USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

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

Geologic units in Sevier county, Tennessee

[Additional scientific data in this geographic area]

Nolichucky Shale (Cambrian) at surface, covers 0.8 % of this area

Nolichucky Shale - Pastel-colored (pink, greenish, olive), flaky clay shale; gray, commonly oolitic, shaly limestone lenses; locally stromatolitic limestone layers; thin, blocky siltstone near middle. Thickness 500 feet in the east to 900 feet in the west.

Lithology: shale; limestone; siltstone

Chilhowee Group; Nebo Sandstone (Cambrian) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Chilhowee Group; Nebo Sandstone - Medium-bedded, fine-grained, white vitreous quartzite, in part feldspathic. Thickness 250 feet.

Lithology: quartzite

Unnamed (middle part of Knox Group), including Longview Dolomite and Chepultepec Dolomite (Ordovician) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

(Olc) Unnamed (middle part of Knox Group) including (Olv) Longview Dolomite - Siliceous, gray, fine-grained, medium-bedded dolomite; interbeds of gray limestone in upper part. Thickness about 300 feet.; and (Oc) Chepultepec Dolomite - Light-gray, fine-grained, well-bedded dolomite, moderately cherty; fine-grained limestone locally in upper part; quartz sandstone beds at base. Average thickness about 800 feet.

Lithology: dolostone (dolomite); limestone; sandstone

Holston Formation (Ordovician) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Holston Formation - Pink, gray, and red coarsely crystalline limestone (Holston Marble); in many areas upper part is sandy, crossbedded ferruginous limestone and brown to greenish calcareous shale. Thickness 200 to 600 feet.

Lithology: limestone; shale

Walden Creek Group; Sandsuck Formation (Precambrian) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Wladen Creek Group; Sandsuck Formation - Olive-green and gray, argillaceous, micaceous shale with coarse feldspathic sandstone and quartz- pebble conglomerate. Thickness about 2,000 feet.

Lithology: shale; sandstone; conglomerate

Sevier Shale (Ordovician) at surface, covers 21 % of this area

Sevier Shale - Calcareous, bluish-gray shale, weathers yellowish-brown; with thin, gray limestone layers; sandstone, siltstone, and locally conglomerate to the east. Thickness 2,000 to 7,000 feet.

Lithology: shale; limestone; sandstone; siltstone; conglomerate

Maynardville Limestone (Cambrian) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Maynardville Limestone - Thick-bedded, bluish-gray, ribboned (silt and dolomite), nodular limestone; light-gray, fine- grained, laminated to thin-bedded, noncherty dolomite in upper part. Thickness 150 to 400 feet.

Lithology: limestone; dolostone (dolomite)

Ocoee Supergroup, Great Smokey Group; Anakeesta Formation (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Anakeesta Formation - slate to schist, dark gray, graphitic and sulfidic; includes interbedded argillaceous, feldspathic metagraywacke.

Lithology: slate; schist; metasedimentary rock

Ocoee Supergroup, Great Smokey Group; Copperhill Formation (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Copperhill Formation - metagraywacke, massive, graded bedding common; includes dark-gray slate, mica schist, and nodular calc-silicate rock.

Lithology: metasedimentary rock; slate; mica schist; calc-silicate rock

Chilhowee Group; Hesse Sandstone (Cambrian) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

Chilhowee Group; Hesse Sandstone - White, vitreous quartzite, medium- to coarse-grained, occurs in massive ledges; Helenmode Member at top is gray to greenish sandstone and shale. Thickness about 600 feet.

Lithology: quartzite; sandstone; shale

Rome Formation (Cambrian) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

Rome Formation - Variegated (red, green, yellow) shale and siltstone with beds of gray, fine-grained sandstone. Maximum exposed thickness 1,500 feet.

Lithology: shale; siltstone; sandstone

Longview Dolomite (Ordovician) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Longview Dolomite - Siliceous, gray, fine-grained, medium-bedded dolomite; interbeds of gray limestone in upper part. Thickness about 300 feet.

Lithology: dolostone (dolomite); limestone

Intrusive igneous rocks (Paleozoic (?)) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Intrusive Igneous Rocks - Metadiorite and metagabbro in Polk County, intrude Great Smoky Group.

Lithology: diorite; gabbro

Knox Group, including Newala Formation, Mascot Dolomite, Kingsport Formation, Longview Dolomite, Chepultepec Dolomite, and Copper Ridge Dolomite (Ordovician to Cambrian) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

Knox Group - Siliceous dolomite and magnesian limestone sequence. Thickness 2,500 to 3,000 feet.

