400-million year old building material used at Sask. university gets international status
A unique material found in many University of Saskatchewan (U of S) buildings, is getting some international attention.
Tyndall Stone is limestone that has fossil fragments in it. It can only be found in Manitoba and dates back over 400 million years.
An application was made to earn Global Heritage Stone Resource status for the material.
“The Tyndall Stone was an obvious candidate to be the first Canadian stone nominated because of its unique appearance and its widespread use,” paleontologist with the U of S’s department of geological sciences Brian Pratt said on the school’s website.
Pratt said he started seeing the stone in structures across Canada, which intrigued him.
“I saw the stone around downtown Toronto in buildings where I was doing my Ph.D., saw it in Calgary where I worked in the oil patch. Later, I got really into building and dimension stones because they came from all over the world and you can see so many great things.”
According to the university website, Tyndall stone has been used at the parliament buildings in Ottawa, the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec and the legislative buildings in Regina and Winnipeg.
The Global Heritage Stone Resource status means the Tyndall stone is considered a culturally significant material.
“Nominating the (Tyndall Stone) has been a labour of love for some years and it’s been a chance to look at the rock and explore the mottling in detail,” Pratt said on the university website.
“Students walk by the Memorial Wall or sit in the Museum (of Natural Sciences) and see the fossils and engage in wonderment. The educational value is important to me.”
With files from Jon Hendricks, CTV Winnipeg
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