- Bedrock Geology and Mineral Resources of Putnam County Indiana By JOHN R. HILL, MICHAEL C. MOORE, and JOHN C. MACKEY DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SPECIAL REPORT 26 PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF INDIANA BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA: 1982 STATE OF INDIANA r Robert D. Orr, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES James M. Ridenour, Director GEOLOGICAL SURVEY John B. Patton, State Geologiat For sale by Geological Survey. Bloomington, Ind. 47405 Price $2.00 Contents - Page Abstract .... 1 Introduction . .1 Character of the landscape . 1 Physiography .2 Drainage ... .2 Glacial geology . .5 Bedrock geology .7 Structure .7 Stratigraphy . .8 Borden Group and Edwardsville Formation .8 Sanders Group ..... .8 Ramp Creek Formation .9 Harrodsburg Limestone 11 Salem Limestone • . 11 Blue River Group . 12 St. Louis Limestone .. 12 Ste. Genevieve Limestone 12 Paoli Limestone 13 West Baden Group 14 Bethel Formation 14 Beaver Bend Limestone 14 Sample Formation . 14 Reelsville Limestone . 14 Elwren Formatio~ ... 14 Raccoon Creek Group and Mansfield Formation 15 Industrial minerals . 15 Limestone resources . 15 Beaver Bend Limestone 17 Paoli Limestone .... 17 Ste. Genevieve Limestone 17 St. Louis Limestone 18 Salem Limestone .. 18 Harrodsburg Limestone 18 Production potential . 19 Sand and gravel resources 21 Clay and shale resources 24 Coal resources ..... 26 Literature cited ..... 27 Appendix - Measured sections 31 -----------------------------~----..-----.-.--.- --­ Illustra tions Page r Figure 1 Map of Putnam County showing physiographic units .2 2 Map of Putnam County showing general distribution of Wisconsinan and IDinoian glacial deposits .............. 2 3 Map of Putnam County showing drainage network . 3 4 Map of Putnam County showing bedrock topography . 4 5 Map of Putnam County showing unconsolidated deposits . 6 6 Map of Indiana showing the eastern part of the IDinois Basin . 7 7 Columnar section of bedrock stratigraphic units exposed in Putnam County . 9 8 Map of Putnam County showing areal distribution of bedrock units . 10 9 Photograph of the Ste. Genevieve Limestone at a large road cut east of Little Walnut Creek ........................... 13 10 Map of Putnam County showing active (1982) and abandoned limestone and shale quarries ............................ 16 11 Map of Putnam County showing subcrop and outcrop boundaries of the Blue River Group ............................ 20 12 Map of Putnam County showing active (1982) and abandoned gravel pits and areas of relatively high potential for sand and gravel production 22 Tables Page Table 1 Chemical analyses in percent of thick units of high-calcium limestone in the Paoli and Ste. Genevieve Limestones of Putnam County . 18 2 Chemical analyses in percent of high-calcium limestone in the undiffer­ entiated Salem and Harrodsburg Limestones of Putnam County . 19 3 Mineralogic, textural, and ceramic analyses of clay and shale samples from Putnam County ............................ .24-25 ---.......... ~~- - Bedrock Geology and Mineral Resources of Putnam County, Indiana By JOHN R. HILL. MICHAEL C. MOORE, and JOHN C. MACKEY Abstract growth are available industrial minerals: Bedrock units from the Mansfield Formation limestone, sand and gravel, and clay, which (Pennsylvanian) to the Edwardsville Forma­ provide such commodities as aggregate, tion (Mississippian) crop out throughout animal-feed additives, agricultural soil condi­ Putnam County. Their present distribution is tioner, high-calcium limestone, limestone and largely due to erosion and nondeposition. clay for cement raw material, roadway ballast. These rocks are on the northeast edge of the and fill. Rocks of Mississippian and Pennsyl­ lllinois Basin and dip westward about 25 feet vanian age, cropping out where the glacial per mile. Local structural anomalies, such as drift is thin, provide most of the potential small-scale monoclinal and synclinal features, industrial minerals in the county. Clays and punctuate the otherwise flat-lying strata in limestones come mainly from Mississippian some places. The Mississippian-Pennsylvanian rocks. Minor coal deposits are in the area of unconformity is evident in areas where the Pennsylvanian outcrop, and sand and gravel Mansfield Formation (Pennsylvanian) overlies are in the glacial drift. rocks as old as the Edwardsville Formation Field mapping of the bedrock was the basis (lower Middle Mississippian) and as young as of this study. Geologic contacts. at the group the Elwren Formation (lower Upper Missis.