Sediment or sedimentary rock (no unique unit description on map).
Variable deposits that range from pebble to boulder size and include sand, silt, and clay. Dominantly alluvial terrace, abandoned channel and floodplain, remnant alluvial fan, and local glacial outwash.
Granitic rock
Reddish gray conglomerate with limestone and quartzite clasts, gray limestone, and grayish brown sandstone. Syntectonic alluvial fan and braided stream. Thickness as much as 3,250 m (10,663 ft).
Upper Missoula Group (Ymu) - Pilcher Formation: Light gray and red cross-bedded, feldspathic, fine grained quartzite. Garnet Range Formation: Dark green, micaceous, fine-grained quartzite with subordinate argillite interbeds. Thickness as much as 1,200 m (3,937 ft). McNamara Formation: Dense green and red siltite and argillite in mudcracked couplets containing diagnostic chert beds and rip-up clasts. Thickness as much as 1,650 m (5,413 ft). Bonner Formation: Pink, cross-bedded, feldspathic, medium- to coarse grained quartzite. Thickness as much as 580 m (1,903 ft). Mount Shields Formation: Upper part: red quartzite, siltite, and argillite in mud-cracked couples and couplets with abundant salt casts. Lower part: light gray, flat-laminated, feldspathic, fine-grained quartzite. Thickness as much as 2,000 m (6,562 ft). Lower Missoula Group (Yml) - Shepard Formation: Tan-weathering, dolomitic, green siltite and argillite in couplets and microlaminae. In the west formerly considered part of the “upperWallace.” Thickness as much as 1,100 m (3,609 ft). Snowslip Formation: Green and red siltite and argillite in couplets. Western Snowslip equivalent is black siltite and argillite in couplets and microlaminae, formerly considered part of the “upper Wallace.” A new name is under consideration for the western Snowslip equivalent. Thickness as much as 1,200 m (3,937 ft).
McNamara Formation: Dense green and red siltite and argillite in mudcracked couplets containing diagnostic chert beds and rip-up clasts. Thickness as much as 1,650 m (5,413 ft). Bonner Formation: Pink, cross-bedded, feldspathic, medium- to coarse grained quartzite. Thickness as much as 580 m (1,903 ft). Mount Shields Formation: Upper part: red quartzite, siltite, and argillite in mud-cracked couples and couplets with abundant salt casts. Lower part: light gray, flat-laminated, feldspathic, fine-grained quartzite. Thickness as much as 2,000 m (6,562 ft). In northwestern Montana - Libby Formation:Light to dark gray and greenish gray siltite and argillite with subordinate quartzite in mud-cracked couplets. Thickness as much as 2,300 m (7,546 ft).
Conglomerate, tuffaceous sandstone and siltstone, marlstone, and equivalent sediment and ash beds. Local volcanic flows in southwestern Montana. Includes Sixmile Creek Formation. Dominantly fluvial, alluvial fan, mudflow, and palustrine. Composite thickness for Tsu and Tsm exceeds 4,880 m (16,010 ft).
Granitic rock
Gravel, sand, silt, and clay deposits of stream and river channels, and floodplains.
Variable deposits with fan-shaped morphology developed where slope gradient changes abruptly. Shown only where relatively extensive.
Dominantly till, outwash, and local glacial lake deposits. Shown only in western and south-central Montana. Laurentide glacial deposits are indicated with a map pattern.
Beaverhead Mountains, southwestern Montana - Light gray quartzite with subordinate argillite, siltite, and calc-silicate rocks; unresolved unit that has been variously assigned to Yellowjacket Formation, Lemhi Group, Swauger Formation, or Belt Supergroup. Thickness as much as 2,700 m (8,858 ft).
Quartzofeldspathic gneiss
Western Montana: gray, fine- to medium-grained, locally conglomeratic sandstone with interbeds of dark gray carbonaceous shale. Local conglomerate, porcellanite, and coal. Central Montana: dark gray, carbonaceous shale interbedded with siltstone and sandstone, chert-pebble conglomerate, and coal. Big Elk Sandstone Member: light gray, chert-rich sandstone commonly stained dark red, interbedded with thin, dark gray to black, clayey shale. Boulder River Sandstone Member: gray to greenish gray, very fine-grained to conglomeratic, glauconitic sandstone. Brackish to nonmarine. Thickness exceeds 2,135 m (7,005 ft) in Lima Peaks region, and exceeds 915m in the Greenhorn, Snowcrest, Gravelly, and Pioneer Mountains of southwestern Montana. Elsewhere thickness as much as 215 m (705 ft).
Volcanic rock; In southwestern Montana - Challis Volcanics: Basaltic andesite, andesite, quartz latite, latite, rhyodacite, and rhyolite flows, and tuff, most of which is nonporphyritic and commonly spherulitic; glassy to devitrified. Subordinate water-laid tuff.
Mafic volcanic rock
Surrett Canyon Formation: Dark gray, massive limestone with much scattered white bioclastic debris. Marine. Thickness at type section 67 m (220 ft). South Creek Formation: Dark gray, thin-bedded, chert bearing limestone that alternates with dark gray, argillaceous limestone. Marine. Thickness at type section 91 m (300 ft). Scott Peak Formation (Msp): Dark gray, chert-bearing, fine grained limestone interbedded with subordinate light brown, calcareous, quartzose siltstone to fine sandstone. Marine. Thickness at type section 685 m (2,247 ft). Middle Canyon Formation (Mmd): Dark gray, silty limestone with chert beds and nodules. Shallow marine. Thickness at type section 335 m (1,100 ft). McGowan Creek Formation: Upper part: dark gray and pale yellowish brown, thin-bedded, calcareous siltstone interbedded with dark gray, silty limestone. Lower part: dark gray, carbonaceous, thin-bedded argillite with interbeds of dark gray siltite, medium gray, fine-grained, conglomeratic sandstone and quartzite, and dark gray, silty limestone. Marine. Thickness as much as 61 m (200 ft).
Light brown to brown, well-sorted, unconsolidated, laminated sand, silt, and clay. Lima Reservoir and Red Rocks Lake area, southwestern Montana.
Phosphoria Formation (Pp): Gray and tan dolomite, cherty limestone, bedded chert, siltstone, sandstone, and gray to black phosphatic and dolomitic shale. Marine shelf and offshore marine. Thickness as much as 255 m (837 ft). Quadrant Formation (PAq): Very light gray, yellowish or pinkish, well-sorted sandstone or quartzite, locally interbedded with subordinate limestone beds. Marine. Generally, thickness as much as 140 m (460 ft), but as much as 800 m (2,625 ft) in southwestern-most Montana.
