DCHP-3

tar sands

DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

Spelling variants:
tar sand-bed

Entry from the DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.

an extensive sand formation along the Athabasca River impregnated with petroleum oil and tar.

Quotations

1897
Just at this place commence the wonderful tar sand-beds of the Athabasca, extending over an enormous area.
1905
The remarkable tar sands, lignite beds and gas deposits of Athabasca give promise of wondrous richness when fully developed. . . .
1964
I'll bet, unless you are closely associated with the tar sands of northern Alberta, you have all sorts of preconceived idea[s] of this natural phenomenon--mostly wrong.