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

Geologic units in Laramie county, Wyoming

Cloverly and Morrison Formations (N,S) or Cloverly Formation, Inyan Kara Group, and Morrison Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic-Late Cretaceous-Early) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

Wells and Amsden Formations (TB), or Casper Formation and Madison Limestone (N, S) (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian-Early Pennsylvanian-Middle(?) Pennsylvanian-Late(?) Permian) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

WELLS AND AMSDEN FORMATIONS (Thrust Belt). WELLS FORMATION--Gray limestone interbedded with yellow limy sandstone. AMSDEN FORMATION--Red and gray cherty limestone and shale, sandstone, and conglomerate. CASPER FORMATION AND MADISON LIMESTONE (north, south Wyoming). CASPER FORMATION--Gray, tan, and red thick-bedded sandstone underlain by interbedded sandstone and pink and gray limestone. May include some Devonian(?) sandstone along east flank of Laramie Mountains. MADISON LIMESTONE--Includes Mission Canyon Limestone (blue-gray massive limestone and dolomite), underlain by Lodgepole Limestone (gray cherty limestone and dolomite).

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

Frontier Formation and Mowry and Thermopolis Shales (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Early Cretaceous-Middle(?) Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

Lower Miocene and Upper Oligocene rocks, or Rocks equivalent to Upper and Lower Miocene AND White River Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Oligocene-Late Miocene-Early(?) Miocene-Middle(?) Miocene-Late) at surface, covers 15 % of this area

LOWER MIOCENE AND UPPER OLIGOCENE ROCKS--Light-colored soft porous sandstone and underlying white tuffaceous claystone and siltstone. Arikaree Formation in Denver Basin; ROCKS EQUIVALENT TO UPPER AND LOWER MIOCENE ROCKS AND WHITE RIVER FORMATION--Light-colored sandstone, white tuffaceous blocky claystone, and siltstone. Black Hills.

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

Upper Miocene Rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Miocene-Late) at surface, covers 57 % of this area

UPPER MIOCENE ROCKS--Southwest Wyoming: South end of Wind River Range--Siliceous, arkosic, and locally radioactive sandstone, claystone, and conglomerate. Fission-track age about 27 Ma. Recent work suggests that part of these deposits may be of Eocene age. Pliocene and Miocene (as originally defined 2) South Pass Formation. Saratoga Valley--White to greenish-gray tuffaceous sandstone, siltstone, and claystone; locally conglomeratic. North Park Formation; Central Wyoming: Arkosic sandstone, conglomerate, and siltstone; some light-colored tuffaceous radioactive claystone and white cherty limestone. North of Sweetwater River in Granite Mountains--Light-colored tuffaceous radioactive claystone, siltstone, sandstone, and arkose. Moonstone Formation; East Wyoming: Light-colored tuffaceous claystone, sandstone, and conglomerate. Ogallala Formation in Denver Basin.

Lithology: sandstone; claystone; conglomerate; siltstone; limestone

Laramide Anorthosite Complex--anorthosite and norite (Proterozoic | Mesoproterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

LARAMIE ANORTHOSITE COMPLEX--Anorthosite and norite. In Laramie Mountains.

Lithology: anorthosite; norite

Pierre Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

PIERRE SHALE (AGE 72 TO 78 Ma)--Dark-gray concretionary marine shale; contains several bentonite beds.

Lithology: shale; mixed clastic/volcanic

Cloverly, Morrison, and Sundance Formations (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic-Middle Jurassic-Late(?) Cretaceous-Early) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

CLOVERLY, MORRISON, AND SUNDANCE (Js) 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.

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

Sherman Granite (Proterozoic | Mesoproterozoic (1415-1435 Ma)) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

SHERMAN GRANITE (AGE 1,415 TO 1,435 Ma)--In Medicine Bow and Laramie Mountains.

Lithology: granite

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

NIOBRARA FORMATION (AGE ABOUT 83 Ma)--Light-colored limestone and gray to yellow speckled limy shale.

Lithology: limestone; fine-grained mixed clastic

White River Formation--Upper conglomerate member (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Oligocene ) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

WHITE RIVER FORMATION Upper conglomerate member--Light-gray soft conglomeratic tuffaceous sandstone and conglomerate of Precambrian clasts.

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

White River Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Oligocene (31-35 Ma)) at surface, covers 10 % of this area

WHITE RIVER FORMATION (AGE 31 TO 35 Ma)--White to pale-pink blocky tuffaceous claystone and lenticular arkosic conglomerate.

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

Ogallala Fm (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Loose to well-cemented sand and gravel

Lithology: sandstone; conglomerate

Arikaree Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Oligocene Miocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Consists mainly of gray, fine, loose to compact sand that has layers of hard, fine-grained dark-gray concretions which vary from few in to 15 in and often have tabular form. Includes a large amount of volcanic ash mixed in with the sand. Contains a number of channels filled with coarse conglomerate along ridge south of North Platte River. About 500 ft thick.

Lithology: sand; volcanic ash; conglomerate

Alluvium and Colluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene Holocene) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

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

Lithology: alluvium; colluvium

Metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks (Proterozoic | Paleoproterozoic ) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

METASEDIMENTARY AND METAVOLCANIC ROCKS. Sierra Madre--Granite gneiss, felsic gneiss, amphibolite, and metavolcanic rocks. Medicine Bow Mountains--Granite gneiss, felsic gneiss, amphibolite, and hornblende gneiss. Laramie Mountains--Pelitic schist, marble, granite gneiss, layered amphibolite, and felsic gneiss. Black Hills--Pelitic schist; includes minor amounts of granite and amphibolite.