Kootenai Formation (Kk, Kku, Kkm, Kkl): Red, maroon, and olive gray mudstone, tan or gray siltstone, calcareous concretions, limestone beds, and several prominent sandstone beds that include the Greybull Member (top of the formation in south-central Montana) and the Sunburst Member (middle to lower part of the formation in northwest-central Montana), both dominantly quartzose sandstone. Basal Cutbank or Pryor Conglomerate. Alluvial plain with local marine influence in the north. Thickness as much as 335 m (1,099 ft). Morrison Formation (Jm): Green, gray, or red mudstone and marlstone with subordinate limestone and sandstone beds. Upper part Neocomian age in central Montana and contains carbonaceous black shale and coal. Fluvial, paludal, and lacustrine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Thaynes Formation: Gray and tan limestone with interbedded siltstone, shale, and tan sandstone. Locally with red shale tongues. Marine. Thickness as much as 290 m (950 ft). Woodside Formation: Maroon and red siltstone, dolomite, and shale. Tidal flat. Thickness as much as 250 m (820 ft). Dinwoody Formation (TRd): Interbedded green siltstone, shale, sandstone, and carbonate that grades eastward into red shale, siltstone, and anhydrite. Nearshore and restricted marine. Thickness as much as 330 m (1,083 ft).
Frontier Formation (Kf): Western Montana: gray, fine- to medium-grained, locally conglomeratic sandstone with interbeds of dark gray carbonaceous shale. Local conglomerate, porcellanite, and coal. Central Montana: dark gray, carbonaceous shale interbedded with siltstone and sandstone, chert-pebble conglomerate, and coal. Big Elk Sandstone Member: light gray, chert-rich sandstone commonly stained dark red, interbedded with thin, dark gray to black, clayey shale. Boulder River Sandstone Member: gray to greenish gray, very fine-grained to conglomeratic, glauconitic sandstone. Brackish to nonmarine. Thickness exceeds 2,135 m (7,005 ft) in Lima Peaks region, and exceeds 915m in the Greenhorn, Snowcrest, Gravelly, and Pioneer Mountains of southwestern Montana. Elsewhere thickness as much as 215 m (705 ft). Blackleaf Formation (Kbl) - Bootlegger Member (Kbb): Dark gray shale interbedded with sandstone, siltstone, and bentonite beds. Marine. Thickness as much as 100 m (328 ft). Vaughn Member (Kbv): Black carbonaceous shale, light gray, greenish to pinkish bentonitic to tuffaceous siltstone and porcellanite, tuffaceous, arkosic sandstone, thin coal; conglomerate beds in western Montana. Fluvial and coastal delta plain. Thickness as much as 200 m (656 ft). Taft Hill Member (Kbt): Black shale, gray bentonitic siltstone, and glauconitic sandstone. Marine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Flood Member (Kblf): Upper part: medium gray, cliff-forming fine- to medium-grained chert-rich, quartzose sandstone, middle part medium to dark gray shale or gray siltstone; lower part: yellowish brown, gray, or olive gray fine-grained sandstone and siltstone with carbonaceous laminae and thin films of coal and dark gray silty, bentonitic shale. Sandstone beds thin eastward. Quartzose basal sandstone in southwestern Montana. Nearshore marine, tidal flat, and lagoon. Thickness as much as 230 m (755 ft).
Tuffaceous siltstone, sandstone, bentonitic mudstone, conglomerate, limestone, and equivalent sediment and ash beds. Local volcanic flows in southwestern Montana. Includes Renova Formation. Dominantly fluvial, floodplain, palustrine, lacustrine, debris flow, and eolian. Composite thickness for Tsu and Tsm exceeds 4,880 m (16,010 ft). Includes Anaconda Formation: Light gray, reddish tan, or brownish red, coarse breccia that laterally grades to conglomerate, sandstone, and siltstone. Locally intertongues with Lowland Creek Volcanics. Derived from overlying unmetamorphosed plate of metamorphic core complex. Thickness as much as much as 200 m (656 ft).
Conover Ranch Formation: Red siltstone and mudstone with minor silty limestone and sandstone beds. Thickness 35 m (115 ft). Lombard Formation: Gray, silty limestone with minor black shale. Thickness 120 m (394 ft). Kibbey Formation: Yellow siltstone, sandstone, and mudstone with minor silt limestone in lower part. Thickness 80 m (262 ft).
Upper part: pinkish gray, gray, or brown welded or unwelded tuff that contains abundant phenocrysts of sanidine and quartz, and uncompacted pumice fragments at the top.
Very light gray, yellowish or pinkish, well-sorted sandstone or quartzite, locally interbedded with subordinate limestone beds. Marine. Generally, thickness as much as 140 m (460 ft), but as much as 800 m(2,625 ft) in southwestern-most Montana.
Dark gray, chert-bearing, fine grained limestone interbedded with subordinate light brown, calcareous, quartzose siltstone to fine sandstone. Marine. Thickness at type section 685 m (2,247 ft).
Quartzofeldspathic gneiss
Volcanic rock
Snowy Range Formation (CAsr): Sage Member (upper part of formation): gray limestone and grayish green shale interbedded with grayish green flat-pebble conglomerate. Dry Creek Member (lower part of formation): greenish gray shale and grayish orange calcareous sandstone. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 85 m (280 ft). Pilgrim Formation: Gray, commonly mottled limestone that may contain intraformational limestone conglomerate. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Park Formation: Grayish green, fissile, micaceous shale with a few thin beds of calcareous sandstone and thin, gray limestone. Local arkose beds. Offshore marine. Thickness as much as 310 m (1,017 ft). Meagher Formation: Gray to bluish gray limestone and dolomitic limestone, locally mottled and with intraformational conglomerate beds. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 300 m (984 ft). Wolsey Formation (CAw): Dark green and purplish gray fissile, micaceous shale, thin glauconitic limestone beds and thin, fine-grained sandstone beds. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 145 m (476 ft). Flathead Formation (CAf): Pinkish gray to light gray sandstone or quartzite. Locally very glauconitic, pebbly, arkosic, or iron-stained. Marine shoreface. Thickness as much as 100 m (328 ft). Hasmark Formation: Light gray or bluish gray limestone and dark-gray calcareous shale. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 560 m (1,823 ft). Silver Hill Formation: Brown, green, and very light gray banded calcareous shale interbedded with laminated limestone. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 120 m (394 ft).
Granitic rock
Three Forks Formation (MDt): Sappington Member (upper part of formation):yellowish orange and yellowish gray siltstone. Trident Member (middle part of formation): greenish gray and light olive gray, fossiliferous, calcareous shale that contains interbeds and nodules of fossiliferous, argillaceous limestone. Logan Gulch Member (lower part of formation): yellowish gray and grayish red, argillaceous limestone breccia and shale breccia that may include dolomitic siltstone. Marine to restricted marine with evaporite basins. Thickness as much as 185 m (607 ft). Jefferson Formation (Dj): Birdbear Member (upper part of formation): light to medium gray, sucrosic dolomite. Lower part of formation: grayish black, commonly petroliferous dolomite or limestone that may be interbedded with light gray quartzite. Marine. Thickness as much as 520 m (1,706 ft).
Snowcrest Range Group (PAMsr) - Conover Ranch Formation: Red siltstone and mudstone with minor silty limestone and sandstone beds. Thickness 35 m (115 ft). Lombard Formation: Gray, silty limestone with minor black shale. Thickness120 m (394 ft). Kibbey Formation: Yellow siltstone, sandstone, and mudstone with minor silt limestone in lower part. Thickness 80 m (262 ft). Tendoy Group (Mtd) - McKenzie Canyon Formation: Gray, chert-bearing limestone and solution breccia. Marine. Thickness 140 m (460 ft). Mission Canyon Formation: Light gray, chert-bearing limestone and brown dolomitic limestone. Shallow marine. Thickness 180 m (590 ft). Middle Canyon Formation (Mmd): Dark gray, silty limestone with chert beds and nodules. Shallow marine. Thickness at type section 335 m (1,100 ft). Paine Formation: Dark gray, silty limestone with solution breccia zone. Shallow marine. Thickness 230 m (755 ft).
Thaynes Formation: Gray and tan limestone with interbedded siltstone, shale, and tan sandstone. Locally with red shale tongues. Marine. Thickness as much as 290 m (950 ft). Woodside Formation: Maroon and red siltstone, dolomite, and shale. Tidal flat. Thickness as much as 250 m (820 ft). Dinwoody Formation (TRd): Interbedded green siltstone, shale, sandstone, and carbonate that grades eastward into red shale, siltstone, and anhydrite. Nearshore and restricted marine. Thickness as much as 330 m (1,083 ft).
Mission Canyon Formation (Mmc): Gray, massive limestone with chert beds and nodules, and solution breccia zones. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 520 m (1,706 ft). Lodgepole Formation (Ml): Woodhurst Member (upper part of formation): light gray, well-bedded limestone, typically with much dark chert, interbedded with thinner calcareous mudstone beds. Paine Member (middle part of formation):dark gray, thin-bedded, silty or fossiliferous limestone. Cottonwood Canyon Member (lower part of formation): black shale with basal conglomeratic lag deposit. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 305 m (1000 ft). In Northwest Montana - Castle Reef Formation: Medium to light gray, thick-bedded limestone or dolomite. Sun River Member (upper part of formation): light gray dolomite with thick fossiliferous lenses. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 300 m (984 ft). Allan Mountain Formation: Dark gray, thinly bedded limestone with thin mudstone and shale partings, and nodular chert. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 200 m (656 ft).
Marble
Felsic volcanic rock
Dark gray, silty limestone with chert beds and nodules. Shallow marine. Thickness at type section 335 m (1,100 ft).
Intrusive rock
Phosphoria Formation (Pp): Gray and tan dolomite, cherty limestone, bedded chert, siltstone, sandstone, and gray to black phosphatic and dolomitic shale. Marine shelf and offshore marine. Thickness as much as 255 m (837 ft). Park City Formation: Gray limestone, tan dolomite, and interbedded sandstone, phosphatic shale, and cherty carbonate. Marine shelf. Thickness as much as 115 m (377 ft).
Lombard Formation: Gray, silty limestone with minor black shale. Thickness 120 m (394 ft). Madison Group (Mm) - Mission Canyon Formation (Mmc): Gray, massive limestone with chert beds and nodules, and solution breccia zones. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 520 m (1,706 ft). Lodgepole Formation (Ml): Woodhurst Member (upper part of formation): light gray, well-bedded limestone, typically with much dark chert, interbedded with thinner calcareous mudstone beds. Paine Member (middle part of formation):dark gray, thin-bedded, silty or fossiliferous limestone. Cottonwood Canyon Member (lower part of formation): black shale with basal conglomeratic lag deposit. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 305 m (1000 ft). In Northwest Montana - Castle Reef Formation: Medium to light gray, thick-bedded limestone or dolomite. Sun River Member (upper part of formation): light gray dolomite with thick fossiliferous lenses. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 300 m (984 ft). Allan Mountain Formation: Dark gray, thinly bedded limestone with thin mudstone and shale partings, and nodular chert. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 200 m (656 ft).
McKenzie Canyon Formation: Gray, chert-bearing limestone and solution breccia. Marine. Thickness 140 m (460 ft). Mission Canyon Formation: Light gray, chert-bearing limestone and brown dolomitic limestone. Shallow marine. Thickness 180 m (590 ft). Middle Canyon Formation (Mmd): Dark gray, silty limestone with chert beds and nodules. Shallow marine. Thickness at type section 335 m (1,100 ft). Paine Formation: Dark gray, silty limestone with solution breccia zone. Shallow marine. Thickness 230 m (755 ft).
Kootenai Formation (Kk, Kku, Kkm, Kkl): Red, maroon, and olive gray mudstone, tan or gray siltstone, calcareous concretions, limestone beds, and several prominent sandstone beds that include the Greybull Member (top of the formation in south-central Montana) and the Sunburst Member (middle to lower part of the formation in northwest-central Montana), both dominantly quartzose sandstone. Basal Cutbank or Pryor Conglomerate. Alluvial plain with local marine influence in the north. Thickness as much as 335 m (1,099 ft).
Variable deposits that range from pebble to boulder size and include sand, silt, and clay. Dominantly alluvial terrace, abandoned channel and floodplain, remnant alluvial fan, and local glacial outwash.
Woodside Formation: Maroon and red siltstone, dolomite, and shale. Tidal flat. Thickness as much as 250 m (820 ft). Dinwoody Formation (TRd): Interbedded green siltstone, shale, sandstone, and carbonate that grades eastward into red shale, siltstone, and anhydrite. Nearshore and restricted marine. Thickness as much as 330 m (1,083 ft).
Purple to light gray, fine- to medium-grained massive quartzite that contains sparse floating pebbles of quartz interbedded with and grading downward into fine- to coarse-grained feldspathic quartzite with abundant mud chips, trough and planar crossbeds, and flat laminations.
