What is Canadian Shield?
{{Infobox rockunit | name = Canadian Shield | type = [[Shield (geology)|Shield]] | age = [[Precambrian]] <br/>4500{{ndash}}540 mya | region = [[North America]] | country = {{Flag|Canada}}<br />{{Flag|United States}} | unitof = [[North American craton]] | subunits = [[Laurentian Upland]]<br />[[Kazan Region|Kazan]]<ref name=ca-atlas>{{Cite web| author-link =Atlas of Canada |title=Physiographic Regions Map|author=The Atlas of Canada |publisher=Natural Resources Canada |url=http://ftp.geogratis.gc.ca/pub/nrcan_rncan/raster/atlas_6_ed/eng/6422_physiographic_regions.jp2 |format=JP2 |access-date=2017-08-01 }}</ref> | underlies = | overlies = | thickness = | extent = | area = 8 000 000 km<sup>2</sup> | map = Canada geological map.JPG | map_caption = The Canadian Shield is a broad region of Precambrian rock (pictured in shades of red) that encircles [[Hudson Bay]]. It spans eastern, northeastern, and east-central [[Canada]] and the [[Upper Midwest|upper midwestern]] [[United States]]. }} The '''Canadian Shield''', also called the '''Laurentian Plateau''' ([[French language|French]]: ''{{lang|fr|Bouclier canadien}}''), is a large area of exposed [[Precambrian]], [[igneous]] and high-grade [[metamorphic rock]]s. The [[geological shield]] is the ancient geological core of the [[North America|North American]] [[continent]] ([[Laurentia]], also called the North American [[Craton]]). A continuation of the Canadian Shield is in western [[Greenland]] to which it was once connected. In the [[United States]], most of the Canadian Shield is covered with much younger rocks and [[sediment]]. The Canadian Shield around [[Hudson Bay]] is covered with shallow [[soil]]. Its main [[Industry|industrial]] use is [[mining]]. {{-}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{Regions of North America}} {{geo-stub}} [[Category:Geography of North America]]