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A major purpose of the Techni- cal Information Center is to provide / the broadest dissemination possi- ble of information contained in DOE's Research and Development Reports to business, industry, the academic community, and federal, state and local governments. Although a small portion of this report is not reproducible, it is being made available to expedite the availability of information on the research discussed herein. ORNL/Sub—84-64794/1 )DE8.5 010453 SHALES AND OTHER ARGILLACEOUS STRATA IN THE UNITED STATES *3erge Gonzales Earth Resource Associates, Inc. Athens, Georgia 30601 Kenneth S. Johnson University of Oklahoma P i Norman, Oklahoma 73069 s. q. r SI- BT3 <S g5 WHfs-g 5' g s -3 n. sn? f ffP g S- 5" — > a ii 8 3 a 3 I g- Date Published: March 1985 1 - — G2 3 ^ S 5 2 3 - J! sg o=r a. 3a ^I» t» I © 3 3. 55 8 ^ n A ••55 Report Prepared by 5FF a. 8B bG c <8 Earth Resources Associates, Inc. Q o _ 3. 2 o Athens, Georgia hmr=> 3 5 8 I ; under 3 E- « i P9 Subcontract No. 11X-64794V S^l 8 1- for ^ u fi* i o g ft- ~ 2. J S g to Ef >< Oak Ridge National Laboratory _ vN; o BSO. o 1I Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 operated by if»s s s MARTIN MARIETTA ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC. lllil for the Mftl U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY under Contract No. DE-AC05-840R21400 s1 I is-?: \ DISTRIBUTION CF T11IS DOCUMENT IS UUUMITta iii FOREWORD In 1976 the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Program was established by the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA), the agency that has now become the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The NWTS Program is directed toward development of technology for the permanent disposal of high-level radioactive waste in an environmentally safe manner. Emphasis has been placed on disposal of the wastes deep underground in repositories constructed in geologically stable rocks. Several rock types are being considered by the DOE as host rocks for disposal of wastes; these rocks include basalt, crystalline rock (granitic), volcanic tuff, salt, and various other sedimentary rocks, such as shales and argillaceous strata. In 1979, the DOE, through the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (ONWI) at Battelle Memorial Institute, contracted with Serge Gonzales and Kenneth S. Johnson to prepare a report on the geologic and hydrologic characterization of shales and other argillaceous strata in the conterminous United States. This report was to serve as a data base for further assessment of such rocks as possible candidates for hosting a repository. The report was first produced by ONWI in preliminary draft form in 1982. In 1984, the DOE requested that Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) issue this second, revised draft of the report for review, as part of ORNL's program to investigate sedimentary rocks other than salt for waste disposal purposes. With one exception, revisions made in preparing the second draft have not incorporated geologic data and reports issued since the first draft was prepared, and, thus, the effective date for information upon which this revised draft is based is early 1982. Because of new geologic data, developed by ORNL staff, on the Conasauga Group of rocks, the description of this group has been updated to include publications since 1982. This report presents detailed geologic and hydrologic data that describe shales and other argillaceous rocks; data are from the open literature. These data are intended to be used in the future to aid in assessment of various strata and their potential for repository siting. No observations, conclusions, or recommendations are made by the authors of this report relative to the suitability of various argillaceous rocks for waste disposal. There are, however, other published reports that contain technical data and evaluative statements regarding the suitability of various argillaceous rocks for repository siting. Where appropriate, the authors of this report have referenced this previously published literature and have summarized the technical data. The authors acknowledge the cooperation and support provided by staff members of ONWI, Battelle Memorial Institute, especially R. B. Laughon, who provided guidance in preparation and review of the first draft of this report. The authors also wish to thank S. H. Stow, ORNL, for his support and review of the first draft and his supervision during preparation of the second draft; C. S. Haase, ORNL, for his aid in updating the section on the Conasauga Group; J. Ingram for drafting the illustrations; and N. G. Allred for preparing the final typed copy of the report. V TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 BACKGROUND 1 1.2 GEOLOGIC PROPERTIES OF SHALE 4 1.2.1 Terminology 5 1.2.2 Mineralogy 7 1.2.3 Diagenesis 10 1.3 REGIONAL GEOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS IMPORTANT FOR WASTE DISPOSAL 12 1.3.1 Structure and Geologic Framework 12 1.3.2 Shale Deposits As Repository Host Rocks 14 1.3.3 Seismic Activity 15 1.3.4 Hydrology 16 1.3.5 Mineral Resources 20 2. PRINCIPAL SHALES IN THE UNITED STATES 21 2.1 DEPOSITION OF SHALES '.. 