Three Forks Formation (MDt): Sappington Member (upper part of formation):yellowish orange and yellowish gray siltstone. Trident Member (middle part of formation): greenish gray and light olive gray, fossiliferous, calcareous shale that contains interbeds and nodules of fossiliferous, argillaceous limestone. Logan Gulch Member (lower part of formation): yellowish gray and grayish red, argillaceous limestone breccia and shale breccia that may include dolomitic siltstone. Marine to restricted marine with evaporite basins. Thickness as much as 185 m (607 ft). Jefferson Formation (Dj): Birdbear Member (upper part of formation): light to medium gray, sucrosic dolomite. Lower part of formation: grayish black, commonly petroliferous dolomite or limestone that may be interbedded with light gray quartzite. Marine. Thickness as much as 520 m (1,706 ft). Kinnikinic Formation (Ok): Very light gray, massive quartzite with local lenses of dolomite and dolomitic shale. Marine shelf. Thickness as much as 245 m (804 ft). Snowy Range Formation (CAsr): Sage Member (upper part of formation): gray limestone and grayish green shale interbedded with grayish green flat-pebble conglomerate. Dry Creek Member (lower part of formation): greenish gray shale and grayish orange calcareous sandstone. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 85 m (280 ft). Pilgrim Formation: Gray, commonly mottled limestone that may contain intraformational limestone conglomerate. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Park Formation: Grayish green, fissile, micaceous shale with a few thin beds of calcareous sandstone and thin, gray limestone. Local arkose beds. Offshore marine. Thickness as much as 310 m (1,017 ft). Meagher Formation: Gray to bluish gray limestone and dolomitic limestone, locally mottled and with intraformational conglomerate beds. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 300 m (984 ft). Wolsey Formation (CAw): Dark green and purplish gray fissile, micaceous shale, thin glauconitic limestone beds and thin, fine-grained sandstone beds. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 145 m (476 ft). Flathead Formation (CAf): Pinkish gray to light gray sandstone or quartzite. Locally very glauconitic, pebbly, arkosic, or iron-stained. Marine shoreface. Thickness as much as 100 m (328 ft). Hasmark Formation: Light gray or bluish gray limestone and dark-gray calcareous shale. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 560 m (1,823 ft). Silver Hill Formation: Brown, green, and very light gray banded calcareous shale interbedded with laminated limestone. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 120 m (394 ft).
Schist
Schist and gneiss
Snaky Canyon Formation: Medium gray limestone with yellowish brown chert, interbedded with subordinate thin sandstone beds. Marine. Thickness 245 m (804 ft). Bluebird Mountain Formation: Medium gray to brownish gray quartzite interbedded with yellowish brown, very fine-grained sandstone, gray calcareous siltstone, and medium-gray sandy limestone. Marine. Thickness 275 m (902 ft).
Variable deposits that range from pebble to boulder size and include sand, silt, and clay. Dominantly alluvial terrace, abandoned channel and floodplain, remnant alluvial fan, and local glacial outwash.
Amphibolite
Gray, massive limestone with chert beds and nodules, and solution breccia zones. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 520 m (1,706 ft). In south-central Montana - Big Snowy Formation: Olive gray, thick-bedded limestone, yellowish gray siltstone, dark gray shale, and yellowish brown, thin bedded siltstone and mudstone. Nearshore marine. Thickness 120 m (394 ft).
Three Forks Formation (MDt): Sappington Member (upper part of formation):yellowish orange and yellowish gray siltstone. Trident Member (middle part of formation): greenish gray and light olive gray, fossiliferous, calcareous shale that contains interbeds and nodules of fossiliferous, argillaceous limestone. Logan Gulch Member (lower part of formation): yellowish gray and grayish red, argillaceous limestone breccia and shale breccia that may include dolomitic siltstone. Marine to restricted marine with evaporite basins. Thickness as much as 185 m (607 ft). Jefferson Formation (Dj): Birdbear Member (upper part of formation): light to medium gray, sucrosic dolomite. Lower part of formation: grayish black, commonly petroliferous dolomite or limestone that may be interbedded with light gray quartzite. Marine. Thickness as much as 520 m (1,706 ft). Maywood Formation: Thin-bedded dolomitic limestone and dolomite interbedded with calcareous shale. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 120 m (394 ft). In northwestern Montana near Canadian border - Palliser Formation: Gray and greenish gray limestone and dolomitic limestone with locally abundant black chert. Pinkish gray, very thinly laminated, calcareous mudstone at base. Marine. Thickness as much as 300 m (984 ft). Alexo Formation: Pale yellowish orange, medium grained, calcareous siltstone with calcareous mudstone at the base. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 595 m (1,952 ft). Fairholme Group: Brownish black, bioturbated, calcareous mudstone, gray algal limestone and dolomite, and pale yellowish orange, medium-grained, calcareous sandstone at the base. Thickness as much as 550 m(1,805 ft).
Gray and tan dolomite, cherty limestone, bedded chert, siltstone, sandstone, and gray to black phosphatic and dolomitic shale. Marine shelf and offshore marine. Thickness as much as 255 m (837 ft).
Quartzite
Three Forks Formation (MDt): Sappington Member (upper part of formation):yellowish orange and yellowish gray siltstone. Trident Member (middle part of formation): greenish gray and light olive gray, fossiliferous, calcareous shale that contains interbeds and nodules of fossiliferous, argillaceous limestone. Logan Gulch Member (lower part of formation): yellowish gray and grayish red, argillaceous limestone breccia and shale breccia that may include dolomitic siltstone. Marine to restricted marine with evaporite basins. Thickness as much as 185 m (607 ft). Jefferson Formation (Dj): Birdbear Member (upper part of formation): light to medium gray, sucrosic dolomite. Lower part of formation: grayish black, commonly petroliferous dolomite or limestone that may be interbedded with light gray quartzite. Marine. Thickness as much as 520 m (1,706 ft). Kinnikinic Formation (Ok): Very light gray, massive quartzite with local lenses of dolomite and dolomitic shale. Marine shelf. Thickness as much as 245 m (804 ft).
Light yellowish gray to light gray, vuggy, partly thinly laminated, locally tuffaceous or silty limestone. Along Snowcrest Range fault, southwestern Montana.
Shepard Formation: Tan-weathering, dolomitic, green siltite and argillite in couplets and microlaminae. In the west formerly considered part of the “upperWallace.” Thickness as much as 1,100 m (3,609 ft). Snowslip Formation: Green and red siltite and argillite in couplets. Western Snowslip equivalent is black siltite and argillite in couplets and microlaminae, formerly considered part of the “upper Wallace.” A new name is under consideration for the western Snowslip equivalent. Thickness as much as 1,200 m (3,937 ft).
Orangish brown, very fine- to medium-grained, well-sorted, quartzose sandstone. Nearshore marine shelf. Thickness as much as 70 m (230 ft).
