1C. 179

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 179

GEOLOGIC CONSTRUCTION-MATERIAL

RESOURCES IN

OSBORNE COUNTY, KANSAS

By Charles P. Walters and Larson Y. Drake

PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH 

STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION 

OF KANSAS
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Oscar L. Chapman, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. E. Wrather, Director

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 179

GEOLOGIC CONSTRUCTION-MATERIAL RESOURCES IN 

OSBORNE COUNTY, KANSAS

By Charles P. Walter^ and Laraon Y. Drake

PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH 

STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION OF KANSAS

R. C. Keeling, State Highway Engineer 

S. E. Homer, Chief Geologist 

R. D. Finney, Chief Engineer

Prepared as part of a program

of the Department of the Interior for

development of the Missouri River Basin

Washington, D. O, 1952

Free on application to the Geological Surrey, Washington 25, D. C.
CONTENTS

Introduction...............................

Purpose of the investigation...........

Geography ..........................

Area covered by the investigation . 

Topography......................

Drainage .......................

Climate .......................

Transportation routes............

Investigation procedure...............

Acknowledgments....................

Characteristics of the outcropping 

stratigraphic units........................

General..............................

Greenhorn limestone..................

Areal distribution................

General description .............

Lincoln limestone member .......

Hartland shale member...........

Jetmore chalk member...........

Pfeifer shale member............

Representative measured 

section ...................... .

Thickness ......................

Construction materials...........

Carlile shale ....................... .

Areal distribution1 ................

General description ..............

Fairport chalky shale member....

Blue Hill shale member..........

Codell sandstone member.........

Representative measured 

sections........................

Thickness ......................

Construction materials ..........

Niobrara formation...................

General ........................

Fort Hays limestone member.....

Areal distribution ..........

General description ........

Representative measured 

section...................

Thickness..................

Construction materials .....

Smoky Hill chalk member ........

Areal distribution .........

General description ........

Representative measured 

section...................

Thickness .................

Construction materials .....

Ogallala formation ...................

Areal distribution ...............

General description ..............