Lithology: metasedimentary rock; metavolcanic rock

Gravel, pediment, and fan deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene Holocene) at surface, covers 6 % 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

Mesozoic and Paleozoic rocks (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic Mesozoic | Carboniferous Mississippian-Late Pennsylvanian(?) Permian(?) Triassic(?) Jurassic(?) Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

MESOZOIC AND PALEOZOIC ROCKS (north Wyoming). Shown in small areas of complex structure. East Flank of Absaroka Range--Dinwoody Formation, Phosphoria Formation and related rocks., Tensleep Sandstone, and Amsden Formation (Lower Triassic through Upper Mississippian). East flank of Bighorn Mountains--Cloverly, Morrison, Sundance, Gypsum Spring, Chugwater and Gypsum Spring Formations (Lower Cretaceous through Permian). MESOZOIC AND PALEOZOIC ROCKS (south Wyoming). Shown in small areas of complex structure. South side of Granite Mountains north of Green Mountain--Nugget Sandstone, Chugwater and Goose Egg Formations, Tensleep Sandstone, and Amsden Formation (Jurassic? through Upper Mississippian). South flank of Ferris Mountains--Nugget Sandstone and Chugwater and Goose Egg Formation (Jurassic? through Permian). Northeast flank of Seminoe Mountians--Cloverly, Morrison, Sundance, Chugwater, and Goose Egg Formations (Lower Cretaceous through Permain). West flank of Sierra Madre--Chugwater, Goose Egg, Casper, and Fountain Formations (Upper Triassic through Middle Pennsylvanian). East Flank of Laramie Mountains--Cloverly, Morrison, Sundance, Chugwater, and Goose Egg Formations, and, east of fault in T. 19 N., Casper Formation (Lower Creatceous through Middle Pennsylvanian). NUGGET SANDSTONE in south--Gray to dull-red, massive to coarsely crossbedded quartz sandstone.

Lithology: sedimentary rock; clastic; mixed clastic/volcanic; mixed clastic/carbonate

Niobrara and Frontier Formations, and Mowry and Thermopolis Shales (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Early Cretaceous-Middle(?) Cretaceous-Late) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

NIOBRARA (Kn) AND FRONTIER (Kf) FORMATIONS, AND MOWRY (Kmr) AND THERMOPOLIS SHALES. NIOBRARA FORMATION (AGE ABOUT 83 Ma)--Light-colored limestone and gray to yellow speckled limy shale. FRONTIER FORMATION--Gray sandstone and sandy shale. 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/carbonate; mixed clastic/volcanic

Chugwater and Goose Egg Formations (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic Mesozoic | Permian Triassic-Early(?) Triassic-Middle(?) Triassic-Late) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

CHUGWATER AND GOOSE EGG FORMATIONS (north Wyoming). CHUGWATER FORMATION--Red siltstone and shale. Alcova Limestone Member in upper middle part in north Wyoming. Thin gypsum partings near base in north and northeast Wyoming. GOOSE EGG FORMATION--Red sandstone and siltstone, white gypsum, halite, and purple to white dolomite and limestone; CHUGWATER FORMATION OR GROUP (south Wyoming)--Red shale and siltstone containing thin gypsum partings near base. Group includes Popo Agie Formation (red shale and red, yellow, and purple siltstone; lenses of lime-pellet conglomerate), Crow Mountain Sandstone (red and gray, thick bedded), Alcova Limestone, and Red Peak Formation (red siltstone and shale). Chugwater Formation includes as members all the units listed above. Includes overlying Jelm Formation in Shirley and Seminoe Mountains and at northern end of Laramie Basin. JELM FORMATION--Red sandstone. GOOSE EGG FORMATION--Red sandstone and siltstone, white gypsum, halite, and purple to white dolomite and limestone.

Lithology: siltstone; sandstone; shale; conglomerate; evaporite; dolostone (dolomite); limestone

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

Clay, some claystone, silt and siltstone. Predominantly greenish gray and volcaniclastic. Other occurrences are greenish gray to white and bentonitic. Local channel sandstone at base. Aprox thickness 195 ft.

Lithology: clay or mud; claystone; silt; siltstone

White River Formation--Brule Member (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Oligocene ) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

WHITE RIVER FORMATION Brule Member--Pale-pink to white blocky tuffaceous claystone and lenticular sandstone. Locally includes the Upper Conglomerate Member (Twru).

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

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

East: Ashy claystone and sandstone. Includes Castle Rock Conglomerate in region southeast of Denver. Northwest: Ashy claystone in North Park

Lithology: sandstone; claystone; 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

Casper and Fountain Formations (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian-Middle Pennsylvanian-Late Permian) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

CASPER AND FOUNTAIN FORMATIONS. CASPER FORMATION--Gray, tan, and red thick-bedded sandstone underlain by interbedded sandstone and pink and gray limestone. May include some Devonian(?) sandstone along east flank of Laramie Mountains. FOUNTAIN FORMATION--Arkose and red sandstone.

Lithology: sandstone; limestone