Mylonite
Bighorn Formation (Ob): Yellowish gray to very pale orange crystalline dolomite with local basal sandstone. Marine shelf. Thickness as much as 120 m (394 ft). Pilgrim Formation: Gray, commonly mottled limestone that may contain intraformational limestone conglomerate. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Park Formation: Grayish green, fissile, micaceous shale with a few thin beds of calcareous sandstone and thin, gray limestone. Local arkose beds. Offshore marine. Thickness as much as 310 m (1,017 ft). Meagher Formation: Gray to bluish gray limestone and dolomitic limestone, locally mottled and with intraformational conglomerate beds. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 300 m (984 ft). Wolsey Formation (CAw): Dark green and purplish gray fissile, micaceous shale, thin glauconitic limestone beds and thin, fine-grained sandstone beds. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 145 m (476 ft). Flathead Formation (CAf): Pinkish gray to light gray sandstone or quartzite. Locally very glauconitic, pebbly, arkosic, or iron-stained. Marine shoreface. Thickness as much as 100 m (328 ft).
Amphibolite
Dark green, micaceous, fine-grained quartzite with subordinate argillite interbeds. Thickness as much as 1,200 m (3,937 ft). In northwestern Montana - Libby Formation: Light to dark gray and greenish gray siltite and argillite with subordinate quartzite in mud-cracked couplets. Thickness as much as 2,300 m (7,546 ft). Pilcher Formation: Light gray and red cross-bedded, feldspathic, fine grained quartzite. Garnet Range Formation: Dark green, micaceous, fine-grained quartzite with subordinate argillite interbeds. Thickness as much as 1,200 m (3,937 ft).
Calc-alkalic andesite and dacite extrusive rock with lesser amounts of potassic, alkalic, and mafic lava; minor amounts of rhyodacitic ash-flow tuff associated with mafic lava; and dark gray, very fine-grained basalt or andesite intrusive breccia.
Kootenai Formation (Kk, Kku, Kkm, Kkl): Red, maroon, and olive gray mudstone, tan or gray siltstone, calcareous concretions, limestone beds, and several prominent sandstone beds that include the Greybull Member (top of the formation in south-central Montana) and the Sunburst Member (middle to lower part of the formation in northwest-central Montana), both dominantly quartzose sandstone. Basal Cutbank or Pryor Conglomerate. Alluvial plain with local marine influence in the north. Thickness as much as 335 m (1,099 ft). Morrison Formation (Jm): Green, gray, or red mudstone and marlstone with subordinate limestone and sandstone beds. Upper part Neocomian age in central Montana and contains carbonaceous black shale and coal. Fluvial, paludal, and lacustrine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Ellis Group (Je) - Swift Formation (Jsw): Orangish brown, glauconitic, flaggy-bedded, commonly fossiliferous, fine-grained sandstone or sandy coquina with subordinate dark gray shale interbeds; chert pebbles common. In west-central and northwestern Montana, a dark gray, noncalcareous, micaceous shale forms the lower part of the formation, commonly with a basal chert-pebble conglomerate or conglomeratic sandstone as much as 3 m (10 ft) thick. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 70 m (230 ft). Rierdon Formation (Jr): Gray, locally fossiliferous limestone that may contain floating grains of quartz sand, interbedded with greenish gray limy shale. Lagoonal and marine shelf. Thickness as much as 105 m (344 ft). Sawtooth Formation: Western Montana: dark gray, platy to shaly, dense limestone with local basal conglomerate. Central Montana: upper calcareous siltstone, middle dark gray shale with thin limestone interbeds, and lower fine-grained sandstone. Three local members Bowes, Firemoon, and Tampico, in descending order. Bowes Member: dark gray to medium gray, calcareous mudstone, limestone, and quartzose sandstone. Firemoon Member: dark to medium gray, limestone and calcareous mudstone. Tampico Member: very light gray, well-sorted quartz sandstone and siltstone, and chert-pebble conglomerate. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 205 m (673 ft). Piper Formation (Jp): Upper part: red mudstone and gypsum; middle part: gray shale, limestone, and dolomite; lower part: red mudstone and gypsum. Marine and restricted coastal evaporite basins. Thickness as much as 75 m (246 ft).
Shedhorn Formation (Psh): Orangish brown, very fine- to medium-grained, well-sorted, quartzose sandstone. Nearshore marine shelf. Thickness as much as 70 m (230 ft). Quadrant Formation (PAq): Very light gray, yellowish or pinkish, well-sorted sandstone or quartzite, locally interbedded with subordinate limestone beds. Marine. Generally, thickness as much as 140 m (460 ft), but as much as 800 m (2,625 ft) in southwestern-most Montana. Amsden Formation (PAMa): Red shale, light gray limestone, and cherty and sandy limestone. Coastal plain or marine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft).
Granitic rock
Marble
Morrison Formation (Jm): Green, gray, or red mudstone and marlstone with subordinate limestone and sandstone beds. Upper part Neocomian age in central Montana and contains carbonaceous black shale and coal. Fluvial, paludal, and lacustrine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Ellis Group (Je) - Swift Formation (Jsw): Orangish brown, glauconitic, flaggy-bedded, commonly fossiliferous, fine-grained sandstone or sandy coquina with subordinate dark gray shale interbeds; chert pebbles common. In west-central and northwestern Montana, a dark gray, noncalcareous, micaceous shale forms the lower part of the formation, commonly with a basal chert-pebble conglomerate or conglomeratic sandstone as much as 3 m (10 ft) thick. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 70 m (230 ft). Rierdon Formation (Jr): Gray, locally fossiliferous limestone that may contain floating grains of quartz sand, interbedded with greenish gray limy shale. Lagoonal and marine shelf. Thickness as much as 105 m (344 ft). Sawtooth Formation: Western Montana: dark gray, platy to shaly, dense limestone with local basal conglomerate. Central Montana: upper calcareous siltstone, middle dark gray shale with thin limestone interbeds, and lower fine-grained sandstone. Three local members Bowes, Firemoon, and Tampico, in descending order. Bowes Member: dark gray to medium gray, calcareous mudstone, limestone, and quartzose sandstone. Firemoon Member: dark to medium gray, limestone and calcareous mudstone. Tampico Member: very light gray, well-sorted quartz sandstone and siltstone, and chert-pebble conglomerate. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 205 m (673 ft). Piper Formation (Jp): Upper part: red mudstone and gypsum; middle part: gray shale, limestone, and dolomite; lower part: red mudstone and gypsum. Marine and restricted coastal evaporite basins. Thickness as much as 75 m (246 ft). Twin Creek Formation: Black and gray, calcareous shale and thin-bedded shaly limestone with some beds of yellow sandstone. Marine.
Morrison Formation (Jm): Green, gray, or red mudstone and marlstone with subordinate limestone and sandstone beds. Upper part Neocomian age in central Montana and contains carbonaceous black shale and coal. Fluvial, paludal, and lacustrine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Ellis Group (Je) - Swift Formation (Jsw): Orangish brown, glauconitic, flaggy-bedded, commonly fossiliferous, fine-grained sandstone or sandy coquina with subordinate dark gray shale interbeds; chert pebbles common. In west-central and northwestern Montana, a dark gray, noncalcareous, micaceous shale forms the lower part of the formation, commonly with a basal chert-pebble conglomerate or conglomeratic sandstone as much as 3 m (10 ft) thick. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 70 m (230 ft). Rierdon Formation (Jr): Gray, locally fossiliferous limestone that may contain floating grains of quartz sand, interbedded with greenish gray limy shale. Lagoonal and marine shelf. Thickness as much as 105 m (344 ft). Sawtooth Formation: Western Montana: dark gray, platy to shaly, dense limestone with local basal conglomerate. Central Montana: upper calcareous siltstone, middle dark gray shale with thin limestone interbeds, and lower fine-grained sandstone. Three local members Bowes, Firemoon, and Tampico, in descending order. Bowes Member: dark gray to medium gray, calcareous mudstone, limestone, and quartzose sandstone. Firemoon Member: dark to medium gray, limestone and calcareous mudstone. Tampico Member: very light gray, well-sorted quartz sandstone and siltstone, and chert-pebble conglomerate. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 205 m (673 ft). Piper Formation (Jp): Upper part: red mudstone and gypsum; middle part: gray shale, limestone, and dolomite; lower part: red mudstone and gypsum. Marine and restricted coastal evaporite basins. Thickness as much as 75 m (246 ft).
Quadrant Formation (PAq): Very light gray, yellowish or pinkish, well-sorted sandstone or quartzite, locally interbedded with subordinate limestone beds. Marine. Generally, thickness as much as 140 m (460 ft), but as much as 800 m (2,625 ft) in southwestern-most Montana. Amsden Formation (PAMa): Red shale, light gray limestone, and cherty and sandy limestone. Coastal plain or marine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft).
Bootlegger Member (Kbb): Dark gray shale interbedded with sandstone, siltstone, and bentonite beds. Marine. Thickness as much as 100 m (328 ft). Vaughn Member (Kbv): Black carbonaceous shale, light gray, greenish to pinkish bentonitic to tuffaceous siltstone and porcellanite, tuffaceous, arkosic sandstone, thin coal; conglomerate beds in western Montana. Fluvial and coastal delta plain. Thickness as much as 200 m (656 ft). Taft Hill Member (Kbt): Black shale, gray bentonitic siltstone, and glauconitic sandstone. Marine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Flood Member (Kblf): Upper part: medium gray, cliff-forming fine- to medium-grained chert-rich, quartzose sandstone, middle part medium to dark gray shale or gray siltstone; lower part: yellowish brown, gray, or olive gray fine-grained sandstone and siltstone with carbonaceous laminae and thin films of coal and dark gray silty, bentonitic shale. Sandstone beds thin eastward. Quartzose basal sandstone in southwestern Montana. Nearshore marine, tidal flat, and lagoon. Thickness as much as 230 m (755 ft).
Dark gray to black shale with subordinate siltstone beds. Middle part of formation contains one or more thin sandstone beds with chert pebble horizons where Muddy Sandstone is not present. Offshore marine. Thickness as much as 305 m (1,000 ft).
Gneiss and amphibolite
Pilgrim Formation: Gray, commonly mottled limestone that may contain intraformational limestone conglomerate. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Park Formation: Grayish green, fissile, micaceous shale with a few thin beds of calcareous sandstone and thin, gray limestone. Local arkose beds. Offshore marine. Thickness as much as 310 m (1,017 ft). Meagher Formation: Gray to bluish gray limestone and dolomitic limestone, locally mottled and with intraformational conglomerate beds. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 300 m (984 ft).
Wolsey Formation (CAw): Dark green and purplish gray fissile, micaceous shale, thin glauconitic limestone beds and thin, fine-grained sandstone beds. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 145 m (476 ft). Flathead Formation (CAf): Pinkish gray to light gray sandstone or quartzite. Locally very glauconitic, pebbly, arkosic, or iron-stained. Marine shoreface. Thickness as much as 100 m (328 ft).
Basalt
Feldspathic fine-grained quartzite, siltite, and subordinate argillite and carbonate-bearing rocks in east-central Idaho; includes Apple Creek, West Fork, Inyo Creek, Big Creek, and Gunsight formations. (Mesoproterozoic Metasedimentary Rocks of Lemhi Subbasin of Belt Basin).
Gray to brown fine- to medium-grained sandstone with interbedded dark gray locally carbonaceous shale. Deltaic, shoreface, and offshore marine. Thickness as much as 50 m (164 ft).
Light gray to silvery gray, platy to blocky, siliceous shale and subordinate thin-bedded, gray siltstone or very fine-grained sandstone laminae or beds. Fish scales common in central Montana. Ledge-forming, chert-bearing, fine- to medium-grained sandstone at top throughout west-central Montana. Marine. Thickness 240 m (787 ft).
Middle Canyon Formation: Dark gray, silty limestone with chert beds and nodules. Shallow marine. Thickness at type section 335 m (1,100 ft). McGowan Creek Formation: Upper part: dark gray and pale yellowish brown, thin-bedded, calcareous siltstone interbedded with dark gray, silty limestone. Lower part: dark gray, carbonaceous, thin-bedded argillite with interbeds of dark gray siltite, medium gray, fine-grained, conglomeratic sandstone and quartzite, and dark gray, silty limestone. Marine. Thickness as much as 61 m (200 ft). Three Forks Formation (MDt): Sappington Member (upper part of formation):yellowish orange and yellowish gray siltstone. Trident Member (middle part of formation): greenish gray and light olive gray, fossiliferous, calcareous shale that contains interbeds and nodules of fossiliferous, argillaceous limestone. Logan Gulch Member (lower part of formation): yellowish gray and grayish red, argillaceous limestone breccia and shale breccia that may include dolomitic siltstone. Marine to restricted marine with evaporite basins. Thickness as much as 185 m (607 ft). Jefferson Formation (Dj): Birdbear Member (upper part of formation): light to medium gray, sucrosic dolomite. Lower part of formation: grayish black, commonly petroliferous dolomite or limestone that may be interbedded with light gray quartzite. Marine. Thickness as much as 520 m (1,706 ft). Kinnikinic Formation (Ok): Very light gray, massive quartzite with local lenses of dolomite and dolomitic shale. Marine shelf. Thickness as much as 245 m (804 ft).
