The department of Environment and Climate Change Canada is weighing in on what may be behind the creation of a strange, black iceberg recently captured on camera off the coast of Labrador.

Icebergs that end up along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador typically originate from glaciers on the west coast of Greenland and drift south until they eventually melt away.

Icebergs sometimes include things like rock and debris picked up while scouring their way over the landscape. They can even pick up debris from the ocean floor. Occasionally, veins of black can be seen – the remnants of ancient ash deposited following a volcanic eruption.

ECCC’s Canadian Ice Service can’t say for sure, but it appears the iceberg spotted by Hallur Antoniussen may contain volcanic ash, or soot or ash from some long-ago forest fire.