Memorial to Thomas Leslie Tanton 1890—1971 GORDON A. GROSS 379 Hinton Avenue, Ottowa, , Canada

Thomas Leslie Tanton, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S.C., F.G.S.A., an eminent Canadian geologist who served in the Geological Survey of Canada for over forty years, died in on March 23, 1971, at the age of 81. He was born in London, Ontario, on February 5, 1890, and received his Bachelor or Arts degree from the University of in 1911 with honours in geology and mineralogy, and his Master of Arts degree in 1912. Dr. Tanton was an outstanding student who won the Sir Edward Blake Scholarship in three successive years prior to his graduation, and lectured in crystallography in his Master’s year. He studied at the University of Vienna for a year before entering the University of Wisconsin, where he was an instructor in physiography from 1913 to 1914. As an able graduate student under the guidance of Professor C.K. Leith, he became deeply involved in study of problems of Precambrian geology in the Canadian Shield and received his Ph.D. degree in 1915, specializing in Economic Geology. Joining the staff of the Geological Survey of Canada in that year, he made a lasting contribution to the geology of Canada during his career with this organization, as represented in part by more than forty scientific reports, maps, and papers. During the early part of his career, Dr. Tanton carried out reconnaissance geological surveys in and western Quebec. Working from bases on the railways, he traversed broad areas of land where he established the limits of rock belts favorable for the occurrence of gold, base metals, and iron, and investigated a large variety of mineral occurrences that were typical in the region. As an energetic and enthusiastic field man devoted to his scientific work and interested in the problems faced by the pioneer residents, he was a popular public servant who gave expert advice freely to the host of prospectors, developers, and others who consulted him and sought his counsel. Early reconnaissance work was followed by more systematic regional geological studies, particularly in the areas north and west of . A large part of this regional work by Dr. Tanton was documented in a series of twelve geological maps, published in the decade from 1930 to 1940, which covered important mineral producing areas of western Ontario, northern Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. An astute observer of detail and the less prominent primary features of rocks, and versatile in the study methods of his discipline, Dr. Tanton made important contributions to the understanding of geological processes. Numerous scientific papers on a variety of geological phenomena attest to his keen enquiring approach and the

193 194 THE pEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA breadth of his scientific concepts. Primary sedimentary features in rocks, investigation of conchilites, possible liquid immiscibility in silicate magma, the origin of life, and mineral replacement phenomena are some of the subjects of special interest he studied. He was involved with the much debated problem of the age of the Coutchiching series of rocks, the origin of the Steep Rock Lake iron ore deposits, and contributed to special Geological Survey publications on iron and manganese deposits, as well as the Economic Geology Series publications, Prospecting in Canada. Dr. Tanton was particularly interested in mineral deposits and his publications provide many descriptions of mineral occurrences that are still referred to today. In the latter part of his career, he developed more specialized work in iron and manganese deposits and was one of the country’s most knowledgeable men on the geology of these ores. His experience ranged from India to Canada, where he studied the Labrador and Quebec iron belt, and particularly the development of the Steep Rock Lake iron ore mines. Having acquired an appreciation of the regional geology and detail of the geological setting of the Steep Rock Lake iron belt through many years of work in the area, his concepts and ideas on the origin of these iron deposits influenced the mining company to initiate deep drilling to prove the ore reserves below the lake bed. Dr. Tanton had broad interests in science, ranging from geology to astronomy and archaeology. His contributions, communicated orally, probably had much greater influence on scientific thought than his written work. He stimulated and encouraged those around him by his originality in approach and concepts, and his scientific peers and associates were challenged to re-examine accepted ideas and values. An active member in professional and scientific groups, he was elected an honored Fellow of The Geological Society of America in 1927. He was President of Section IV of the Royal Society of Canada from 1949 to 1950, President of the Ottawa Center of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada from 1943 to 1944, and a member of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Geological Association of Canada. He participated in the work of many organizations and clubs in his community, including the Ottawa Social Workers, and the YMCA. He was a very accomplished chess player with widely recognized ability, and he introduced and instructed many enthusiasts in this fascinating game. Dr. Tanton is survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters. He retired from public service in 1955, but maintained an active interest in the work of the Geological Survey and attended meetings of the Logan Club until shortly before his death. He is remembered with affection and respect by the many students and professional colleagues whom he inspired and influenced in the earth sciences. He worked energetically with an impressive dignity throughout a long career, making a lasting contribution to the understanding of the geology of the Precambrian of Canada. He applied himself enthusiastically to many interesting aspects of science and the humanities during his life, and was richly rewarded in the satisfaction he gained from his endeavours. His stimulating influence was felt and appreciated by the society he so ably served. THOMAS LESLIE TANTON 195