­ level. were first compiled on 71h-minute U.S. sippian). Geological Survey topographic quadrangle The minerals industry of Putnam County is maps. The demarcation of buried contacts based almost entirely on limestone. Five was verified wherever possible by information quarries produce limestone raw materials for from water-well drilling. seismic study. and Class A through C aggregate, pulverized petroleum-exploration drilling. Although the limestone, agricultural limestone, and cement. stratigraphic nomenclature applicable to this Sand and gravel from valley-train deposits of region was not changed. previous bedrock Wisconsinan age are the only other geologic mapping was considerably refined, especially commodities currently produced (1982). The along the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian contact. once-healthy clay-shale industry is now The discussion of the surficial and bedrock dormant, though moderately extensive depos­ geology that follows emphasizes identification its of both raw materials remain throughout and description of the bedrock units. The rest the county. Minor shows of fair-quality to of this report discusses the available industrial poor-quality coal are exposed along the minerals and their production potential. Pennsylvanian outcrop, but these deposits are not considered to be commercially valu~ble. Character of the Landscape The surface of the county is agreeably diversified, Introduction combining in a high degree the useful and agreeable, Putnam County is about midway between as rocky scenery, with romantic views of plain and Indianapolis and Terre Haute, two large woodland, rich in interest to the economist, all metropolitan communities that are expanding uniting to tell a long story, recorded on rock and into adjacent rural areas. Interstate 70 and plain, of the earth's past, laden with promises of the U.S. Highway 40 are critical in making this futUre. (Collett, 1880, p. 398) expansion possible. Essential to this rural 1 ----... ~-... --­ 2 BEDROCK GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF PUTNAM COUNTY, INDIANA 1"--­ T 1 ~I I T T· 15 15 N N T T 14 14 N .., N I T T 13 ) 13 N N T T 12 12 N N R5W R4W R3W R5W R4W R3W Figure 1. Map of Putnam County showing physio­ Figure 2. Map of Putnam County showing general graphic units. From Malott, 1922. distribution of Wisconsinan and Dlinoian glacial de­ posits. Modified from Malott, 1922. PHYSIOGRAPHY Most of Putnam County is covered by glacial subdivision of the lllinoian drift sheet, called drift ranging in thickness from 0 to nearly the Crawford Upland (fig. 1), is characterized 200 feet where preglacial drainageways have by great diversity of surface form and relief. been filled. Bedrock outcrops, mostly along East of the Crawford Upland, Mississippian the major streams and their tributaries, are rocks form the westward-sloping Mitchell common, especially in the southern half of Plain (fig. 1). Although this limestone the county where the glacial drift thins. contains abundant solution features, sinkholes Three major physiographic areas (fig. 1) are and caves are uncommon in Putnam County. recognizable. Each of these areas is character­ ized by its typical landforms and general DRAINAGE surface topography. More than half of the Putnam County is drained by four major county, essentially from the Wisconsinan streams and their tributaries that belong to glacial margin (fig. 2) northward and east­ the Wabash River drainage basin. They are: ward, consists of gently rolling till plain, (1) Big Raccoon Creek in the northwestern which has major topographic relief due to part of the county and its tributaries covering postglacial stream erosion. Known as the Russell and Franklin Townships; (2) Big Tipton Till Plain (fig. 1), this area is typical of Walnut Creek, which, with its tributaries, is the landscape throughout most of central the major drainage system of the county; it Indiana. South and west of the Wisconsinan enters in Jackson Township and joins Mill margin lies the relatively thin Illinoian drift Creek in Washington Township to form the sheet (fig. 2). The bedrock topography has Eel River; (3) Deer Creek, which drains considerable surface extent in this area Marion and Warren Townships and part of because of the thin drift cover. The western Washington Township and debouches into CHARACTER OF THE LANDSCAPE 3 MONTGOMERY CO - R4W R3W o u o u ::.:: 0:: 15 <:! N W I I ~~--- I I I T I 14/N R2W ! I .-r- I I I I 13T I N o u ----- --~~" OWE N 0 o 5 Miles 1~~~I'I-'I~I~~lrl--~--~1 o 5Km Figure 3. Map of Putnam County showing drainage network. 4 BEDROCK GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF PUTNAM COUNTY, INDIANA r 1 0 5 Miles ! ! ! t II I 1 0 3 4 5Km HI!!! I! I Figure 4 • .Map of Putnam County showing bedrock topography. Contour interval is 50 feet. GLACIAL GEOLOGY 5 Mill Creek just above the confluence with Big terminal moraine (Qte, fig. 5). The till texture Walnut Creek; and (4) Mill Creek in Jefferson, is sandy loam to silty clay but is most Ooverdale, and Washington Townships; it typically loam. Intratill sand lenses occur - forms Cagles Mill Lake (a manmade reservoir) within both the ground moraine and end before it is joined by Deer Creek just above its moraine but are most common in the end merger with Big Walnut Creek. moraine. Present drainage approximates the pregla­ Sand and gravel deposits of valley-train cial drainage as illustrated in figures 3 and 4. origin in Wisconsinan outwash (Qgv, fig. 5) In the northwest corner of the county, where are found along parts of all major streams. drift is thickest, the present course of Big They provide the major source of sand and Raccoon Creek partly follows the buried gravel in the county.