The Geology of the Kaibab Formation, Marble Platform, Coconino County, Arizona

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The Geology of the Kaibab Formation, Marble Platform, Coconino County, Arizona The geology of the Kaibab formation, Marble Platform, Coconino County, Arizona Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic); maps Authors Bollin, Edgar Marshall, 1925- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 01/10/2021 07:41:31 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/551225 THE GEOLOGY OF THE KAIBAB FORMATION, MARBLE PLATFORM, COCONINO COUNTY, ARIZONA by Edgar M. Bollin A Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Department of Geology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in the Graduate College, University of Arizona 1954 / / ^ Approved: , . Director of Thesis Date .Hom-Haa a>.eiM 2 hi \ j x; o io id 2 hi . .'^HT H<j|^Uleidya lo [S'! 1 L p 9 r| ori/.y $U Jridu.. 1Z i l v . j r l iB q nl < J & t .^ aT/ snosfiA to ( J- v f * J f>»9llo0 s £ P s Jr u o b t C dri<t ni 4aei ; b'ivc 1 c:" set sC aiasrfT to loJoeifl E W t n - " This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the dean of the Graduate College when in their Judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ' • - r ■ ;. - - - Page I. INTRODUCTION . .... --- ....... 1 LOCATION AND ACCESIBILITY .................. 1 : ACKN0WLEDGE!',!E1CTS............................ 3 PURPOSE OF STUDY. 4 METHODS OF STUDY. ...... 4 II. PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES . ....... ....... 7 TOPOGRAPHY AND. DRAINAGE ■. ....... ...... 7 Local drainage . .......... 8 SURFACE OF EROSION. -. -. *. - . •■. 9 CLIMATE . ............... .-. 10 Temperature. -........ 10 Precipitation. 10 VEGETATION. ..... ............ 10 III. HISTORICAL REVIEW. .... -.. 11 IV. STRUCTURE . .. .... ............ 14 GENERAL ... ... ....... ... 14 'EAST KAIEAB MONOCLINE' . ___ ,. ........___ 14 VERMILLION - CLIFFS ... ,. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 ECHO .CLIFFS MONOCLINE ,. 17 LOCAL STRUCTURE ,. ,. .. .. ,. ,. .. .. .. .. .. 17 Faults . • t. .. -• *■. - . •. ». *. .. ^. -• 18 Joints . ,. ,. .... .. .. ,. .. ,. .. .. .19 V. STRATIGRAPHY AND PALEONTOLOGY............ 21 THICKNESS ............ ..... .......... 21 STRATIGRAPHY. ............ 21 PALEONTOLOGY. ........ .............. 22 Comparison with the Phosphoria formation . 23 Comparison with the Snyder Hill formation. 24 VI. SEDIMENTATION.......................... 27 METHOD OF PRESENTATION OF STATISTICAL MATERIAL 27 COLORATION AS A REFLECTION OF ENVIRONMENT . 28 Abnormal coloration.......... 29 Interpretation of coloration ....... 30 Variation of activity of transporting a g e n t ................................. 30 Variation in depth of depositional environment.......................... 32 Variation in climatic conditions ........ 33 Variation of available grain size........ 34- Summary of statistical measures.......... 35 CHAPTER page SEDIMENTATION AS REFLECTED IN THE DEVELOP­ MENT OF C H E R T .................. 35 Pa rad ia gene tic effects.................. 38 HEAVY MINERALS.................. 39 ECONOMIC POSSIBILITIES .................... 40 APPENDIX A. DESCRIPTIONS OF MEASURED SECTIONS SECTION 31-6............... .. SECTION 31-5 ................ SECTION 31-2 ......... SECTION 31-4 ................ SECTION 31-1 ........ .. SECTION 61-1 ................ SECTION 30-2 . .............. SECTION 62-1 ................ SECTION 63-2 ................ SECTION 64-1 ................ SECTION D. I. -1 ............ SECTION C. D. -1 ............ B. TABULATION OF STATISTICAL DATA. SECTION 31-2 ................ SECTION 64-1 ................ SECTION 62-1 ........... ■ section 31-1........ ; -. REFERENCES CITED ...................... ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1 Diagram showing location and regional features of the Marble Platform, Coconino County, Arizona............ ........................ 1 2-11 Cumulative curves and statistical parameters of section 3 1 - 2 ..............................72 12-20 Cumulative curves and statistical parameters of section 6 4 - 1 .............................. 82 21-28 Cumulative curves and statistical parameters of section 62-1 ........................ ...91 29-32 Cumulative curves and statistical parameters of section 3 1 - 1 .............................. 99 Plate 1 Location and geologic map, Marble Platform. Arizona ............................. in pocket 2 Subsurface geology, Marble Platform, Arizona ............ ..........in pocket 3 Carbonate percentage and statistical p a r a m e t e r s ................ .. in pocket CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION LOCATION AND ACCESSIBILITY The Marble Platform of northeastern Arizona lies between the East Kaibab Monocline to the west and the Echo Cliffs to the east. The north-south extension of the Platform is delimited by the Paria Plateau to the North and the Little Colorado River to the south (Fig. 1). Figure 1. Diagram and sketch map showing location and region­ al features of the Marble Platform, Cononino County, Arizona. 2 The Colorado River cuts diagonally from northeast to southwest across the platform, forming the Marble Canyon. The discussion in this paper is limited to that portion of the Marble Platform which lies between the Colorado River and the eastern contact of the Kaibab formation with the overlying Lower Triassic Moenkopi formation (Plate 1). The Kaibab formation crops out as a broad, relatively flat, nearly barren, strip-surface enlarging southward from an ex­ posure one mile wide immediately south of Lees Ferry to approximately twenty-five miles wide south of Shinumo Alter. Further enlargement of the areal extent southward is limited by a gradual encroachment of the overlying Moenkopi, Shina- rump, and Chinle formations. These formations constitute the rocks of the Painted Desert north of Cameron, Arizona (Plate 1). Access to the area is gained via U.S. Highway 89 north from Flagstaff, Arizona or south from Kanab, Utah. The high­ way roughly parallels the Echo Cliffs from the valley of the Little Colorado River to the Navajo Bridge and then swings eastward following the Vermillion Cliffs. The Marble Platform is criss-crossed by a network of dirt roads and Indian trails. The best route into the interior is a dirt road leading westward from Cedar Ridge Trading Post. This road was constructed by the Bureau of 3 Reclamation for the investigation of proposed damsites on the Colorado River. This road bifurcates approximately seven miles west of Cedar Ridge Trading Post; one branch terminates at the rim of the river at the 30.2 mile damsite. This mile­ age designation is in river miles downstream from Lees Ferry, Arizona. The upper or 30.2 mile damsite road has another branch approximately one mile from its termination at the River which leads to an excellent mule trail down Twenty Nine Mile Canyon to the River level. Numerous Indian trails branch off of this main access road at various points along its length, forming a braided network across the face of the Platform. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer gratefully acknowledges the assistance and guidance of Professor E.D. McKee and Dr. George A. Kiersch of the Geology Department of the University of Arizona and the Indian Service-Geology Project who proposed the problem, directed field and laboratory work, and provided financial assistance in the form of a research grant from the Indian Service-Geology Project. Professor Donald L. Bryant served as thesis director and offered valuable assistance and guidance. H.L. Page of the U.S. Geological Survey sedimen- tological Laboratory at the University of Arizona offered much assistance in laboratory procedure and graciously 4 allowed use of the equipment. Dr. D. Sayner of the Indian Service-Geology Project staff prepared Plate 2. The writer is especially indebted to Dr. H.S. Colton, director of the Museum of Northern Arizona, for extending full use of the fa­ cilities and services of the Museum, which served as a base of operations during the field season. George Good and Boyd Moore were able field assistants. PURPOSE OF STUDY The purpose of this study has been to obtain detailed lithologic and statistical data on the ICaibab formation of the Marble Platform. The task was to obtain specific details of trends and changes within the area; to determine horizons which may contain possible economically recoverable minerals; and to investigate the environmental and genetic relation­ ships of the deposition of the Kaibab formation. METHODS OF STUDY The field work consisted of measuring thirty-three detailed sections of specific areas well spaced at the ex­ tremities and central portions of the Marble Platform. Special effort was directed towards the upper portions of the formation, due to the possibility of economic products toward the top of the Kaibab formation. A large number of lithologic specimens were taken at all localities studied. Lithologic 5 samples were taken at each change of rock
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