "Introduction to Identification of Rocks"

Q. What are the oldest rocks in British Columbia?

A. Some metamorphic rocks in Okanagan Mountain Park are dated 2 billion years old.

Q. In simple terms, how was the Okanagan Lake formed?

1. 50 to 60 million years ago rock forming the crust of the earth
broke apart and formed a large valley.

2. Then volcanoes erupted along the valley.

3. A huge river then began to erode the valley.

4. Mountain building forces developed and central B.C. uplifted.

5. An ancient drainage system developed, 200 to 300 meters relief.

6. Uplift continued; uplands were inundated with plateau basalt filling existing valleys.

7. A gradual climate change occurred causing an Ice Age.

8. Large glaciers moved over the land, gouging out the valley and overtopping the volcanoes and rounding off the sharp edges. A number of glaciations are apparent.

9. When the last glacier melted, the valley was dammed by glacial deposits and water collected behind the dam. Some of the water flowed to the ocean, but some collected in the gouged out valley and forms Lake Okanagan today.

Also please see "Geology of Bear Creek Canyon" Naramata Field Trip, Geology of Mt. Boucherie Volcanic Complex, Geology of the City of Kelowna and Origin of the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia.