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

Geologic units in Hot Springs county, Wyoming

[Additional scientific data in this geographic area]

Frontier Formation and Mowry and Thermopolis Shales (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Early Cretaceous-Middle(?) Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

FRONTIER FORMATION (Kf) AND MOWRY (Kmr) AND THERMOPOLIS SHALES. FRONTIER FORMATION--Gray sandstone and sandy shale. In Northern Yellowstone area, Yellowish- to medium-gray sandstone; tuffaceous and carbonaceous in lower part. MOWRY SHALE (AGE 94 TO 98 Ma)--Silvery-gray hard siliceous shale containing abundant fish scales and bentonite beds. THERMOPOLIS SHALE--Black soft fissile shale; Muddy Sandstone Member at top.

Lithology: sandstone; shale; mixed clastic/volcanic

Mowry and Thermopolis Shales (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Early) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

MOWRY (Kmr) AND THERMOPOLIS SHALES. MOWRY SHALE (AGE 94 TO 98 Ma)--Silvery-gray hard siliceous shale containing abundant fish scales and bentonite beds. THERMOPOLIS SHALE--Black soft fissile shale; Muddy Sandstone Member at top.

Lithology: shale; sandstone; mixed clastic/volcanic

Granitic rocks (Archean) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

GRANITIC ROCKS OF 2,600-Ma AGE GROUP. Teton Range--Mount Owen Quartz Monzonite. Age 2,500+/- Ma; may be of Early Proterozoic age. Gros Ventre and Washakie Ranges--Granitic rocks. Yellowstone National Park, Owl Creek, Granite, and Seminoe Mountains, Rawlins uplift, and Medicine Bow Mountains--Granite. Wind River Range--Granodiorite to porphyritic and equigranular granite. Sierra Madre--Granite and granodiorite. Laramie Mountains--Granite, amphibolite, and minor amounts of metasedimentary rocks. Hartville uplift--Granite and quartz monzonite. Black Hills uplift--Granite and minor amounts of metasedimentary rocks.

Lithology: granitoid

Madison Group and Darby Formation (TB, N) or Madison Group and Three Forks and Jefferson Formations (Y) (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Devonian-Late Carboniferous Mississippian-Early(?) Mississippian-Middle(?) Mississippian-Late) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

MADISON GROUP AND DARBY FORMATION (Thrust Belt, north Wyoming). MADISON GROUP--Group includes Mission Canyon Limestone (blue-gray massive limestone and dolomite), underlain by Lodgepole Limestone (gray cherty limestone and dolomite). DARBY FORMATION--Yellow and greenish-gray shale and dolomitic siltstone underlain by fetid brown dolomite and limestone. MADISON GROUP AND THREE FORKS AND JEFFERSON FORMATIONS (Yellowstone). MADISON GROUP--Group includes Mission Canyon Limestone (blue-gray massive limestone and dolomite), underlain by Lodgepole Limestone (gray cherty limestone and dolomite). THREE FORKS FORMATION--Pink, yellow, and green dolomitic siltstone and shale. JEFFERSON FORMATION--Massive siliceous dolomite.

Lithology: limestone; dolostone (dolomite); mudstone

Cloverly and Morrison Formations (N,S) or Cloverly Formation, Inyan Kara Group, and Morrison Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic-Late Cretaceous-Early) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

CLOVERLY FORMATION and MORRISON FORMATION. CLOVERLY FORMATION--Rusty sandstone at top, underlain by brightly variegated bentonitic claystone; chert-pebble conglomerate locally at base. MORRISON FORMATION--Dully variegated claystone, nodular limestone, and gray silty sandstone. In southern Yellowstone and Jackson Hole areas the presence of Morrison is questionable; CLOVERLY FORMATION (Hartville uplift) or INYAN KARA GROUP (Black Hills) and MORRISON FORMATION. CLOVERLY FORMATION--Rusty to light-gray sandstone containing lenticular chert-pebble conglomerate interbedded with variegated bentonitic claystone. INYAN KARA GROUP--Rusty to light-gray sandstone containing lenticular chert-pebble conglomerate interbedded with variegated bentonitic claystone. Includes Fall River and Lakota Formations. MORRISON FORMATION, in northeast Wyoming, dully variegated siliceous claystone, nodular white limestone, and gray silty sandstone.