Page Page

1 Characteristics of the outcropping

1 stratigraphic units Continued

1 Ogallala formation Continued

1 Representative measured

1 section ........................ 11

1 Thickness ....................... 11

I Construction materials ............ 11

3 Sanborn formation ..................... 11

3 Areal distribution ............... 11

3 General description .............. 12

	Representative measured 

3 section ........................ 12

3 Thickness ....................... 12

3 Construction materials........... 12

3 Terrace deposits ..................... 13

3 Areal distribution ............... 13

5 General description ............. 13

5 Representative measured

5 section ....................... 13

5 Thickness ....................... 13

	Construction materials ........... 13

5 Alluvium ............................. 13

7 Areal distribution ................ 13

'/ General description.............. 13

7 Representative measured

7 section ........................ 13

7 Thickness ..................... . 13

7 Construction materials .......... 14

7 Inventory of construction materials........... 14

7 General ............................. 14

	Aggregate for concrete ................ 14

8 Engineering and geologic

9 characteristics ................. 14

9 Stratigraphic sources and per9 formance characteristics ........ 14

9 Alluvium .................. 14

9 Terrace deposits ........... 14

9 Sanborn formation .......... 14

9 Ogallala formation .......... 14

	Road metal........................... 14

9 Engineering and geologic

10 characteristics ................ 14

10 Aggregate for concrete ..... 14

10 Crushed rocks.............. 14

10 Limestone gravel ........... 14

10 Stratigraphic sources and per- 

	formance characteristics ........ 15

10 Sources of aggregate

11 for concrete ............... 15

11 Crushed rock .............. 15

II Ogallala formation ..... 15

11 Smoky Hill chalk

11 ' member of the Niobrara

	formation ............. 15
Page Page

Inventory of construction 

materials C ontinued

Road metal Continued

Stratigraphic sources and 

performance characteristicsContinued

Crushed rock Continued 

Fort Hays limestone 

member of the Niobrara 

formation .............. 15

Pfeifer shale member 

of the Greenhorn 

limestone .............. 15

Jetmore chalk member 

of the Greenhorn 

limestone .............. 15

Mineral filler .......................... 15

Engineering and geologic 

characteristics .................. 15

Stratigraphic sources and performance characteristics ......... 15

Terrace deposits ............. 15

Sanborn formation ........... 15

Riprap ............................... 15

Engineering and geologic 

characteristics .................. 15

Stratigraphic sources and performance characteristics ......... 16

Niobrara formation........... 16

Greenhorn limestone ......... 16

Structural stone ....................... 16

Engineering and geologic * 

characteristics .................. 16

Stratigraphic sources and performance characteristics ......... 16

Smoky Hill chalk member of 

the Niobrara formation ...... 16

Inventory of construction 

materials Continued

Structural stone Continued

Stratigraphic sources and performance characteristicsContinued

Fort Hays limestone member 

of the Niobrara formation..... 16

Pfeifer shale member of the 

Greenhorn limestone......... 16

Jetmore chalk member of the 

Greenhorn limestone ....... . 16

Calcareous binder....................... 16

Engineering and geologic 

characteristics .................. 16

Stratigraphic sources and performance characteristics.......... 16

Smoky Hill chalk member 

of the Niobrara formation ..... 16

Fort Hays limestone member 

of the Niobrara formation .... 16

Subgrade and embankment material ....... 16

Engineering and geologic 

characteristics ................... 16

Stratigraphic sources and performance characteristics.......... 16

Fine-granular sediments..... . 16

Coarse-granular sediments .... 17

Broken or crushed rock...... . 17

Greenhorn lime- 

, stone.'................ . 17

Carlile shale...,,....., . 17

Niobrara formation..... . 17

References cited ........................... . 17

ILLUSTRATIONS

Plate 1. Map showing construction materials and geology of Osborne County, Kans. 

Figure 1. Index map of Kansas showing area covered by this and other constructionmaterials investigations ............................................

2. Chart showing temperature ranges at Alton ...........................

3. Chart showing precipitation ranges at Alton ..........................

4. Outcropping Stratigraphic units in Osborne County, and their

construction materials ............................................

5. Geologic cross section .................t............................

TABLE

Table 1. Summary of materials tests,

Page 

In podket

2

2

2

Page 

In pocket

ii
GEOLOGIC CONSTRUCTION-MATERIAL RESOURCES IN 

OSBORNE COUNTY, KANSAS

INTRODUCTION 

Purpose of the investigation

The State Highway Commission of Kansas and 

the United States Geological Survey are cooperating 

in the compilation of a State-wide inventory of construction materials. A field party composed of personnel 

from the two cooperating agencies investigated sources 

of engineering construction materials in Osborne 

County, Kans., in the summer of 1949. This report 

of the Osborne County investigation is a part of the 

general inventory and a contribution to the geologic 

mapping and mineral-resources investigations being 

made in connection with studies of the Missouri River 

basin. (Congressional documents, 1944.)

The primary objective of the investigation was 

that of accumulating all field and laboratory data 

pertaining to the geologic materials in Osborne County 

that would be of use in the construction of dams, highways, railways, airports, and other engineering 

structures. Additional geologic data are included in 

this report but only to the extent of providing information useful in the development of the prospects 

reported in the inventory, or for the location of other 

materials required for future engineering needs.

Geography 

Area covered by the investigation

Osborne County is in the second tier of Kansas 

counties south of the Nebraska border and in the sixth 

tier east of the Colorado border. (See fig. 1.) It 

comprises 25 townships and covers an area of about 

900 sq mi. The county is bounded on the north by 

Smith County, on the east by Mitchell County, on the 

south by Russell County, and on the west by Rooks 

County.

Topography

Good surface drainage has developed over most 

of Osborne County. Tributary streams in headwater 

areas occupy poorly defined channels between low 

rounded interstream areas.

The average altitude for the county is 1, 800 ft. 

The lowest point, 1, 455 ft, is on the South Fork 

Solomon River at the eastern boundary of the county, 

and the highest point, 2,100 ft, is in the southwestern 

corner of the county in the vicinity of Natoma.

Drainage

The principal streams in Osborne County are 

the South and North Forks of the Solomon River.

(See pi. 1.) The watershed of the South Fork Solomon 

River includes most of the county, but the North Fork 

Solomon River drains the northeastern part, and 

streams in the southernmost tier of townships drain 

southward into the Saline River.