Bluebird Mountain Formation: Medium gray to brownish gray quartzite interbedded with yellowish brown, very fine-grained sandstone, gray calcareous siltstone, and medium-gray sandy limestone. Marine. Thickness 275 m (902 ft). Railroad Canyon Formation: Medium gray and brownish black, phosphatic mudstone, shale, limestone, limestone conglomerate, and medium gray sandstone. Marine. Thickness 260 m (853 ft). Surrett Canyon Formation: Dark gray, massive limestone with much scattered white bioclastic debris. Marine. Thickness at type section 67 m (220 ft). South Creek Formation: Dark gray, thin-bedded, chert bearing limestone that alternates with dark gray, argillaceous limestone. Marine. Thickness at type section 91 m (300 ft).
Woodhurst Member (upper part of formation): light gray, well-bedded limestone, typically with much dark chert, interbedded with thinner calcareous mudstone beds. Paine Member (middle part of formation):dark gray, thin-bedded, silty or fossiliferous limestone. Cottonwood Canyon Member (lower part of formation): black shale with basal conglomeratic lag deposit. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 305 m (1000 ft).
Orangish brown, glauconitic, flaggy-bedded, commonly fossiliferous, fine-grained sandstone or sandy coquina with subordinate dark gray shale interbeds; chert pebbles common. In west-central and northwestern Montana, a dark gray, noncalcareous, micaceous shale forms the lower part of the formation, commonly with a basal chert-pebble conglomerate or conglomeratic sandstone as much as 3 m (10 ft) thick. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 70 m (230 ft).
Helena Formation (Yh): Northwestern Montana: (formerly “lower Wallace”): cycles of basal white quartzite or intraclast beds overlain by couplets of green siltite and argillite, capped by dolomite beds. Calcite pods and ribbons (molar tooth structure) common. West-central Montana: gray to dark gray limestone and dolomitic limestone with siltite partings. Thickness as much as 2,000 m (6,562). Wallace Formation: Tan-weathering, dolomitic quartzite and siltite, and black argillite with calcite ribbons (molar tooth structure) in graded pinch-and-swell couples and couplets. Thickness as much as 2,500 m (8,202 ft).
Sage Member (upper part of formation): gray limestone and grayish green shale interbedded with grayish green flat-pebble conglomerate. Dry Creek Member (lower part of formation): greenish gray shale and grayish orange calcareous sandstone. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 85 m (280 ft).
Quartzose medium- to coarse-grained quartzite of Swauger Formation and siltite and quartzite of overlying Lawson Creek Formation in east-central Idaho. (Mesoproterozoic Metasedimentary Rocks of Lemhi Subbasin of Belt Basin).
Orangish brown, coarse- to fine-grained sandstone with subordinate interbeds of shale and mudstone. Laterally equivalent to Hell Creek Formation. Fluvial. Thickness as much as 150 m (492 ft).
Pend Oreille granodiorite gneiss near Priest River (~2650 Ma); schist, gneiss, and subordinate quartzite along North Fork Clearwater River; Kelly Creek granite gneiss northeast of Pierce (~2670 Ma); orthogneiss in Pioneer Mountains (~2600 Ma and 695 Ma); granite gneiss, granite, schist, and amphibolite of Green Creek complex in Albion Mountains (~2600 Ma); granite gneiss in Beaverhead Mountains east of Leadore (~2450 Ma); and marble, quartzite, schist, and amphibolite of uncertain age near Henrys Lake. (Mesoproterozoic to Archean Basement Rocks).
Interbedded green siltstone, shale, sandstone, and carbonate that grades eastward into red shale, siltstone, and anhydrite. Nearshore and restricted marine. Thickness as much as 330 m (1,083 ft).
Marine limestone of Mississippian carbonate banks and turbiditic sandstone, mudstone, and conglomerate of Antler flysch trough; includes Madison and Lodgepole formations and Chesterfield Range Group of southeastern Idaho; McGowan Creek Formation, White Knob Limestone, and overlying carbonate bank of Lost River Range; and Copper Basin Group of Pioneer Mountains. Includes poorly dated Salmon River assemblage east of Stanley, consisting of argillite, siltstone, calcareous sandstone, and limestone. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).
Rhyolite tuffs and flows of Heise volcanic field (6.6-4.5 Ma; includes Blacktail Creek, Walcott, Conant Creek, and Kilgore tuffs), and rhyolite domes and flows of Magic Reservoir area (6.6-3 Ma). (Quaternary to Eocene Continental Volcanic and Intrusive Rocks).
Marine phosphorite, shale, and chert of Phosphoria Formation, fine-grained sandstone and mudrock of Wells, Quadrant, Amsden, and Shedhorn formations, and fine-grained sandstone, carbonaceous mudstone, and limestone of the Snaky Canyon Formation and Sun Valley and Oquirrh groups. Located in south-central and eastern Idaho. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).
White to light grayish pink, typically vuggy and finely crystalline, locally banded limestone. Light gray to white, thick-bedded, vuggy limestone.
Pilgrim Formation: Gray, commonly mottled limestone that may contain intraformational limestone conglomerate. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 180 m (590 ft). Park Formation: Grayish green, fissile, micaceous shale with a few thin beds of calcareous sandstone and thin, gray limestone. Local arkose beds. Offshore marine. Thickness as much as 310 m (1,017 ft). Meagher Formation: Gray to bluish gray limestone and dolomitic limestone, locally mottled and with intraformational conglomerate beds. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 300 m (984 ft). Wolsey Formation (CAw): Dark green and purplish gray fissile, micaceous shale, thin glauconitic limestone beds and thin, fine-grained sandstone beds. Shallow marine. Thickness as much as 145 m (476 ft). Flathead Formation (CAf): Pinkish gray to light gray sandstone or quartzite. Locally very glauconitic, pebbly, arkosic, or iron-stained. Marine shoreface. Thickness as much as 100 m (328 ft).
Basalt
Rhyolite
Dacite, andesite, and rhyolite tuffs and flows and subordinate basalt and latite flows; covers large area in south-central Idaho. Includes Absaroka Volcanic Group near Henrys Lake and scattered volcanic rocks in eastern and northern Idaho. (Eocene Challis Magmatic Complex and Related Sedimentary Rocks).
Fluvial conglomerate and sandstone of the Beaverhead Formation northwest of Dubois. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).