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THOMAS LESLIE TANTON 1915 The Harricanaw Basin north of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, Quebec: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept. 1914, p. 96-98. 1916 Harricanaw Basin north of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, Quebec: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1915, p. 168-170 (contains Geological Map 1609). 1917 Reconnaissance along Canadian Northern Railway between Gogama and Oba, Sudbury and Algoma , Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1916, p. 179-182. 1918 Canadian Northern Railway between and Longuelac, northern Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1917, pt. E., p.1-6. 1919 The Canadian National Railways between Longuelac and Oba, northern Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1918, pt. E., p. 1-3. ------The Harricanaw - Turgeon Basin, northern Quebec: Geol. Survey Canada, Mem. 109, with map 183A. 1920 Shore of Lake Superior between Port Arthur and Nipigon: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1919, pt. E., p. 1-7 (contains map 1811 - lead and zinc bearing veins, Dorion Township and vicinity, ). ------ and vicinity: Trans. Can. Min. Inst., v. 23, p. 402-418. 1921 Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1920, pt. D, p. 1-2. ------Nipigon - Schreiber district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1920, pt. D, p. 2-7. 1922 An exploration north of Thunder Bay, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1921, pt. D, p. 1-5. 1923 Palladium-bearing nickel deposit at Lake, Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1922, pt. D, p. 1-8. ------Gold occurrence at Makwa, , Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1922, pt. D, p. 9-12. ------The effect of glaciation on prospecting for mineral deposits in the Laurentian Plateau: Geogr. Review, v. 13. 1924 Iron formation at Gravel Lake, Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1923, pt. Cl, p. 1-5. ------Emulsions of silicates: Am. Jour. Sci., v. 15, p. 66-68. 1925 Eastern part of Matawin Iron Range, Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1924, pt. C, p. 1-27, with map 2069. ------Evidence of liquid immiscibility in a silicate magma, Agate Point, Ontario: Reprinted Jour. Geology, v. 33, no. 6, p. 629-641, incl. tables, map, photos. 1926 Recognition of the Coutchiching near Steeprock Lake, Ontario: Royal Soc. Canada, sec. IV, no. 20, p. 39. 1927 Mineral deposits of Steeprock Lake map area: Geol. Survey Canada, Sum. Rept., 1925, pt.C, p. 1-11. ------Stratigraphy of the northern subprovince of the Lake Superior region: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 38, p. 731-748. 1930 Iron: in Prospecting in Canada: Geol. Survey Canada, Econ. Geol. Ser. no. 7, p. 135-141. 196 THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