The central portion of the county, comprising 

about half its total area, drains to the South Fork 

Solomon River by a series of northeast-flowing streams. 

The larger of them ai*e Medicine, Kill, Covert, Indian, 

and Twin Creeks.

Paradise Creek, near Natoma, drains south 

toward the Saline River.

Climate

Osborne County is in an area of continental-type 

climate in which the summers are relatively long 

and hot, and the winters short and fairly cold. The 

mean annual temperature is 54. 4° F. The average 

temperature for the coldest month, January, is 

27.6° F and that of the warmest month, July, is 

80.2° F. There are 75 cloudy days a year, 95 partly 

cloudy days, and 195 clear days. The ground is snow 

covered 30 days of the year. The normal annual 

precipitation is 21.63 in. The average date of 

the first killing frost in the fall is October. 14, and 

that of the last killing frost in the spring is April 27. 

(Flora, 1948.)

Figure 2, a chart showing temperature ranges 

at Alton, Kans., was compiled from Climatological 

Data (U. S. Dept. Commerce, 1937-46) for the years 

1937 to 1946, inclusive, to provide basic data on 

temperature in relation to engineering construction. 

The chart indicates, for the 10-year period, the 

number of days each month in which the maximum 

daily temperature fell within certain designated ranges 

based arbitrarily on temperatures important in various 

phases of engineering construction.

Days in which the maximum temperature does 

not exceed 32° F occur only from November to March, 

inclusive, with the maximum incidence of 7. 8 days in 

January. July is the warmest month of the year, 

with an average of 21.6 days having a maximum temperature above 90° F. The chart also shows the average difference between the daily maximum and minimum 

temperatures for each month. The greatest difference 

in daily temperatures, 30.75* F, is in October; and 

the least difference, 24. 92° F, is in January.

Inasmuch as precipitation also conditions the 

number of working days in engineering construction, 

figure 3, a chart showing precipitation ranges at 

Alton, Kans., is presented to show the effect of this
Figure l._lndex map of Kansas showing areas covered by this report and by other 

construction materials investigations

EXPLANATION

III II Days in which maximum temperature was more than 90° F 

IUUI (no concrete construction)

^JDoys in which maximum temperature was between 6l°-90° F. 

t~J too Interference unth any type of construction)

|H Days in which maximum temperature was between 4I«-60° F. 

(no interference if/fa concrete construction; 

no Bituminous surfacing! laid)

H$j 0o>s in which maximum temperature was between 32*-4O°F. 

 "** (concrete construction requires protection)

Hoays in which maximum temperature was less than 32° F. 

^^ (no concrete construction)

Data far both charts

compiled f ram 

Climatological Data

Kansas Section

far years 1937 to

1946, inclusive.

Issued by

Weather Bureau

United States

Department of Commerce

EXPLANATION

I Days in which precipitation 

was mare than I inch 

(no construction activity)

, Days in which precipitation 

I was between O.ll and t inch 

(no Bituminous surfacinfs lo/ttj

it Days in which precipitation 

I was between a trace and O.I inch 

(no interference with construction!

, Days In which there was

t no precipitation

" (no interference with construct/on}

Figure 2.-Chart showing temperature ranges at Alton, Kansas. Figure 3._Chart showing precipitation ranges at Alton, Kansas.
climatic factor. The ranges in precipitation were 

selected arbitrarily.

As based on a 10-year average (U. S. Dept. 

Commerce, 1937-46), there are 17.9 days in June, 

for example, in which no measurable precipitation 

fell; 5. 4 days in which the precipitation ranged from 

a trace to 0.1 in.; 5. 6 days in which 0.11 to 1 in. 

of rain fell; and one day in which the precipitation 

was more than 1 in. Continuing rains fall, for the 

most part, in the late spring and early fall,and other 

rainfall is usually in the form of showers.

Transportation routes

Osborne County is served by three railways, 

the Missouri Pacific, Union Pacific, and Atchison, 

Topeka, and Santa Fe; two transcontinental highways, 

U S 24 and U S 281; and two Kansas highways, 18 

and 181. Kansas 181 is a metaled, all-weather road. 

The other State and Federal highways are of the blacktop type of construction.

County and township roads, generally, 

follow section lines. Some of them are metaled with 

materials available locally, whereas others are maintained as earth roads.