Lithology: dolostone (dolomite); limestone

Ocoee Supergroup, Great Smokey Group; Slate of Copperhill Formation (Late Proterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Slate of Copperhill Formation - slate to phyllite, dark gray, graphitic, sulfidic; includes metagraywacke with local graded bedding.

Lithology: slate; phyllite; metasedimentary rock

Lenoir Limestone (Ordovician) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Lenoir Limestone - Nodular, argillaceous, gray limestone; in places basal sedimentary breccia, conglomerate, quartz sand; Mosheim Limestone Member (dense, light- to medium-gray limestone) near base. Thickness 25 to 500 feet.

Lithology: limestone; conglomerate; sand

Copper Ridge Dolomite (Cambrian) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Copper Ridge Dolomite - Coarse, dark-gray, knotty dolomite, asphaltic in places, with much gray, medium-grained, well- bedded dolomite; abundant chert; cryptozoans typical. Thickness about 1,000 feet.

Lithology: dolostone (dolomite); chert

Unnamed (upper part of Knox Group), including Newala Formation, Mascot Dolomite, Kingsport Formation, Longview Dolomite, and Chepultepec Dolomite (Ordovician) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

(Onc) Unnamed (upper part of the Knox Group), including the (On) Newala Formation; (Oma) Mascot Dolomite - Light-gray, fine-grained, well-bedded cherty dolomite; mottled (red and green) dolomite characteristic; interbeds of bluish-gray limestone in upper part; chert-matrix quartz sandstone at base. Erosional unconformity at top. Thickness 350 to 800 feet; (Ok) Kingsport Formation - Gray, fine-grained, sparingly cherty dolomite with basal dense, gray limestone sequence. Thickness about 250 feet. and (Olc) Unnamed (middle part of the Knox Group), including (Olv) Longview Dolomite - Siliceous, gray, fine-grained, medium-bedded dolomite; interbeds of gray limestone in upper part. Thickness about 300 feet; (Oc) Chepultepec Dolomite - Light-gray, fine-grained, well-bedded dolomite, moderately cherty; fine-grained limestone locally in upper part; quartz sandstone beds at base. Average thickness about 800 feet.

Lithology: dolostone (dolomite); limestone; sandstone

Pumpkin Valley Shale (Cambrian) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Pumpkin Valley Shale - Dull-brown to maroon shale with numerous interbeds of thin, blocky, and sandy siltstone. Thickness 100 to 600 feet.

Lithology: shale; siltstone

Ottosee Shale (Ordovician) at surface, covers 0.8 % of this area

Ottosee Shale - Bluish-gray calcareous shale, weathers yellow; with reef lenses of coarsely crystalline reddish fossiliferous limestone ("marble"). Thickness about 1,000 feet.

Lithology: shale; limestone

Shady Dolomite (Cambrian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Shady Dolomite - Light-gray dolomite and thinly bedded limestone with much shaly gray limestone and calcareous gray shale. Thickness about 1,000 feet.

Lithology: dolostone (dolomite); limestone; shale

Rich Butt Sandstone (Precambrian) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Rich Butt Sandstone - Gray, massive beds of feldspathic, fine- to medium-grained sandstone, with interbeds of dark slate and arkosic conglomerate; exact stratigraphic position unknown. Thickness about 1,500 feet.

Lithology: sandstone; slate; conglomerate

Great Smoky Group, including Anakeesta Formation, Thunderhead Sandstone, and Elkmont Sandstone (Precambrian) at surface, covers 24 % of this area

Great Smoky Group - Characterized by very massive layers of coarse graywacke and arkose. The formations have been mapped only in the region of the Great Smoky Mountains. Near Ducktown, in ascending order, the Copperhill, Hughes Gap, Hothouse, and Dean Formations are recognized. Thickness 14,000 to about 40,000 feet. Includes Anakeesta Formation - Dark-gray, bluish-gray, and black slate with dark-gray interbeds of fine-grained sandstone. Thickness 3,000 to 4,500 feet; Thunderhead Sandstone - Coarse, gray feldspathic sandstone, graywacke, and conglomerate; occurs in massive ledges; graded bedding and blue quartz characteristic. Thickness 5,500 to 6,300 feet; Elkmont Sandstone - Coarse to fine, gray feldspathic sandstone, graywacke, and fine conglomerate; generally finer grained beds in lower part; graded bedding typical. Thickness 1,000 to 8,000 feet

Lithology: graywacke; arkose; slate; sandstone; conglomerate

Chepultepec Dolomite (Ordovician) at surface, covers 0.9 % of this area

Chepultepec Dolomite - Light-gray, fine-grained, well-bedded dolomite, moderately cherty; fine-grained limestone locally in upper part; quartz sandstone beds at base. Average thickness about 800 feet.