Lithology: sandstone; claystone; conglomerate; limestone

Absaroka Volcanic Supergroup: Thoroughfare Creek Group--Tepee Trail Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene (44-49 Ma)) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

ABSAROKA VOLCANIC SUPERGROUP: THOROFARE CREEK GROUP (AGE 44 TO 49 Ma) Tepee Trail Formation (age probably about 48 Ma)--Green and olive-drab hard generally well bedded andesitic conglomerate, sandstone, and claystone.

Lithology: mixed clastic/volcanic; medium-grained mixed clastic

Indian Meadows Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

INDIAN MEADOWS FORMATION--Red to variegated claystone, sandstone, and algal-ball(?) limestone; some beds of large Paleozoic boulders and detachment masses of Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks.

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; medium-grained mixed clastic; carbonate; conglomerate

Frontier Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

FRONTIER FORMATION in thrust belt--White to brown sandstone and dark-gray shale; oyster coquina in upper part; coal and lignite in lower part; in north and south Wyoming--Gray sandstone and sandy shale.

Lithology: sandstone; shale; coal

Bighorn Dolomite, Gallatin Limestone, and Gros Ventre Formation (TB), Bighorn Dolomite, Snowy Range Formation, Pilgrim Limestone, Park Shale, Meagher Limestone, Wolsey Shale, and Flathead Sandstone (Y), Bighorn Dolomite, Gallatin Limestone, Gros Ventre Formation, and Flathead Sandstone (N), or Whitewood Dolomite, and WInnipeg and Deadwood Formations (NE) (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Cambrian-Middle Cambrian-Furongian(?) Ordovician-Early(?) Ordovician-Middle(?) Ordovician-Late) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

BIGHORN DOLOMITE, GALLATIN LIMESTONE, and GROS VENTRE FORMATION. BIGHORN DOLOMITE (Thrust Belt)--Gray massive cliff-forming siliceous dolomite and locally dolomitic limestone. GALLATIN LIMESTONE--Gray and tan limestone. GROS VENTRE FORMATION--Greenish-gray micaceous shale. BIGHORN DOLOMITE, SNOWY RANGE FORMATION, PILGRIM LIMESTONE, PARK SHALE, MEAGHER LIMESTONE, WOLSEY SHALE, AND FLATHEAD SANDSTONE (Yellowstone). BIGHORN DOLOMITE--Light-gray massive siliceous dolomite. SNOWY RANGE FORMATION (Gallatin Group)--Medium-gray limestone and underlying greenish-gray shale. PILGRIM LIMESTONE (Gallatin Group)--Blue-gray and yellow mottled hard limestone. PARK SHALE--Green micaceous soft shale. Upper part may be Late Cambrian. MEAGHER LIMESTONE--Blue-gray and yellow mottled hard limestone. WOLSEY SHALE--Green micaceous soft shale. FLATHEAD SANDSTONE--Dull-red quartzitic sandstone. BIGHORN DOLOMITE, GALLATIN LIMESTONE, GROS VENTRE FORMATION, AND FLATHEAD SANDSTONE (north Wyoming). BIGHORN DOLOMITE--Gray massive cliff-forming siliceous dolomite and locally dolomitic limestone. GALLATIN LIMESTONE--Blue-gray and yellow mottled hard dense limestone. GROS VENTRE FORMATION--Soft green micaceous shale (Upper and Middle Cambrian Park Shale Member), underlain by blue-gray and yellow mottled hard dense limestone (Middle Cambrian Death Canyon Limestone Member), and soft green micaceous shale (Middle Cambrian Wolsey Shale Member). FLATHEAD SANDSTONE--Dull-red quartzitic sandstone. WHITEWOOD DOLOMITE, AND WINNIPEG AND DEADWOOD FORMATIONS (northeast Wyoming). WHITEWOOD DOLOMITE--Buff massive fossiliferous dolomite. WINNIPEG FORMATION--Pink to yellow siltstone and shale. DEADWOOD FORMATION--Red and brown quartzitic sandstone.

Lithology: limestone; dolostone (dolomite); shale; sandstone

Willwood Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

WILLWOOD FORMATION--Variegated claystone, shale, and sandstone; some lenticular gold-bearing quartzite conglomerate.