The locations of the railroads and roads are 

shown on plate 1.

Investigation procedure

This report is based on field work of the reconnaissance type. The base map (scale: 1 mile to 1 in.) 

was provided by the State Highway Commission of 

Kansas. Drainage lines were taken from aerial photographs made available by the Soil Conservation Service 

of the United States Department of Agriculture. The 

areal distribution of the stratigraphic -units that outcrop in Osborne County was then mapped in the field. 

Mapped stratigraphic units are those recognized by 

the United States Geological Survey (Wilmarth, 1938) 

and the Kansas Geological Survey. (Moore, Frye, 

and Jewett, 1944.) In this report the principal emphasis is on construction materials. Geologic problems not critically related to construction materials 

are discussed only briefly.

An effort was made to accumulate all existing 

data pertaining to construction materials in the county; 

these are presented in table 1, a summary of materials 

tests.

Acknowledgments

Appreciation is expressed to the following for 

their aid in contributing information found useful in 

the compilation of the construction materials and 

geologic data included in this report: the State Highway Commission of Kansas at Topeka and Manhattan, 

Kans., S. E. Horner, chief geologist, R. D. Finney, 

engineer of materials, and W. E. Gibson, engineer 

of tests; the Osborne County office of the Soil Conservation Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture; 

and the engineer of Osborne County.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OUTCROPPING 

STRATIGRAPHIC UNITS

General

The discussion of the geologic formations that 

crop out in Osborne County emphasizes the areal 

distribution, general characteristics, thickness, and 

the construction materials of each stratigraphic unit. 

This part of the report presents the geological information required for the location and effective 

development of the construction materials.

A summary of the data for each mapped unit is 

presented in figure 4, and the relationships of the 

stratigraphic units are shown in figure 5, a geologic 

cross section through the southern part of the county.

The areal distribution of the local stratigraphic 

units is shown on plate 1, a map showing construction 

materials and geology of Osborne County, Kans. Each 

unit is indicated by an identifying symbol, and its 

outcrop areas are shown by a distinctive pattern.

The locations of pits and quarries are also shown 

on plate 1. The symbols indicate whether the pit or 

quarry is, or has been, operated or is a prospect; 

the type of construction material available at each site; 

and the quantity of material (in units of 10, 000 cu yd) 

that can be removed under no more than moderate 

overburden (unconsolidated sediments less than 6 ft 

thick). Most of these sources are listed in table 1. 

All materials -sources listed in table 1 are numbered 

within each materials classification according to the 

following plan: The numbering starts in the northeasternmost township and continues along the same 

tier to the western boundary of the county; it is 

continued in the next tier south, starting again with 

the township in the easternmost range and proceeding 

to the west border of the county, and so on. Within 

a township the sources are numbered in the same 

sequence as are the sections of the township.

Greenhorn limestone 

Areal distribution

The Greenhorn limestone of Late Cretaceous 

age (see fig. 4) is present under the entire area of 

the county but crops cut only along the southern 

boundary and, to a limited extent, along the banks 

of the North and South Forks of the Solomon River 

at the eastern edge of the county. (See pi. 1.) Near 

the Russell County line it forms a conspicuous hillside bench marked by numerous old quarry workings.

General description

The Greenhorn limestone, the oldest geologic 

formation cropping out in Osborne County, was deposited in marine water. The contact of Greenhorn 

limestone with the overlying Fairport chalky shale 

member of the Carlile shale is gradational and 

difficult to determine. The Greenhorn is composed 

of alternating thin beds of hard chalky limestone less 

than a foot thick, and generally thicker beds of gray 

to buff shale.
Section

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Recent and Recentl 

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Cretaceous Upper 

Formations 

and

members

Alluvium

Terrace' 

deposits

Sanborn 

formation

Ogailola 

formation

Niobrara formation

£ 

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mestone

1Greenhorn 

Smoky 

Hill 

chalk 

member

Fort Hays 

limestone 

member

Coded 

sandstone 

member

Blue Hill 

shale 

member

Falrpart

chalky 

shale 

member

Pfeifer shale 

member

Jetmore chalk 

member

Hartland shale 

member

Generalized description

Clay and silt interbedded with lenses of local gravel and granitic 

gravelly sand; stream deposited-, underlies fioodplain and occurs in stream channel.