21 2.2 DISTRIBUTION OF PRINCIPAL SHALES 22 3. EASTERN INTERIOR 27 3.1 STRUCTURE AND GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK .. 27 3.2 REGIONAL SEISMICITY 40 3.3 REGIONAL HYDROLOGY 41 3.3.1 Surface Water 41 3.3.2 Ground Water 44 3.4 SHALES AND ARGILLACEOUS STRATA 49 3.4.1 Introduction 49 3.4.2 Maquoketa Group 50 3.4.3 Cincinnatian Series 62 3.4.4 Devonian-Mississippian Shales 73 3.4.5 Other Units Ill 3.5 REG IONAL SUMMARY 116 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Pa8e 4. EASTERN MARGIN . 119 4.1 STRUCTURE AND GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK 119 4.2 REGIONAL SEISMICITY 126 4.3 REGIONAL HYDROLOGY 130 4.3.1 Surface Water 130 4.3.2 Ground Water 132 4.4 SHALES AND ARGILLACEOUS UNITS 137 4.4.1 Introduction % 137 4.4.2 Triassic Basic Shales 137 4.4.3 Other Units 142 4.5 REGIONAL SUMMARY 154 5. GULF COAST 157 5.1 STRUCTURE AND GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK 157 5.2 REGIONAL SEISMICITY 160 5.3 REGIONAL HYDROLOGY 161 5.3.1 Surface Water 161 5.3.2 Ground Water 162 5.4 SHALES AND ARGILLACEOUS UNITS 164 5.4.1 Introduction 164 5.4.2 Porters Creek Clay 165 5.4.3 Cane River Formation 176 5.4.4 Cook Mountain Formation 183 5.4.5 Yazoo Clay 185 5.4.6 Other Units 192 5.5 REGIONAL SUMMARY 195 6. GREAT PLAINS 197 6.1 STRUCTURE AND GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK 197 6.2 REGIONAL SEISMICITY 200 vii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page 6.3 REGIONAL HYDROLOGY 201 6.3.1 Surface Water 201 6.3.2 Ground Water 202 6.4 SHALES AND ARGILLACEOUS UNITS 204 6.4.1 Introduction 204 6.4.2 Woe:?ford (Chattanooga) Shale 205 6.4.3 Upper Mississippian Shales 220 6.4.4 Pennsylvanian Shales 226 6.4.5 Permian Shales 264 6.4.6 Pierre Shale and Equivalent Upper Cretaceous Shales 276 6.4.7 Lower Cretaceous Shales 298 6.4.8 Colorado Shale and Equivalent Upper Cretaceous Shales 304 6.4.9 Other Units 309 6.5 REGIONAL SUMMARY 311 7. ROCKY MOUNTAINS 317 7.1 STRUCTURE AND GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK 317 7.2 REGIONAL SEISMICITY 320 7.3 REGIONAL HYDROLOGY 321 7.3.1 Surface Water 321 7.3.2 Ground Water 322 7.4 SHALES AND ARGILLACEOUS UNITS 323 7.4.1 Introduction 323 7.4.2 Milligen Formation and Cooper Basin Group 323 7.4.3 Mowry Shale and Other Lower Cretaceous Shales... 330 7.4.4 Cody Shale and Other Upper Cretaceous Shales.... 338 7.4.5 Tertiary Shales 343 7.4.6 Other Units 351 7.5 REGIONAL SUMMARY 353 viii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page 8. COLORADO PLATEAU 355 8.1 STRUCTURE AND GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK 355 8.2 REGIONAL SEISMICITY 357 8.3 REGIONAL HYDROLOGY 357 8.3.1 Surface Water 357 8.3.2 Ground Water 358 8.4 SHALES AND ARGILLACEOUS UNITS 359 8.4.1 Introduction 359 8.4.2 Mancos Shale and Other Upper Cretaceous Shales.. 360 8.4.3 Green River Formation 375 8.4.4 Other Units • 384 8.5 REGIONAL SUMMARY 387 9. GREAT BASIN OF NEVADA AND UTAH 391 9.1 STRUCTURE AND GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK 391 9.2 REGIONAL SEISMICITY 395 9.3 REGIONAL HYDROLOGY 395 9.3.1 Surface Water 395 9.3.2 Ground Water 396 9.4 SHALES AND ARGILLACEOUS UNITS 397 9.4.1 Introduction 397 9.4.2 Eleana Formation..... 398 9.4.3 Pilot Shale and Chainman Shale 409 9.4.4 Other Units 414 9.5 REGIONAL SUMMARY 416 10. GREAT VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA 417 10.1 STRUCTURE AND GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK 417 10.2 REGIONAL SEISMICITY 420 ix TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page 10.3 REGIONAL HYDROLOGY 421 10.3.1 Surface Water 421 10.3.2 Ground Water 423 10.4 SHALES AND ARGILLACEOUS UNITS 424 10.4.1 Introdution 424 10.4.2 Stratigraphy 425 i 10.4.3 Geologic Setting 433 10.4.4 Mineralogy and Rock Properties 436 10.4.5 Hydrology 438 10.4.6 Mineral Resources 439 10.5 REGIONAL SUMMARY 442 11. PACIFIC NORTHWEST 445 11.1 STRUCTURE AND GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK 445 11.2 REGIONAL SEISMICITY 448 11.3 REGIONAL HYDROLOGY „ 449 11.3.1 Surface Water 449 . 11.3.2 Ground Water 450 11.4 SHALES AND ARGILLACEOUS UNITS 451 11.4.1 Introduction 451 11.4.2 Bastendorff Formation 451 11.4.3 Toledo Formation and Nye Mudstone 455 11.4.4 Twin River Formation 459 11.5 REGIONAL SUMMARY 463 ! 12.