IMNView88 metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE R. C: LANGENHEIM, JR. provided by Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship Repository s DEPT. GEOL. UNIV. ILLINOIS 254 N. H. B., T301 W. GREEN ST. URBANA, ILLINOIS 61901 Geology of sand and gravel aggregate resources of Illinois John M. Masters Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIVISION Champaign, Illinois Illinois Mineral Notes 88 1983 Drafting: Craig Ron to Masters, John M. Geology of sand and gravel aggregate resources of Illinois. — Champaign, IL : Illinois State Geological Survey, 1983. 10 p. ; 28 cm. — (Illinois—Geological Survey. Illinois min- eral notes ; 88) "Text and figures of this paper are extracted from: Good- win, Jonathan M., and John M. Masters, 1983, Geology of aggregate resources of Illinois: in Ault, Curtis H., and Gerald S. Woodard [eds.]. Proceedings of the 18th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals: Indiana Geological Survey, Occasional Paper 37, p. 61-90, Bloomington, Indiana." 1. Aggregates (Building materials)— Illinois. 2. Sand— Illinois. 3. Gravel— Illinois. I. Title. II. Series. Printed by authority of the State of Illinois /'1983 /'1400 Geology of sand and gravel aggregate resources of Illinois John M. Masters ABSTRACT 1 INTRODUCTION 1 SAND AND GRAVEL AGGREGATE RESOURCES 2 Surf icial geology of Illinois 2 Holocene and Wisconsinan deposits 2 Wisconsinan outwash sand and gravel and lake deposits 4 I llinoian outwash sand and gravel 7 Pliocene-Pleistocene to Cretaceous Age deposits 8 Freeze-thaw testing of gravel aggregates 9 SUMMARY 9 REFERENCES 9 ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Robert E. Bergstrom, Chief Natural Resources Building 615 East Peabody Drive Champaign, Illinois 61820 ILLINOIS MINERAL NOTES 88 1983 Text and figures of this paper are extracted from: Goodwin, Jonathan H., and John M. Masters, 1983, Geology of aggregate resources of Illinois: in Ault, Curtis H., and Gerald S. Woodard [eds.] , Proceedings of the 18th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals: Indiana Geological Survey, Occasional Paper 37, p. 61 -90, Bloomington, Indiana. Geology of sand and gravel aggregate resources of Illinois ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Most sand and gravel aggregate resources in fllinois- The state of Illinois has abundant resources of high- except for certain deposits of sand and chert gravel in quality aggregate in many areas. The major sand and western and extreme southern Illinois-are related to gravel resources are found in valley trains and outwash the waxing and waning of the continental glaciers that plains formed by Pleistocene continental glaciation. periodically reached into the state from Canada during High-quality Wisconsinan sand and gravel is espe- the Pleistocene. Vast amounts of debris- laden meltwater cially abundant near the high-volume metropolitan issued from these glaciers, washing sand and gravel into Chicago market area; however, future availability of outwash plains, fans, and deltas; valley trains; and ice- these resources is threatened by urbanization. Elsewhere contact deposits such as kames and eskers. Some of this in Illinois, sand and gravel is generally less abundant and material was also modified and reworked by the processes of lower quality than in the Chicago area. of rivers, lakes, and winds. About 50 percent of the sand Locations of sand and gravel pits and information and gravel produced in Illinois is mined in a highly on plant capacities and quality classes of aggregates populated six-county area in the northeast comer of were compiled for this report from Bulletin 23 of the the state where the most extensive and highest quality Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT, 1977). sand and gravel deposits are concentrated. In sand and Because many pits and quarries in the state are operated gravel pits to the south, the ratio of sand to gravel with portable equipment on an as- needed basis, some increases, the gravel tends to become finer, and poor- pits may have been abandoned and some new sites may quality gravel particles become more abundant. Gravel have been opened since Bulletin 23 was compiled. products used in Portland cement concrete generally Aggregates are generally grouped into four quality cannot be produced from pits in the southern half of classes on the basis of physical testing by the Illinois Illinois, but high-quality sand is abundant-especially Department of Transportation (1979). Class A aggregate along the major river valleys. is acceptable for use in Portland cement concrete and all lower class applications. Class B aggregate is acceptable for use in top-quality bituminous pavements for inter- state and primary roads and all lower class applications. Class C aggregate is suitable for base courses and seal coats in secondary quality bituminous pavements and all lower class applications. Class D aggregate is suitable only for use in fill and base courses and in water- based macadam