The area covered in this study extends from the northwesternmost part of Yukon eastward into the Richardson Mountains and under the Mackenzie Delta. The investigation aims to expand on previous stratigraphic studies and proposes formal nomenclature for unnamed parts of the Permian succession in the area. Information is provided on the Permian and Triassic stratigraphy and lithology of the area. Correlations between the various occurrences in the study area are attempted as well as more regional correlations with Permian and Triassic strata in the Yukon, mainland Northwest Territories, and adjacent Alaska. Paleogeographic reconstructions and the economic potential of Permian and Triassic strata in the study area are also discussed.

The Quaternary geology of the Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands was initially investigated in the 1960s because of active exploration for oil and gas. Continuing exploration in the Beaufort Sea region resulted in the need for support and transportation facilities throughout the Tuktoyaktuk coastlands and emphasized the importance of the surficial geology studies. This report synthesizes the observations made during the last 2 decades. It establishes the sequence and age of Quaternary deposits and landforms; the distribution of permafrost and ground ice relative to the various Quaternary landforms and stratigraphic sequences; and the effect of modern, especially periglacial, process upon the landscape.