Marine and deltaic sandstone and shale of Cordilleran foreland basin (includes Gannett Group, Frontier, Mowry, Kootenay, and Thermopolis formations) in eastern Idaho thrust belt. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).
Flows and cinder cones of olivine tholeiite basalt, and shallow basalt intrusives (~15-3 Ma); includes basalt in Owyhee County and southwest of Twin Falls, basalt of Weiser (basalt to andesite), basalt of Cuddy Mountain (alkali basalt and picro-basalt) north of Cambridge, basalt in Mount Bennett Hills north of Gooding, andesite at Square Mountain near Magic Reservoir, and Cub River diabase sill east of Preston. Includes gabbro at depth in cross section D-D’-D”. (Quaternary to Eocene Continental Volcanic and Intrusive Rocks).
Extremely large lumping of over 25+ formations. See individual unit descriptions. Belt Supergroup consists of: Missoula Group (Ym, Ymu, Yml), Piegan Group (Ypg, Yh), Ravalli Group (Yr, Ye, Ysp), and all the Lower Belt Formations (Ypu, Ypl, Yaw, Yla, Yg, Yn, Ynla, Ych, Yne).
Marine dolostone and limestone and sandstone in east-central and southeastern Idaho (Summerhouse, Kinnikinic, and Swan Peak sandstones, Fish Haven, Laketown, Jefferson, Three Forks, and Darby formations) and deep-water carbonaceous mudrocks of Phi Kappa, Trail Creek, and Milligen formations east of Ketchum. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).
Only shown in Henrys Lake area and in cross section. Consists of Ms and PlPs (PPAs). (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).
Syenite, quartz syenite, alkali-feldspar granite, and subordinate gabbro (500-485 Ma). Includes Beaverhead, Arnett Creek, Deep Creek, and Yellowjacket plutons southeast and west of Salmon. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).
Feldspathic quartzite and subordinate siltite and argillite. Includes Mount Shields, Bonner, Striped Peak, and Libby formations in northern Idaho and possibly correlative quartzite north of Salmon and in the Meadow Creek metamorphic sequence east of Elk City. (Mesoproterozoic Belt Supergroup).
Till and outwash consisting of gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Formed by valley glaciers at higher elevations and by the Cordilleran ice sheet in northern Idaho. Includes deposits of several glacial episodes. Includes rock glacier deposits and some modern alluvium derived from reworked till and outwash. (Quaternary Sediments).
Orthogneiss (primarily tonalite) and foliated granodiorite (~90 to ~80 Ma). Includes early phases of the Idaho batholith, migmatite, intrusions along major structures, and plutonic rocks of uncertain age along the Salmon River northwest of Salmon. (Paleocene and Cretaceous Idaho Batholith and Older Cretaceous and Jurassic Intrusive Rocks).
Siltite, argillite, and dolomitic siltite in northern Idaho; includes Snowslip and Shepard formations, rocks previously mapped as upper member of Wallace Formation, and correlative garnet-grade phyllite and schist south of St. Joe River. Also includes schist, micaceous quartzite, and calc-silicate rocks in lower part of Meadow Creek metamorphic sequence east of Elk City, and argillite, siltite, phyllite, and calc-silicate rocks south of Lost Trail Pass. (Mesoproterozoic Belt Supergroup).
Only shown in Henrys Lake area and in cross section. Consists of OCs (OCAs) and DSOs. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).
Very light gray, massive quartzite with local lenses of dolomite and dolomitic shale. Marine shelf. Thickness as much as 245 m (804 ft).
Marginal marine and marine sandstone and limestone; includes Nugget, Twin Creek, Preuss, Morrison, and Stump formations in eastern Idaho thrust belt. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).
Rhyolite tuffs, flows, and domes; includes Yellowstone Group (2.0-0.6 Ma) and isolated domes on Snake River Plain and north of Soda Springs (less than 2.0 Ma). (Quaternary to Eocene Continental Volcanic and Intrusive Rocks).
Shallow roots of Challis volcanic field. Older suite of granodiorite and quartz monzodiorite and subordinate diorite, granite, and subvolcanic dacite; includes Jackson Peak, Beaver Creek, Marsh Creek, and Summit Creek stocks (49-45 Ma). Younger suite of granite and minor syenite and subvolcanic rhyolite; includes Sawtooth, Casto, Bungalow, and Lolo Hot Springs plutons (47-43 Ma). (Eocene Challis Magmatic Complex and Related Sedimentary Rocks).
Fluvial and lacustrine deposits; includes conglomerate, sandstone, and shale near Salmon; Pass Creek Gravel, Wet Creek Gravel, and Donkey Fanglomerate north of Mackay; Medicine Lodge beds of southern Beaverhead Mountains; and isolated deposits in northern Idaho. (Quaternary to Eocene Continental Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks).
Red mudrock and fine-grained sandstone and marine limestone; includes Dinwoody, Woodside, Thaynes, and Ankareh formations in eastern Idaho thrust belt. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).
Fluvial, fan, and lacustrine deposits and intercalated volcanic rocks of the Basin and Range Province (~16-2 Ma); consolidated to weakly consolidated sandstone, siltstone, arkose, conglomerate, mudstone, tuffaceous sediment, basalt, basaltic tephra, and rhyolite tuff. Includes deposits of Lake Idaho (Idaho Group) in western Snake River Plain and Salt Lake Formation deposited in Basin and Range Province of east-central Idaho. (Quaternary to Eocene Continental Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks).
Quartzofeldspathic gneiss
Upper part consists of shallow marine and fluvial quartzose sandstone, and minor siltite, shale, and limestone of the Brigham Group of southeast Idaho, Wilbert Formation of east-central Idaho, and quartzites of unknown affinity west of Borah Peak. More highly metamorphosed equivalents are quartzite, metaconglomerate, metasiltite, calc-silicate marble, and schist of Gospel Peaks successions C and D in central Idaho; mature quartzite, biotite schist, and minor calc-silicate rocks of Syringa metamorphic sequence east of Moscow; and schist and quartzite in the Albion Range (Elba Quartzite, schist of Upper Narrows, quartzite of Yost, schist of Stevens Spring, quartzite of Clarks Basin, schist of Mahogany Peaks, and Harrison Summit Quartzite). Lower part consists of diamictite, immature sandstone, and bimodal volcanic rocks related to continental rifting. Includes Pocatello Formation (700-665 Ma), formation of Leaton Gulch near Challis, Shedroof Conglomerate in extreme northwest Idaho, and metamorphic equivalents (schist, marble, calc-silicate rocks, metaconglomerate, and ~686 Ma metavolcanic rocks) of Gospel Peaks successions A and B in central Idaho. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).