"The lower and middle Paleozoic strata of the eastern Arctic Archipelago change rapidly laterally from thin, shallow-water platform deposits to thicker, deeper water basinal deposits. The difficulty in correlating such strata has been overcome in part through well controlled conodont zonation, and by supplementary dating using palynomorphs and megafaunas. Such precise dating and correlation are essential for success in the search for petroleum and other mineral deposits. The study will also help refine calibration of the geological time scale in other parts of the world." --