Lithology: dolostone (dolomite); limestone; sandstone

Chilhowee Group; Cochran Conglomerate (Cambrian) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Chilhowee Gourp; Cochran Conglomerate - Quartz-pebble conglomerate, gray pebbly arkose, siltstone and shale; irregular bedding, scour features, crossbedding common; maroon micaceous arkose and shale near middle and base. Thickness about 1,200 feet.

Lithology: conglomerate; arkose; sandstone; siltstone; shale

Newala Formation, including Mascot Dolomite and Kingsport Formation (Ordovician) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

(On) Newala Formation, including (Oma) Mascot Dolomite - Light-gray, fine-grained, well-bedded cherty dolomite; mottled (red and green) dolomite characteristic; interbeds of bluish-gray limestone in upper part; chert-matrix quartz sandstone at base. Erosional unconformity at top. Thickness 350 to 800 feet; and (Ok) Kingsport Formation - Gray, fine-grained, sparingly cherty dolomite with basal dense, gray limestone sequence. Thickness about 250 feet.

Lithology: dolostone (dolomite); limestone; sandstone

Maryville, Rogersville, and Rutledge Formations (Cambrian) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Maryville, Rogersville, and Rutledge Formations - Maryville and Rutledge are gray limestone, in part oolitic, with gray dolomite locally. Rogersville is green clay shale. Thickness 400 to 1,000 feet.

Lithology: limestone; shale; dolostone (dolomite)

Snowbird Group, including Pigeon Siltstone, Roaring Fork Sandstone, Metcalf Phyllite, Longarm Quartzite, and Wading Branch Formation (Precambrian) at surface, covers 18 % of this area

Snowbird Group - The formations at right are applicable chiefly in the area of the Great Smoky Mountains. Thickness 13,000 to about 20,000 feet. Includes Pigeon Siltstone - Laminated, greenish quartzose and feldspathic siltstone; minor fine-grained gray sandstone. Thickness as much as 10,000 feet; Roaring Fork Sandstone - Interbedded massive feldspathic sandstone, greenish siltstone, and greenish phyllite. Maximum thickness 7,000 feet; Metcalf Phyllite - Lustrous, pale-green and silvery sericitic and chloritic phyllite; siltstone interbeds abundant. Thickness uncertain; at least 5,000 feet; Longarm Quartzite - Feldspathic quartzite and arkose, conspicuously light-colored, current bedded and crossbedded. Thickness about 5,000 feet; Wading Branch Formation - Medium- to dark-gray sandy slate to coarse, pebbly feldspathic sandstone and graywacke; basal part is quartz-sericite phyllite; graded bedding common. Thickness about 1,500 feet.

Lithology: siltstone; sandstone; phyllite; quartzite; arkose; slate

Chilhowee Group; Murray Shale (Cambrian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Chilhowee Group; Murray Shale - Shale, silty, sandy, dull-green to brown, micaceous. Thickness about 500 feet.

Lithology: shale

Walden Creek Group, including Sandsuck Formation, Wilhite Formation, Shields Formation, and Licklog Formation (Cambrian) at surface, covers 14 % of this area

Walden Creek Group - The formations, other than the Sandsuck, are applicable mainly in the region of the Great Smoky Mountains. Thickness about 8,000 feet, Includes Sandsuck Formation - Olive-green and gray, argillaceous, micaceous shale with coarse feldspathic sandstone and quartz- pebble conglomerate. Thickness about 2,000 feet; Wilhite Formation - Gray to green siltstone and slate with interbeds of pebble conglomerate, sandstone, and quartzite. Thickness about 4,000 feet; Shields Formation - Massive conglomerate, sandstone, argillaceous slate; conglomerate (pebbles of various rock types) characteristic. Thickness about 1,500 feet.; Licklog Formation - Feldspathic sandstone, greenish phyllite, and bluish-gray slate. Thickness about 1,500 feet.

Lithology: shale; siltstone; sandstone; conglomerate; slate; quartzite; phyllite

Nichols Shale (Cambrian) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Chilhowee Group; Nichols Shale - Olive-gray to green, silty and sandy, micaceous shale and siltstone; local lenses of fine-grained feldspathic quartzite. Thickness about 700 feet.

Lithology: shale; siltstone; quartzite