1 3 0 Manganese: in Prospecting in Canada: Geol. Survey Canada, Econ. Geol. Ser. no. 7, p. 141-142. ------(with J. B. Mawdsley) Magnetic and electrical methods of prospecting: in Prospecting in Canada: Geol. Survey Canada, Econ. Geol. Ser. no. 7, p. 183-207. 1931 Fort William and Port Arthur, and Thunder Cape map areas, Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Mem. 167, with maps 1902, 197A (surficial) and 276A (see also maps 198A, 203A, and 214A). 1932 Pearl (Ontario): in Manganese deposits of Canada: Geol. Survey Canada, Econ. Geol. Ser. no. 12, p. 102-104. 1933 Kenora sheet, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, map 266A. 1934 Sturgeon River area, Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, map 312A, scale 1 in. to 2 mi. ------Little Long Lac area, Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, map 313A, scale 1 in. to 2 mi. 1935 Copper - nickel occurrences in Pigeon River area, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Paper 35-1 (see maps 354A, 355A, and 356A). 1936 Mine Centre area, , Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, map 334A, scale 1 in. to 1 /2 mi. ------Pigeon River area (sheet 1), Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, map 354A, scale 1 in. to 1 mi. ------Pigeon River area (sheet 2), Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, map 355A, scale 1 in. to 1 mi. ------Pigeon River area (sheet 3), Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, map 356A, scale 1 in. to 1 mi. 1937 Echimamish area, northern Manitoba: Geol. Survey Canada, Paper 37-18, scale 1 in. to 1 /2 mi. 1938 Ignace sheet, southwest quarter, , Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, Paper 38-13, scale 1 in. to 2 mi. (see map 557A). ------Shebandowan area, Thunder Bay district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, map 338A, scale 1 in. to 1 mi. ------Quetico sheet (east half), Thunder Bay and Rainy River districts: Geol. Survey Canada, map 432A, scale 1 in. to 4 mi. 1939 Quetico (west half), Rainy River district, Ontario: Geol. Survey Canada, map 534A, scale 1 in. to 4 mi. 1940 Post-Missi intrusion on Torrington Island, Amisk Lake, Saskatchewan: Royal Soc. Canada, sec. 4, p. 1 35-142. 1941 Origin of the hematite deposits at Steeprock Lake, Ontario: Royal Soc. Canada, ser. 3, sec. 4, v. 35, p. 131-141. ------Areas in the vicinity of Steeprock Lake, Rainy River district, Ontario (Summary account): Geol. Survey Canada, Paper 41-13; scale 1 in. to 200 ft. ------Flin Flon, Saskatchewan and Manitoba: Geol. Survey Canada, map 632A, scale 1 in. to 1 mi. ------Schist Lake, Saskatchewan and Manitoba: Geol. Survey Canada, map 633A, scale 1 in. to 1 mi. 1944 Hematite deposit, Hincks Township, Gatineau County, Quebec: Geol. Survey Canada, Paper 44-21. ------Conchilites: Royal Soc. Canada, Trans., ser. 3, sec. 4, v. 38, p. 97-103. THOMAS LESLIE TANTON 197

1945 The origin of life; the catalyzer in conchilites: Royal Soc. Canada, Trans., 3rd ser., sec. 4, v. 39, p. 83-89. 1946 The iron ore at Steeprock Lake: Reprint from Royal Soc. Canada, Trans., 3rd ser., sec. 4, v. 40, 9 p. 1948 New Helen Mine: in Structural geology of Canadian ore deposits: a symposium: Canadian Inst. Mining and Metallurgy, p. 422-428. ------Radioactive nodules in sediments of the Sibley series, Nipigon, Ontario: Royal Soc. Canada, Trans., ser. 3, sec. 4, v. 42, p. 69-75. ------(with J. M. Harrison) The Flin Flon and Sherritt Gordon Mines: Congrès Géologique Internationale, 18th, Great Britain, Rept., pt. 7, p. 47-69. ------(with Eugene Poitevin) An occurrence of baron minerals at Silver Harbour, Lake Superior: Royal Soc. Canada, v. 42, ser. 3, sec. 4, May 1948, p. 77-79. 1949 Observations on concentrations of manganese ore minerals in Ungava and Keonjhar: Royal Soc. Canada, Trans., ser. 3, sec, 4, v. 43, p. 113-117. 1950 Origin of iron (range) rocks: Royal Soc. Canada, Trans., ser. 3, sec. 4, v. 44, p. 1-19. 1952 Iron ores in Canada; Preprint from Comptes Rendus, Congrès Géologique Internationale; 19th Alger: Symposium sur le fer. 1953 Orbicular jaspilite, Hull township, Quebec: Geol. Assoc. Canada Proc.