MLIP is one of the largest Proterozoic magmatic provinces on Earth, as well as the world's largest and best-preserved continental flood basalt terrain. This huge area of igneous rock was spewed out in a short time, geologically speaking. The MILP is much larger than other well-preserved large igneous provinces. The standard size classification for large igneous provinces is a minimum of . However, the Mackenzie dyke swarm itself occupies an area of at least , making the Mackenzie Large Igneous Province larger than the Ontong Java Plateau in the southwestern Pacific Ocean or the U.S. state of Alaska.