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Sedimentary Record of Upper Cretaceous Through Tertiary Tectonism Northeastern Crazy Mountains Basin Central Montana

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Sedimentary Record of Upper Cretaceous Through Tertiary Tectonism Northeastern Crazy Mountains Basin Central Montana University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2000 Sedimentary record of Upper Cretaceous through Tertiary tectonism northeastern Crazy Mountains Basin central Montana Joshua K. Borrell The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Borrell, Joshua K., "Sedimentary record of Upper Cretaceous through Tertiary tectonism northeastern Crazy Mountains Basin central Montana" (2000). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 7188. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/7188 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Maureen and Mike MANSFIELD LIBRARY Hie University of J V I O N T A N A Permission is granted by the author to reproduce this material in its entirety, provided that this material is used for scholarly purposes and is properly cited in published works and reports. ♦* Please check 'Yes” or "No” and provide signaiure** Yes, I grant permission V g ^ No, I do not grant permission _____ Author's Signature Date ________P l a ^ r X O O O ________ Any copying for commercial purposes or financial gain may be undertaken only with the author's explicit consent. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. SEDIMENTARY RECORD OF UPPER CRETACEOUS THROUGH TERTIARY TECTONISM, NORTHEASTERN CRAZY MOUNTAINS BASIN, CENTRAL MONTANA by Joshua K. Borrell B S , University of Minnesota Duluth, 1998 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science The University of Montana 2000 Approved by; . aimerson Dean, Graduate School _________(p - ( " ZfftTD Date Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: EP37989 Alt rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT DMMdation PtAliahing UMI EP37989 Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code uesf ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Borrell, Joshua K , M.S., May 2000 Geology SEDIMENTARY RECORD OF UPPER CRETACEOUS-TERTIARY TECTONISM, NORTHEASTERN CRAZY MOUNTAINS BASIN, CENTRAL MONTANA (95 pgs) Director: Marc S. Hendrix /v\iU ABSTRACT During Cretaceous and Tertiary time, western and central Montana underwent a fundamental tectonic transition from ‘thin-skinned’ to ‘thick-skinned’ basement-involved deformation. Although the foreland basin of central Montana preserves a well-recognized series of Upper Cretaceous-Tertiary strata, the sedimentary record of the transition from thin-skinned’ to thick- skinned’ basement-involved deformation has not been thoroughly studied in this area. The purpose of this investigation is to document the sedimentology, sandstone compositions, and orientation of paleocurrent indicators in Santonian through Thanetian strata in the Crazy Mountains Basin, south-central Montana and use this information to interpret the tectonic history of the northeastern Crazy Mountains Basin. Three stratigraphie sections were measured near Harlowton, MT Each section includes the Upper Cretaceous Montana Group (Eagle, Claggett, Judith River, Bearpaw, and Lennep Formations) and Hell Creek Formation, and the Pal eocene Bear, Lebo, and Melville Formations. The Montana Group records sea-level changes of the Cretaceous Interior Seaway in the foreland basin. Inferred depositional environments range from open marine to fluvial. The Hell Creek and Bear, Lebo, and Melville Formations are inferred to be fluvial deposits. Marine sandstones of the Eagle through Lennep Formations are quartzose. These formations contain southeast-directed marine paleocurrent indicators that likely reflect transport by longshore drift. Fluvial sandstones of the middle Judith River Formation through the Lennep Sandstone are lithic-volcanic-rich; east-directed paleocurrent indicators likely reflect transport away from the Elkhom Mountains Volcanics. Sandstones of the Hell Creek Formation through the Bear Formation are quartz- and lithic-rich; south-directed paleocurrent indicators may reflect partitioning of the foreland basin in this region and initial development of the Crazy Mountains Basin. Volcanic-rich sandstone compositions associated with south and southeast- directed paleocurrents of the lower Lebo Formation may be linked to erosion of rocks associated with the Central Montana Alkalic Province to the north of the study area. Quartzolithic sandstone compositions and north-directed paleocurrent indicators in the Melville Formation probably record uplift of the Beartooth Mountains to the south. Post-Eocene terrace gravels, derived directly from the mountain ranges they flank, unconformably overlie Cretaceous-Paleocene strata. Gravels from the Little Belt Mountains are composed primarily of Paleozoic limestone clasts; gravels from the Crazy Mountains are primarily composed of Eocene volcanic clasts. II Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My first round of thanks must go to my thesis advisor, Marc Hendrix. His help, doled out whenever he could be found, has been more valuable than he probably knows. This project surely would never have gotten started or finished without his help To my other thesis committee members, Jim Sears and Jim Jacobs, your time and feedback was much appreciated. I would also like to offer sincere thanks to the other faculty members at the University of Montana who have shared their knowledge with me, especially Don Winston. Special thanks must go out to Jared Wells, “the field assistant”. I would still be out there measurin’ paleocurrents and stretchin’ tape if it wasn’t for you. I would like to thank the McDonough Research Grant for providing funding for this project. Financial assistance was much needed and much appreciated. Of those not directly related to my project, I have to thank my parents and sisters first and foremost. My appreciation for your encouragement through fhistrations, accidents, and accomplishments can not be put into words, but I hope you know how much it means to me To all of the other geo grads that have shared a beer, a laugh, or a meaningful discussion with me, you are a big part of this end result (on your left, baby). Special thanks go to my officemates of Y2K, Molly and Steve. You’ve made wasting an hour for lunch everyday something to look forward to. I would also like to thank other family, friends, and acquaintances not already mentioned for their fnendship and support. You know who you are. Ill Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ii Acknowledgments iii Table of Contents _ iv List of Tables vü List of Figures viii Introduction 1 Geologic Setting 3 Methods of Study Stratigraphie Studies 5 Provenance Studies 6 Terrace Gravel Studies 7 Stratigraphie and Sedimentologic Results and Interpretations Eagle Formation Previous Work 8 WPA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 8 SA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 9 Eagle Formation Paleocurrent Indicators 10 Eagle Formation Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Interpretations 11 Claggett Formation Previous Work 11 WPA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 12 SA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 12 Claggett Formation Paleocurrent Indicators 13 Claggett Formation Strat./Sed. Interpretations 13 Judith River Formation Previous Work 14 WPA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 15 SA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 16 Judith River Formation Paleocurrent Indicators 17 Judith River Formation Strat./Sed. Interpretations 18 IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Bearpaw Shale Previous Work 19 WPA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 19 SA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 19 Bearpaw Shale Paleocurrent Indicators 20 Bearpaw Shale Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Interpretations 20 Letmep Sandstone Previous Work 20 WPA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 21 SA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 21 Letmep Sandstone Paleocurrent Indicators 21 Letmep Sandstone Strat./Sed. Interpretations 22 Hell Creek Formation Previous Work 22 WPA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 23 SA Section Stratigraphic/Sedimentologic Observations 23 Hell Creek Formation Paleocurrent Indicators
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