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Mineral Resources > Online Spatial Data > Geology > by state > South Carolina Geology

Geologic units in Richland county, South Carolina

Persimmon Fork Formation (Cambrian to Neoproterozoic) at surface, covers 9 % of this area

Persimmon Fork Formation: predominately metatuff

Lithology: metavolcanic rock

Little Mountain metatonalite (Neoproterozoic) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

Little Mountain metatonalite

Lithology: tonalite

Granite- Harbison pluton (Carboniferous to Permian) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

Granite- Harbison pluton

Lithology: granite

Cape Fear/Eutaw Formations (Cretaceous) at surface, covers 11 % of this area

Cape Fear/Eutaw Formations Kcfe: Poorly sorted clayey sand and gravel deposited in delta-dominated fluvial- and restricted marine environments. Unit is characterized by an abundance of smoky quartz gravel, feldspar, monazite, and garnet typically concentrated in placer deposits. Generally non-marine from North Carolina to central Georgia but contains shallow-water delta-front deposits in western Georgia.

Lithology: sand; gravel

Peedee Formation /Black Creek Group, undivided (Cretaceous) at surface, covers 19 % of this area

Peedee Formation /Black Creek Group, undivided

Lithology: clay or mud; sand; limestone

Mylonitic rocks of Modoc Fault Zone (Late Paleozoic) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Mylonitic rocks of Modoc Fault Zone: mylonite gneiss

Lithology: mylonite

Asbill Pond Formation (Middle Cambrian) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Asbill Pond Formation: metamorphosed siltstones and sandstones having interbedded felsic to mafic metavolcanic rocks

Lithology: metasedimentary rock; metavolcanic rock

Peedee Formation (Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Peedee Formation

Lithology: sand; limestone

Richtex Formation (Ordovician to Middle Cambrian) at surface, covers 7 % of this area

Richtex Formation: laminated metamudstone; contains Middle Cambrian or younger sponge spicules

Lithology: metasedimentary rock

Amphibolite and amphibolite gneiss (Paleozoic to Neoproterozoic) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Amphibolite and amphibolite gneiss

Lithology: amphibolite; gneiss

Granite- Columbia pluton (Carboniferous to Permian) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

Granite- Columbia pluton

Lithology: granite

Duplin Formation (Pliocene) at surface, covers 18 % of this area

Duplin Formation: Coastal terrace of Carolinas. Pliocene equivalent to Yorktown. Deeply weathered.

Lithology: sand; clay or mud; conglomerate

Huber/Lisbon/Barnwell Formations, undivided (Eocene) at surface, covers 10 % of this area

Huber/Lisbon/Barnwell Formations, undivided: Poorly to well sorted sand, clay and carbonates deposited in delta-dominated fluvial- and open-marine environments. Unit is characterized by commercial kaolin bodies in older strata from westernmost South Carolina to central Georgia. Younger strata are cyclic marine deposits which deeper water facies exposed in western Georgia. Carbonate facies are locally mined in western Georgia for agricultural lime.

Lithology: sand; clay or mud; carbonate; kaolin

Alluvial Valley Swamp (Quaternary) at surface, covers 15 % of this area

Alluvial Valley Swamp: Unconformable on all underlying units, fluvial sand and gravel at base, grading upwards into fine sands and silts, local peat. May be overrun with recent sediments from forest cutting and agriculture.

Lithology: sand; gravel; silt; peat