gravel surfaces of secondary roads. IDOT standards have been somewhat modified, and mining conditions at some Illinois pits have changed, since publication of Bulletin 23. GEOLOGY OF SAND AND GRAVEL AGGREGATE RESOURCES OF ILLINOIS SAND AND GRAVEL AGGREGATE RESOURCES Surficial geology of Illinois covered During the Pleistocene, Illinois was repeatedly extensive deposits by thick continental glaciers that left in the form of terminal of clay, silt, and sand and gravel and ground moraines, outwash plains, valley trains, of the kames, eskers, and other landforms. Deposits extensive Wisconsinan and Illinoian glacial advances are glaciation in Illinois (fig. 1). Deposits of the Kansan in extreme (or possible older glaciation) are exposed only western Illinois. Wisconsinan Glacio- fluvial deposits related to the sand and Stage provide major resources of high-quality northeastern part of gravel in the densely populated terminal Wisconsinan Illinois. Downstream from the age and moraines, valley- train deposits of Wisconsinan age are the other glacio -fluvial deposits of Illinoian principal sources of sand and gravel in Illinois. in The stratigraphy and nomenclature outlined and Frye, Pleistocene Stratigraphy of Illinois (Willman (Willman 1970) and Handbook of Illinois Stratigraphy to group the sand et al., 1975) are used in this report the state and gravel resources and related deposits in and physical that have similar ages, depositional histories, and gravel characteristics. In this report, only the sand proceeding bearing units will be discussed, generally from the youngest to the oldest deposits. Holocene and Wisconsinan deposits of Cahokia Alluvium. The Cahokia Alluvium consists : combined, alluvium. _r-»-J Cahokia AAlluvium. Parkland Sand, and Henry Formation deposits and channel deposits of present I-_-^-_-I-d windblown sand, and land and gravel ou twain floodplain -lying deposit rivers and streams (fig. 2). It is a low ft) sand, and locally Windblown till more than 6 meters (20 thick of poorly sorted silt, clay, clayey gravel. Although modern lakes Incloaet shells, and EqualHv Formation s.tt, clay, "nd m glacial, slackwater. and abundant wood fragments, Lake Michigan Formation (Hotocene and Wisconsinan) Cahokia often referred to as "recent alluvium," the they to accumulate in many valleys as soon as Glacial nil with some sand, gravel, and silt began to accumulate, ound moraine J were free of glacial ice; it continues valleys, especially during flood events. In some major gravel, and silt, age assignments Glasford Formation, glacial till with some sand, alluvium of some large of some units is uncertain particularly in the Illinois, the and Hagarstown Member of the Glatford Formation combined deflect the Pearl Formation tributaries has formed broad fans that outwash sand, gravel, and silt course of the river. gravel, sand, and silt along all Illinois Glacial till with Some Cahokia Alluvium is present deposits streams; however, only the more widespread brown chen pebbles .and sand The thickness Mounds Gravel, of larger streams can be shown in figure 2. to of the Cahokia varies greatly: commonly 3 6 m Clay, silts, and sands to 40 ft) (10 to 20 ft) in many valleys; 9 to 12 m (30 the Kaskaskia along the Illinois River (central Illinois) and Formation (Baylis Formation .n western ID. silly fine quartz sand Naify to ft) River (southwestern Illinois); and 15 to 18 m (50 60 southern along the Mississippi River (especially in the Bedrock at or near the surface half of Illinois). sands of the Cahokia Alluvium unconsolidated The modern channel Figure 1. Simplified geologic map of surficial, Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash materials (Quaternary and older) in Illinois (after Lineback, are dredged from the gravel is 1979, 1981). Rivers (fig. 2) for use as fine aggregate. Some recovered with the sand from the Ohio and Wabash. Ancient channel deposits in cut-off meanders in flood- ISGS/ILLINOIS MINERAL NOTES 88 . ... 1 , - V ( 1 j . 4 I 9-A. ! !_ --h> ] 2 1 I i M i ! ri / J f 9 Sj "* L 3 1 T"~ i | j. J ^ --' —7—1 £ jr i^ 6 "-^ uj^J-rr^iiJ. / I i 1 V5 3 ! ! i 1. ! /-'-. i r . i 1 \ 7 V — 1 2 t 1 1 "W--'""F'-i! T^v 2 i.-,- ^k 12 -, M ikM . —L \ i d^t i vT-- i r r !3f A r L>» d f p..i. \ xip> ! )/ D ^1 TO 20 30 40 6 n 1 1 1 1 , r 1 =3 D 10 20 X 40 60 60 km tO 20 30 40 SOtm X^^ Ii TfJ> 10 20 30 40 60 60 km ^V j /^ V ]/" D Present or recent river dredge operation 3 Number of recently active pits per county 2 Number of recently active pits per county f Areas underlain by wind-blown sand f Areas underlain by alluvium Figure 2. Distribution of the Cahokia Alluvium (Wisconsinan and Figure 3. Distribution of the Parkland Sand (Wisconsinan and Holocene) in Illinois (after Lineback, 1979). Holocene) in Illinois (after Lineback, 1979). plain areas can sometimes be dredged and used as fine deposits commonly overlie terraces of the Mackinaw aggregate ; however, floodplain deposits themselves are Member of the Henry Formation and adjacent uplands seldom usable.