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; medium-grained mixed clastic; conglomerate

Sundance and Gypsum Spring Formations (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic-Middle Jurassic-Late) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

SUNDANCE (Js) AND GYPSUM SPRING FORMATIONS. SUNDANCE FORMATION--Greenish-gray glauconitic sandstone and shale, underlain by red and gray nonglauconitic sandstone and shale. GYPSUM SPRING FORMATION--Interbedded red shale, dolomite, and gypsum. In north Wyoming wedges out south in T. 39 N.

Lithology: sandstone; shale; dolostone (dolomite); evaporite

Chugwater and Dinwoody Formations (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic-Early Triassic-Middle(?) Triassic-Late) at surface, covers 7 % of this area

CHUGWATER AND DINWOODY FORMATIONS. CHUGWATER FORMATION--Red siltstone and shale. Alcova Limestone Member in upper middle part. Thin gypsum partings near base. DINWOODY FORMATION--Olive-drab hard dolomitic thin-bedded siltstone.

Lithology: mudstone; limestone; evaporite

Madison Limestone or Group (S) (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Mississippian-Early Mississippian-Middle(?) Mississippian-Late) at surface, covers 0.8 % of this area

MADISON LIMESTONE OR GROUP--Group includes Mission Canyon Limestone (blue-gray massive limestone and dolomite), underlain by Lodgepole Limestone (gray cherty limestone and dolomite).

Lithology: limestone; dolostone (dolomite)

Intrusive igneous rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS--Felsic and mafic igneous bodies; the larger are mainly felsic.

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

Cloverly, Morrison, Sundance, and Gypsum Spring Formations (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic-Middle Jurassic-Late(?) Cretaceous-Early) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

CLOVERLY, MORRISON, AND SUNDANCE (Js), AND GYPSUM SPRING FORMATIONS. CLOVERLY FORMATION--Rusty sandstone at top, underlain by brightly variegated bentonitic claystone; chert-pebble conglomerate locally at base. MORRISON FORMATION--Dully variegated claystone, nodular limestone, and gray silty sandstone. In southern Yellowstone and Jackson Hole areas the presence of Morrison is questionable. SUNDANCE FORMATION--Greenish-gray glauconitic sandstone and shale, underlain by red and gray nonglauconitic sandstone and shale. GYPSUM SPRING FORMATION--Interbedded red shale, dolomite, and gypsum. In north Wyoming wedges out south in T. 39 N.

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; medium-grained mixed clastic; carbonate; mixed clastic/volcanic; conglomerate; dolostone (dolomite); evaporite

Absaroka Volcanic Supergroup: Thoroughfare Creek Group--Wiggins Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene (44-47 Ma)) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

ABSAROKA VOLCANIC SUPERGROUP: THOROFARE CREEK GROUP Wiggins Formation (age 44-47 Ma)--Light-gray volcanic conglomerate and white tuff, containing clasts of igneous rocks.

Lithology: mixed clastic/volcanic

Wind River Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

WIND RIVER FORMATION Northwest Wyoming (Jackson Hole)--Variegated red and white claystone and siltstone; largely nontuffaceous except near the top; lenticular coal unit in middle. At base locally includes equivalent of Indian Meadows Formation; Central Wyoming--Variegated claystone and sandstone; lenticular conglomerate. Age of tuff at top 49 Ma.

Lithology: claystone; siltstone; sandstone; coal

Lance Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area

LANCE FORMATION north Wyoming--Thick-bedded buff sandstone and drab to green shale; thin conglomerate lenses; south and northeast Wyoming--Brown and gray sandstone and shale; thin coal and carbonaceous shale beds.

Lithology: sandstone; shale; conglomerate; coal

Tatman Formatin (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene) at surface, covers 0.8 % of this area

TATMAN FORMATION--Drab nontuffaceous claystone, oil shale, lignite, and sandstone.

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; oil shale; coal

Fort Union Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Paleocene ) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

FORT UNION FORMATION northwest, southwest, and central Wyoming--Brown to gray sandstone, gray to black shale, and thin coal beds; east Wyoming--Light-colored massive sandstone, drab shale, and thick coal beds.

Lithology: sandstone; shale; coal

Wagon Bed Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene (45-49 Ma)) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

WAGON BED FORMATION (AGE ABOUT 45 TO 49 Ma)--Southwest and central Wyoming--Green and gray tuffaceous claystone, sandstone, and conglomerate; some uranium-phosphate marlstone and variegated bentonitic claystone. Locally contains oil shale between Wind River and Bighorn Basins; Central Wyoming (west side of Laramie Mountains)--Dull-green siliceous bentonitic claystone and tuff; giant granite boulder conglomerate in tuffaceous matrix.

