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

Geologic units in Gregory county, South Dakota

White River Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene Oligocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Includes: Brule Formation (Oligocene)- White, pink, light-green, and light-brown, massive to thin-bedded, bentonitic claystone, tuffaceous siltstone, and well-bedded, calcareous, tuffaceous quartz sandstone. Thickness up to 150 ft (46 m). Chadron Formation (Eocene)- Upper beds are gray, light-brown to maroon bentonite, claystone, siltstone tuffaceous fine-grained sandstone, and local, silicified carbonate lenses. Basal portion consists of poorly cemented, white, coarse-grained arkose and conglomerate. Thickness up to 160 ft (49 m). Chamberlain Pass Formation (Eocene)- Pale olive to pale red, mottled mudstone containing white, cross-bedded channel sandstone with basal conglomerate. Thickness up to 32 ft (10 m). Slim Buttes Formation (Eocene)- White, grayish- to yellowish-orange,pale-red to pink siltstone, clayey siltstone, bentonitic claystone,medium- to fine-grained sandstone, and conglomerate. Thickness up to 48 ft (15 m).

Lithology: claystone; siltstone; clay or mud; sandstone; mudstone; conglomerate

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

Silt, sand, sandstone, gravel and conglomerate. Predominantly interfingered fine- to coarse grained, poorly sorted, arkosic, fluvial deposits of light-gray, light-olive-gray, and grayish-green calcareous silt and sand, and locally poorly consolidated conglomerate, sandstone, and siltstone.

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; volcanic ash

Alluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Clay to boulder-size clasts with locally abundant organic material. Thickness up to 75 ft (23m).

Lithology: clay or mud; silt; sand; gravel

Niobrara Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

White to dark gray argillaceous chalk, marl, and shale. Weathers yellow to orange. Contains thin, laterally continuous bentonite beds, chalky carbonaceous shale, minor sand, and small concretions. Thickness 160-225 ft (49-69 m).

Lithology: limestone; limestone; shale; clay or mud; sand

Eolian Deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 14 % of this area

(loess and sand dune) Silt to medium-grained sand. Deposited as sand sheets and barchan, linear, and dome-like dunes and as veneer on uplands. Thickness up to 300 ft (91m).

Lithology: silt; sand

Pierre Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Mostly medium to dark-gray, brownish-gray, and black, fissle clay shale. Locally grades to thin beds of calcareous, silty shale or claystone, marl, shaly sandstone, and sandy shale. Locally contains thin seams of gypsum and sparse selenite crystals. Approx. max thickness 1970 ft.

Lithology: shale; evaporite

Terrace Deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Clay to boulder-size clasts deposited as pediments, paleochannels, and terrace fills of former flood plains. Thickness up to 75 ft (23m).

Lithology: clay or mud; silt; sand; gravel

Ogallala Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary | Miocene Pliocene(?) Pleistocene-Early) at surface, covers 26 % of this area

Includes: Ash Hollow Formation- White, tan, and gray, well-cemented, calcareous sandstone and silty limestone often referred to as "mortar beds". Thickness 90-250 ft 27-76 m) Valentine Formation- Gray, unconsolidated, fine- to coarse grained, fluvial siltstone, channel sandstone, and gravel derived from western sources. Thickness 175-225 ft (53-69 m). Fort Randall Formation- Pink and gray claystone with interbedded sandstone. Also includes green to gray orthoquartzite, bentonitic clay, and conglomerate. Thickness up to 130 ft (40 m).

Lithology: sandstone; siltstone; claystone; limestone; gravel; clay or mud; conglomerate

Niobrara Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Argillaceous chalk, limestone and shale. Chalk is medium gray to white, interbedded with thin layers of chalky shale; contains many fossil clams, oysters, and formanifera. Limestone is light gray to medium gray and yellowish gray, interbedded with medium-gray chalky shale; also contains fossil clams, oysters, and formanifera. Bedding plans commonly marked by thin layers of gypsum and locally a thin bed of red flint occurs at top of unit. Approx. max thickness 570 ft.

Lithology: limestone; shale

Outwash, Terrace (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene [Upper Wisconsin]) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Heterogeneous clay to gravel of glaciofluvial orgin. Thickness up to 60 ft (18m)

Lithology: clay or mud; silt; sand; gravel

Pierre Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers 48 % of this area

Blue-gray to dark-gray, fissile to blocky shale with persistent beds of bentonite, black organic shale, or light-brown chalky shale. Contains minor sandstone, conglomerate, and abundant carbonate and ferruginous concretions. Thickness 1,000-2,700 ft (305-823 m).

Lithology: shale; clay or mud; sandstone; conglomerate

Dam (None) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lithology: indeterminate