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Rhode Island Formation

Rhode Island Formation - Conglomerate, sandstone, and graywacke. Rhode Island Formation is thickest and most extensive formation in Narragansett basin. Does not extend to Norfolk basin. Consists of gray sandstone and siltstone and lesser amounts of gray to black shale, gray conglomerate, and coal beds 10 m thick. Interfingers with Wamsutta Formation in Narragansett basin. In places overlies Dedham Granite. Age is Middle and Late Pennsylvanian (Goldsmith, 1991).
StateMassachusetts
NameRhode Island Formation
Geologic ageUpper and Middle Pennsylvanian
Original map labelPrc
CommentsPart of Milford-Dedham Zone (Tertiary and Older Rocks) Secondary unit description per MA023.
Primary rock typesandstone
Secondary rock typesiltstone
Other rock typesblack shale; conglomerate; coal
Lithologic constituents
Major
Sedimentary > Clastic > Siltstone
Sedimentary > Clastic > Sandstone
Minor
Sedimentary > Coal > Anthracite
Sedimentary > Clastic > Mudstone > Shale > Black-shale
Sedimentary > Clastic > Conglomerate
Map references
Unpublished Digital Geologic Map of Massachusetts received from Rudi Hon at Boston College in 1998.
Unit references
Zen, E-An (ed.), Goldsmith, R. (comp.), Ratcliffe, N.M. (comp.), Robinson, P. (comp.), Stanley, R.S. (comp.), Hatch, N.L., Jr., Shride, A.F., Weed, E.G.A., Wones, D.R., 1983, Bedrock Geologic Map of Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, scale 1: 250,000.
Goldsmith, Richard, 1991, Stratigraphy of the Milford-Dedham zone, eastern Massachusetts; an Avalonian terrane, Chapter E, IN Hatch, N.L., Jr., ed., The bedrock geology of Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 1366-E-J, p. E1-E62.
Geographic coverageBristol

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