Lithology: claystone; conglomerate; sandstone

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

ALLUVIUM AND COLLUVIUM--Clay, silt, sand, and gravel in flood plains, fans, terraces, and slopes.

Lithology: alluvium; colluvium

Mesaverde Formation (N) or Mesaverde Group (S) (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers 7 % of this area

MESAVERDE FORMATION (north Wyoming)--Light-colored massive to thin-bedded sandstone, gray sandy shale, and coal beds. In Jackson Hole locally contains gold-bearing quartzite conglomerate. North of North Fork Powder River east of the Bighorn Mountains, consists solely of the Parkman Sandstone Member; MESAVERDE GROUP (SOUTH WYOMING). Includes Almond Formation, Ericson Sandstone, Rock Springs and Blair Formations in Rock Springs uplift; Almond Formation (white and brown soft sandstone, gray sandy shale, coal and carbonaceous shale), Pine Ridge Sandstone (light-gray sandstone and thin coal beds), and Allen Ridge (gray sandstone, shale, and thin coal beds) and Haystack Mountains (gray marine sandstone and shale) Formations in Rawlins uplift; Pine Ridge Sandstone (light-gray sandstone and thin coal beds) and Rock River Formation (soft sandstone and sandy shale) in Laramie Basin.

Lithology: sandstone; shale; coal; conglomerate

Phosphoria Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 6 % of this area

PHOSPHORIA FORMATION AND RELATED ROCKS--Thrust Belt: Upper part is dark- to light-gray chert and shale with black shale and phosphorite at top; lower part is black shale, phosphorite, and cherty dolomite; north Wyoming: Brown sandstone and dolomite, cherty phosphatic and glauconitic dolomite, phosphatic sandstone and dolomite, and greenish-gray to black shale. Intertonguing equivalents of parts of Phosphoria are Park City Formation (primarily cherty dolomite, limestone, and phosphatic gray shale) and Shedhorn Sandstone.

Lithology: shale; phosphorite; sandstone; chert; dolostone (dolomite)

Gravel, pediment, and fan deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene Holocene) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

GRAVEL, PEDIMENT, AND FAN DEPOSITS--Mostly locally derived clasts. Includes some glacial deposits along east flank of Wind River Range. Locally includes some Tertiary gravels.

Lithology: unconsolidated deposit

Landslide deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene Holocene) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

LANDSLIDE DEPOSITS--Locally includes intermixed landslide and glacial deposits, talus, and rock-glacier deposits.

Lithology: landslide; glacial drift

Meeteetse Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

MEETEETSE FORMATION (AGE ABOUT 73 Ma)--Chalky-white to gray sandstone, yellow, green, and dark-gray bentonitic claystone, white tuff, and thin coal beds.

Lithology: sandstone; claystone; mixed clastic/volcanic; coal

Sundance and Gypsum Spring Formations and Nugget Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic(?) Jurassic(?) Jurassic-Early(?) Jurassic-Middle(?) Jurassic-Late) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

SUNDANCE AND GYPSUM SPRING FORMATIONS AND NUGGET SANDSTONE. SUNDANCE FORMATION--Greenish-gray glauconitic sandstone and shale, underlain by red and gray nonglauconitic sandstone and shale. GYPSUM SPRING FORMATION--Interbedded red shale, dolomite, and gypsum. In north Wyoming wedges out south in T. 39 N. NUGGET SANDSTONE--gray to dull-red, crossbedded quartz sandstone.

Lithology: sandstone; shale; dolostone (dolomite); evaporite

Oldest gneiss complex (Archean) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

OLDEST GNEISS COMPLEX--Chiefly layered granitic gneiss, locally migmatitic. Local masses of quartzite, metagraywacke, iron-formation, and other metasedimentary rocks and amphibolite and felsic gneiss thought to be volcanic; metasedimentary rocks in Beartooth Mountains contain detrital zircon dated at more than 3,400 Ma. Inclusions show evidence of granulite-facies metamorphism prior to 2,800 Ma. Mueller and others (1982) suggest that large areas in Beartooth Mountains were invaded by Late Archean granite (age about 2,800 Ma). Bighorn Mountains--Dates of metamorphism 3,000+ Ma.

