The
Canadian Shield, also called the
Laurentian Plateau, or
Bouclier Canadien (French), is a large area of exposed
Precambrian igneous and
high-grade metamorphic rocks (
geological shield) that forms the ancient geological core of the North American continent (
North American or Laurentia craton). Composed of
igneous rock resulting from its long volcanic history, the area is covered by a thin layer of
soil. With a deep, common, joined
bedrock region in Eastern and central
Canada, it stretches north from the
Great Lakes to the
Arctic Ocean, covering over half of Canada; it also extends south into the northern reaches of the United States. Human population is sparse, and industrial development is minimal, while mining is prevalent.