Geologic units in Harding county, South Dakota

Hell Creek Formation (Late Cretaceous) at surface, covers 54 % of this area

Tan to brown, light- to dark-gray, "somber beds" of shale. Interbedded with brown to red carbonaceous shale, gray and brown bentonitic silty shale, and gray, brown and yellow siltstone, sandstone, and claystone-pebble conglomerate. Thickness 260-600 ft (79-183 m).

Ludlow Formation (Paleocene) at surface, covers 23 % of this area

White, tan, yellow, and gray, cross-bedded, fine- to medium-grained,silty sandstone interbedded with locally bentonitic, gray siltstone, claystone, and sandy to silty claystone. Characterized by uranium-bearing lignite beds and "clinker" beds fromed by burning coalseams. Thickness up to 420 ft (128 m).

Pierre Shale (Upper Cretaceous) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Blue-gray to dark-gray, fissile to blocky shale with persistent beds of bentonite, black organic shale, and light-brown chalky shale. Contains minor sandstone, conglomerate, and abundant carbonate and ferruginous concretions. Thickness up to 1,000 ft (305 m).

Alluvium (Quaternary) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Clay to boulder-size clasts with locally abundant organic material. Thickness up to 75 ft (23m).

Cannonball Formation (Paleocene) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Gray and tan siltstone, sandy to silty claystone, and fine-grained, calcareous clayely to silty sandstone, and abundant, round to lenticular carbonate concretions. Thickness up to 180 ft (55 m).

Eolian Deposits (Quaternary) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

(loess and sand dune) Silt to medium-grained sand. Deposited as sand sheets and barchan, linear, and dome-like dunes and as veneer on uplands. Thickness up to 300 ft (91m).

Terrace Deposits (Quaternary) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Clay to boulder-size clasts deposited as pediments, paleochannels, and terrace fills of former flood plains. Thickness up to 75 ft (23m).

Fox Hills Sandstone (Upper Cretaceous) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Bluish-green to green, white to dark-gray, and yellow to tan, carbonaceous and iron-stained, cross-bedded, very fine- to coarse-grained, glauconitic sandstone and siltstone. Interbedded with gray and green to brown shale and siltyshale. Thickness up to 200 ft (61 m).

Tongue River Formation (Paleocene) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

White, gray, and tan, massive, cross-bedded sandstone with interbedded gray, brown, and green claystone, bentonitic claystone, clayely siltstone, carbonate concretions, and lignite. Thickness up to 285 ft (87 m).

Arikaree Group (Oligocene to Eocene) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Includes: Rosebud Formation (Miocene)- Pink siltstone with channel sandstone and concretions. Thickness up to 250 ft (76 m). Harrison Formation (Miocene)- Gray, silty sandstone and reworked volcanic ash with calcareous siltstone and marl. Thickness 180 ft (55 m). Turtle Butte Formation (Miocene)- Light-green to gray siltstone with sandstone channels containing claystone pebbles. Thickness 65 ft (20 m). Monroe Creek Formation (Oligocene)- Tan to grayish-tan, massive sandy siltstone and reworked volcanic ash. Thickness 100 ft (30 m). Sharps Formation (Oligocene)- Pink siltstone and claystone with concretionary layers, paleochannels, and beds of reworked volcanic ash. Thickness 360 ft (110 m).

White River Group (Oligocene to Eocene) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Includes: Brule Formation (Oligocene)- White, pink, light-green, and light-brown, massive to thin-bedded, bentonitic claystone, tuffaceous siltstone, and well-bedded, calcareous, tuffaceous quartz sandstone. Thickness up to 150 ft (46 m). Chadron Formation (Eocene)- Upper beds are gray, light-brown to maroon bentonite, claystone, siltstone tuffaceous fine-grained sandstone, and local, silicified carbonate lenses. Basal portion consists of poorly cemented, white, coarse-grained arkose and conglomerate. Thickness up to 160 ft (49 m). Chamberlain Pass Formation (Eocene)- Pale olive to pale red, mottled mudstone containing white, cross-bedded channel sandstone with basal conglomerate. Thickness up to 32 ft (10 m). Slim Buttes Formation (Eocene)- White, grayish- to yellowish-orange,pale-red to pink siltstone, clayey siltstone, bentonitic claystone,medium- to fine-grained sandstone, and conglomerate. Thickness up to 48 ft (15 m).

Landslide Deposits (Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

Landslide, slump, and collapsed material composed of chaotically mixed boulders and finer grained rock debris. Thickness up to 180 ft (55m).

Pierre Formation (Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Dark gray, partly silty shale with abundant bentonite beds and zones of gray, calcareous concretions. Marine. Thickness as much as650 m (2,133 ft). Only upper 50 m (164 ft) exposed.

Trail City Member of Fox Hills Formation (Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Yellowish orange, wavy-bedded siltstone and black shale with calcareous concretion zone. Thickness 10 m (33 ft).

Hell Creek Formation (Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Light gray, bentonitic claystone that alternates with gray to brown sandstone interbedded with carbonaceous shale. Laterally equivalent to Lance Formation. Fluvial and flood plain. Thickness as much as 335 m (1,100 ft).

Timber Lake Member of Fox Hills Formation (Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Yellowish orange to gray, fine- to medium grained, noncalcareous, hummocky-bedded sandstone. Thickness 15–22 m (50–72 ft).

Ludlow Member of Fort Union Formation (Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Gray and brown shale, siltstone, silty or bentonitic claystone, sandstone, and coal. Alluvial plain with marine-influenced tongues. Thickness as much as 230 m (755 ft).

Alluvium (Quaternary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Gravel, sand, silt, and clay deposits of stream and river channels, and floodplains.

Ekalaka Member of Fort Union Formation (Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Yellowish orange or tan, fine- to medium-grained sandstone interbedded with mudstone and thin shale and coal beds. Estuarine. Thickness as much as 55 m (180 ft).