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

Geologic units in Vilas county, Wisconsin

[Additional scientific data in this geographic area]

Gneiss and amphibolite (Late Archean, 2.640-2.750 Ma) (Late Archean) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Gneiss and amphibolite (Late Archean, 2.640-2.750 Ma) - Interlayered quartzofeldspathic gneiss and amphibolite in Marenisco, Mich., area and northwestern Wisconsin. Protoliths are bimodal intermediate and mafic volcanic rocks (Sims and others, 1984).

Lithology: gneiss; amphibolite

Menominee Group; Blair Creek Formation (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Menominee Group; Blair Creek Formation - Dominantly dark-gray, massive, porphyritic tholeiitic basalt. Includes a basal conglomerate and a lean iron-formation in middle of formation

Lithology: basalt; iron formation; conglomerate

Baraga Group; Michigamme Formation, undivided (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers 30 % of this area

Baraga Group; Michigamme Formation, undivided - Thick and stratigraphically varied formation of sedimentary and less abundant volcanic rocks. Metamorphosed graywacke is predominant rock of Michigamme Formation. Calcareous concretions common. Metamorphosed from cholorite to sillimanite grade (Cannon, 1986). Mapped undivided in poorly exposed areas

Lithology: graywacke

Mafic metavolcanic rocks (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers 28 % of this area

Mafic metavolcanic rocks - Dominantly tholeiitic basalt and basaltic andesite flows and tuffs; associated with sheet dikes, massive and layered metagabbro, and ultramafic rocks. In northeastern Wisconsin, rocks have been named the Quinnesec Formation.

Lithology: basalt; andesite; gabbro; ultramafic intrusive rock

Migmatitic gneiss and amphibolite (Late to Early Archean) (Archean) at surface, covers 12 % of this area

Migmatitic gneiss and amphibolite (Late to Early Archean) - Varied gneisses of mostly unknown age in cores of gneiss domes and fault-bounded uplifts (Archean gneiss terranes). Except for the Watersmeet dome (Late to Early Archean), all dated rocks are Late Archean. Includes granite of Late Archean age that transgresses gneisses and amphibolite.

Lithology: gneiss; amphibolite; granite

Biotite schist (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Biotite schist - Metamorphosed graywacke in poorly exposed areas in northwestern Wisconsin. Sample at one locality (near Blockhouse Lake, 10 km northeast of Park Falls, T. 40 N., R. 1 E.) has a U-Pb zircon age of 1852 +/- 6 Ma (Sims and others, 1985b)

Lithology: schist

Menominee Group; Blair Creek Formation (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Menominee Group; Blair Creek Formation - Dominantly dark-gray, massive, porphyritic tholeiitic basalt. Includes a basal conglomerate and a lean iron-formation in middle of formation

Lithology: basalt; iron formation; conglomerate

Baraga Group; Michigamme Formation; Mafic to intermediate flows and pyroclastic rocks, including Clarksburg Volcanics member (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Baraga Group; Michigamme Formation; Mafic to intermediate flows and pyroclastic rocks, including Clarksburg Volcanics member - Poorly exposed. Includes Clarksburg Volcanics member which is mostly mafic to intermediate pyroclastic rocks in Marquette trough, between Marquette Bay and Champion

Lithology: metavolcanic rock

Migmatitic gneiss and amphibolite (Late to Early Archean) (Archean) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

Migmatitic gneiss and amphibolite (Late to Early Archean) - Varied gneisses of mostly unknown age in cores of gneiss domes and fault-bounded uplifts (Archean gneiss terranes). Except for the Watersmeet dome (Late to Early Archean), all dated rocks are Late Archean. Includes granite of Late Archean age that transgresses gneisses and amphibolite.

Lithology: gneiss; migmatite; amphibolite

Baraga Group; Michigamme Formation; Mafic to intermediate flows and pyroclastic rocks, including Clarksburg Volcanics member (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Baraga Group; Michigamme Formation; Mafic to intermediate flows and pyroclastic rocks, including Clarksburg Volcanics member - Poorly exposed. Includes Clarksburg Volcanics member which is mostly mafic to intermediate pyroclastic rocks in Marquette trough, between Marquette Bay and Champion

Lithology: metavolcanic rock

Menominee Group; unexposed magnetic unit (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Menominee Group; unexposed magnetic unit- Surrounds gneiss domes in Gogebic County, Mich. and Vilas County, Wisc., and occurs in north-central Dickinson County. Probably correlative with part of Blair Creek Formation (unit Xbc). Previously correlated with uppermost unit of Blair Creek Formation (Sims and others, 1984).

Lithology: iron formation; slate

Granite-tonalite (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers 10 % of this area

Granite-tonalite - Gray to pinkish-gray, medium-grained, generally equigranular granite to tonalite and granitoid gneiss; locally includes diorite. Intrudes older metavolcanic rocks. Zircon ages range from 1852 +/- 15 to 1862 +/- 5 Ma

Lithology: granite; tonalite; gneiss

Menominee Group; unexposed magnetic unit (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers 6 % of this area

Menominee Group; unexposed magnetic unit - Surrounds gneiss domes in Gogebic County, Mich. and Vilas County, Wisc., and occurs in north-central Dickinson County. Probably correlative with part of Blair Creek Formation (unit Xbc). Previously correlated with uppermost unit of Blair Creek Formation (Sims and others, 1984).

Lithology: iron formation; slate

Gneiss and amphibolite (Late Archean, 2.640-2.750 Ma) (Late Archean) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Gneiss and amphibolite (Late Archean, 2.640-2.750 Ma) - Interlayered quartzofeldspathic gneiss and amphibolite in Marenisco, Mich., area and northwestern Wisconsin. Protoliths are bimodal intermediate and mafic volcanic rocks (Sims and others, 1984).

Lithology: gneiss; amphibolite

Baraga Group; Michigamme Formation; Banded cherty and slaty iron-formation (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Baraga Group; Michigamme Formation; Banded cherty and slaty iron-formation

Lithology: iron formation

Badwater Greenstone (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Badwater Greenstone - Dark-greenish-gray, pillowed to massive tholeiitic basalt and pyroclastic rocks. Correlated with the Hemlock Formation on basis of geology and similarity in chemical composition.

Lithology: basalt; pyroclastic

Baraga Group; Michigamme Formation, undivided (Early Proterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Baraga Group; Michigamme Formation, undivided - Thick and stratigraphically varied formation of sedimentary and less abundant volcanic rocks. Metamorphosed graywacke is predominant rock of Michigamme Formation. Calcareous concretions common. Metamorphosed from cholorite to sillimanite grade (Cannon, 1986). Mapped undivided in poorly exposed areas

Lithology: graywacke; metasedimentary rock