Lithology: granitic gneiss; migmatite; metamorphic rock

Cody Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late (78-83 Ma)) at surface, covers 14 % of this area

CODY SHALE (AGE 78 TO 83 Ma) northern Yellowstone area--Gray to brown shale and siltstone; north and south Wyoming--Dull-gray shale, gray siltstone, and fine-grained gray sandstone.

Lithology: shale; siltstone; sandstone

Metamorphosed mafic and ultramafic rocks (Archean) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

METAMORPHOSED MAFIC AND ULTRAMAFIC ROCKS. Teton Range--Rendezvous Metagabbro; 2,875 Ma or older. Gros Ventre Range--Hornblende gneiss and serpentinite. Wind River Range--Pillowed amphibolite, metagabbro, and ultramafic sills. Wind River Canyon (cutting through Owl Creek Mountains)--Amphibolite and felsic gneiss of volcanic origin. Older than 2,700 Ma. Bighorn and Granite Mountains--Amphibolite. Seminoe Mountains--Amphibolite of volcanic origin, komatiite, and metagabbro. Casper Mountain--Amphibolite and serpentinite. Laramie Mountains--Amphibolite of volcanic origin, komatiite(?), metagabbro, and ultramafic sills.

Lithology: metavolcanic rock

Absaroka Volcanic Supergroup: Thoroughfare Creek Group--Aycross Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene (44-49 Ma)) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

ABSAROKA VOLCANIC SUPERGROUP: THOROFARE CREEK GROUP (AGE 44 TO 49 Ma) Aycross Formation (age 49 Ma)--Brightly variegated bentonitic claystone and tuffaceous sandstone, grading laterally into greenish-gray sandstone and claystone. In and east of Jackson Hole contains gold-bearing lenticular quartzite conglomerate.

Lithology: mixed clastic/volcanic; fine-grained mixed clastic; conglomerate

Terrace gravel (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary | Pliocene Pleistocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

TERRACE GRAVEL (PLEISTOCENE AND/OR PLIOCENE)--Partly consolidated gravel above and flanking some major streams.

Lithology: gravel

Lance Formation, Fox Hills Sandstone, Meeteetse Formation, Bearpaw and Lewis Shales (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

LANCE FORMATION (Kl north), FOX HILLS SANDSTONE (Kfh), MEETEETSE FORMATION (Km), AND BEARPAW AND LEWIS (Kle) SHALES--In the Bighorn Basin consists of Lance, Meeteetse and, in the southeastern part, tongue of Lewis Shale; in the northern part of the Wind River Basin, of Lance, Meeteetse, and Lewis, and, in the southeastern part of the basin, of Lance and Lewis; on the west side of the Powder River Basin north of T. 45 N., of Lance, Fox Hills, and Bearpaw, and, to the south, of Lance, Fox Hills, and Lewis. LANCE FORMATION--Thick-bedded buff sandstone and drab to green shale; thin conglomerate lenses. FOX HILLS SANDSTONE--Light-colored sandstone and gray sandy shale containing marine fossils. MEETEETSE FORMATION (AGE ABOUT 73 Ma)--Chalky-white to gray sandstone, yellow, green, and dark-gray bentonitic claystone, white tuff, and thin coal beds. BEARPAW SHALE--Dark-greenish-gray shale containing thin gray sandstone partings. LEWIS SHALE (AGE ABOUT 68 Ma)--Gray marine shale containing many gray and brown lenticular concretion-rich sandstone beds.

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; fine-grained mixed clastic; mixed clastic/volcanic; coal

Tensleep Sandstone and Amsden Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Mississippian-Late Pennsylvanian(?) Permian) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

TENSLEEP SANDSTONE AND AMSDEN FORMATION. North Wyoming: TENSLEEP SANDSTONE--White to gray sandstone containing thin limestone and dolomite beds. Permian fossils have been found in the topmost beds of the Tensleep at some localities in Washakie Range, Owl Creek Mountains, and southern Bighorn Mountains. AMSDEN FORMATION--Red and green shale and dolomite; at base is brown sandstone. South Wyoming: TENSLEEP SANDSTONE AND AMSDEN FORMATION. TENSLEEP SANDSTONE--White to gray sandstone containing thin limestone and dolomite beds. AMSDEN FORMATION--Red and green shale and dolomite; at base is persistent red to brown sandstone.

Lithology: sandstone; carbonate; shale