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Mineral Resources > Online Spatial Data > Geology > by state > Kansas Geology

Geologic units in Morton county, Kansas

Dune Sand (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene Holocene) at surface, covers 22 % of this area

unconsolidated dune sand

Lithology: sand

Ogallala Fm (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Loose to well-cemented sand and gravel

Lithology: sandstone; conglomerate

Loess (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene Holocene) at surface, covers 73 % of this area

eolian silts

Lithology: silt

Pleistocene and Pliocene deposits, undifferentiated (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary | Pliocene Pleistocene) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

TEXAS- Interfingering beds, tongues, and lenses of sand, silt, clay, gravel, sandstone, caliche, limestone, conglomerate, and volcanic ash. Includes Ogallala and Laverne Formations of Pliocene age and younger deposits of Pleistocene age. Locally the units are tightly cemented by calcium carbonate; other places, they are very poorly consolidated and nearly free of cementing materials. Thickness ranges from 0 to about 800 feet.

Lithology: sand; silt; clay or mud; gravel; sandstone; limestone; conglomerate; volcanic ash

Ogallala Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Miocene) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

massive to cross-bedded, generally arkosic sand, silt and gravel, locally cemented with calcium carbonate; also contains limestone, volcanic ash, diatomaceous marl, opaline sandstone and bentonitic clay

Lithology: arkose; limestone; volcanic ash; carbonate; sandstone; claystone

Alluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene Holocene) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

unconsolidated sand, silt, clay, and gravel

Lithology: gravel; sand; silt; clay or mud

Eolian deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Includes dune sand and silt and Peoria Loess

Lithology: dune sand; silt; loess

Dockum Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

varicolored shales and red sandstone

Lithology: shale; sandstone

Dune Sand (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

CIMARRON- Fine- to medium-grained sand 0 to 40 feet thick. TEXAS- Fine to coarse windblown sand. Maximum thickness about 30 feet. BEAVER- Fine to coarse, round to sub-round, windblown sand consisting mostly of quartz grains. 0-50 feet thick

Lithology: sand

Ogallala Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Pliocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

CIMARRON- Generally semiconsolidated clay, silt, sand, gravel, and caliche 0 to 400 feet thick. BEAVER- Interbedded sand, siltstone, clay, gravel lenses, and thin limestone. Caliche common near surface but occurrence is not limited to the surface. Caliche accounts for most of the white color in the Ogallala. Other colors generally light tan or buff but locally may be pastel shades of almost any color. The Laverne and Rexroad Formations of Pliocene age and the Meade Group and Odee (of local usage) and other formations of Pleistocene age occur locally and are included with the Ogallala Formation, 0-700 feet thick. WOODWARD- Gravel, sand, silt, clay, caliche, and limestone, locally cemented with calcium carbonate. Generally light-tan to gray to white. Thickness ranges up to 400 feet and probably averages 150 feet. CLINTON- Gray to light-brown, fine- to medium-grained sand with some, clay, silt, gravel, volcanic ash, and caliche beds; locally cemented by calcium carbonate. Thickness ranges from 0 to about 320 feet. The formation thins eastward.

Lithology: sand; siltstone; clay or mud; gravel; limestone; volcanic ash

Modern alluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Includes Piney Creek Alluvium and younger deposits

Lithology: alluvium