Masters Theses

Abstract

"Permo-Pennsylvanian sedimentary rocks of the Minnelusa Formation of the Black Hills uplift, South Dakota and Wyoming, can be divided into upper, middle and lower divisions on the basis of lithology. The upper portion of 150 to 200 feet consists of gray and yellow sandstone, with some carbonates and shales in some sections. The middle portion, about 200 to 220 feet thick consists of gray and red sandstone with carbonate members including the prominent dolomite member at the base; some of the carbonates are cherty. The lower portion, 20 to 60 feet thick, consists of pink sandstone, arenaceous dolomite and thin hard dolomite beds; most sections show evidence of solution, which affects up to 20 feet of the lowermost part of the section. Sieve analysis shows a gradual upward increase in grain size but with some fluctuations in most of the sections. The other grain size parameters are variable and do not show any trends or correlation. Carbonate cement increases with decrease of grain size suggesting a primary origin. With decrease in grain size a clay and silt-size matrix also becomes increasingly abundant. The environment of deposition is delineated mainly on vertical grain size variations. Upward increase in grain size is interpreted as indicating a progressively shallowing sea. Composition, sedimentary structures and variation in thickness of bedding were used also, but because these variables were studied in qualitative terms only, their use was limited. The sands are interpreted as being deposited as a transgressive and a regressive sequence due to fluctuation in subsidence and or due to a change in rate of supply. The environment of deposition includes beaches, offshore bars, and lagoons. Because differences in samples exist almost entirely in the "center" of the frequency curves, and because of the polycyclic nature of the sand, skewness and kurtosis are the least valuable grain size parameters to use in identifying the environment of deposition of this study"--Abstract, pages ii-iii.

Advisor(s)

Spreng, Alfred C., 1923-2012

Committee Member(s)

Beveridge, Thomas R. (Thomas Robinson), 1918-1978
Vaughn, George E., Jr., 1925-1997

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Geology

Sponsor(s)

Esso Standard Libya

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

1971

Pagination

xi, 99 pages

Geographic Coverage

Black Hills (S.D. and Wyo.)

Rights

© 1971 El-Magtuf Taleb Taleb, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

Sedimentation and deposition -- Black Hills (S.D. and Wyo.)Particle size determinationGranular materials

Thesis Number

T 2688

Print OCLC #

6038970

Electronic OCLC #

879220662

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