Tan and light-brown silt, clayey near surface; beds of sand and 

lenses of gravel in lower part; stream deposited; underlies 

f tat terraces in valleys of larger streams.

Gray or brown silt; clayey near surface; lenses of limestone gravel 

throughout, with granitic gravel in lower part; stands in vertical 

banks-, develops rolling topography.

Gray sand and silt; gray mortar bed lenses; hard modular limestone locally; a few thin zones of quartzite.

Gray and tan chalky shales interbedded with thin buff chalky limestones; outcrops not numerous.

Thick beds of massive, cream-colored chalky limestone separated by thin partings af gray to tan shale; shattered 

zone at top; marine; fossiliferous; farms prominent escarpment.

Fine-grained, yellow-brown, quartz sandstone and siltstone; 

marine.

Dark blue-gray to black, thin-bedded, noncalcareous clay 

shale-, silty zones near top-, zones of septarian concretions and selenite crystals; marine-, fossils in middle and 

lower portions; erosion produces badland topography.

As usually exposed, is similar to underlying Pfeifer shale 

member of Greenhorn limestone-, marine, fossiliferous; 

weak outcrop expression.

"Fencepost" bed at top; alternating layers of gray to tan 

chalky shales and thin layers of tan-gray chalky limestones; 

marine; fossiliferous; forms hillside bench.

"Sheli-rock"bed at top; gray to tan chalky shales and thin 

layers of chalky limestone; fossiliferous; forms hillside bench.

Thick gray to tan silty shales; thin gray chalky limestones-, fossiliferous.

Construction 

materials

Aggregate 

Road metal

Aggregate 

Mineral filler 

Fill material 

Road metal

Aggregate 

Mineral filler 

Road metal 

Fill material

Aggregate 

Road metal

Road metal 

Structural stone 

Calcareous binder 

Fill material

Fill material

Road metal 

Structural stone 

Fill material

Figure 4. --Outcropping s-tratigraphic units in Osborne County, Kansas and their construction materials.

4
In roadcut exposures the alternating beds of 

limestone and shale are most conspicuous, but closer 

inspection reveals that some of the beds of limestone 

grade laterally into discoidal calcareous concretions 

6 to 18 in. across. Similar concretions occur within the shale. The shale beds are sometimes marked 

by thin bentonitic zones which weather to reddishbrown, streaks.

The Greenhorn limestone is composed of four 

members which are, in ascending order, the Lincoln 

limestone, Hartland shale, Jetmore chalk, and 

Pfeifer shale. (See fig. 4.) Each member will be 

described separately, but all are shown on plate 1 

as a single map unit (Kg).

1. Lincoln limestone member

The Lincoln forms no conspicuous outcrops in 

Osborne County, but is present under thin cover in 

the bottoms of stream valleys along the southern 

boundary of the county. It may be seen in fairly good 

outcrops in Russell County, and consists of beds of 

chalky shale alternating with thin beds of brown 

crystalline limestone which has an oily odor.

2. Hartland shale member

The Hartland forms much of the slope below the 

"Shell-rock" and "Fencepost" ledges which mark the 

conspicuous outcrops of the Greenhorn limestone in 

the southeastern part of the county. It is characterized 

by beds of dark-gray shale which weather buff or 

brown, a few thin beds of limestone, and some thin 

beds of bentonite.

3. Jetmore chalk member

The Jetmore forms the best-developed hillside 

bench in the outcrop area of the Greenhorn limestone, 

and is characterized by thin layers of chalky shale 

interbedded with beds of hard chalky limestone, and 

an abundance of marine fossils, mostly clams. The 

top of the member is marked by a bed of limestone 

about a foot thick, called the "Shell-rock, " which 

contains abundant clam shells.

4. Pfeifer shale member

The Pfeifer contains the well-known "Fencepost" 

or "Post-rock" limestone bed. It is a hard, tan-gray 

or orange-gray, chalky, limestone about 0. 5 ft thick. 

It has a characteristic red-brown iron stain in its 

middle part. At numerous places in the outcrop area, 

old quarries are marked by shallow pits and piles of 

overburden. However, only one active quarrying 

operation in the "Fencepost" limestone was observed 

in the county in 1949.

A good exposure of the upper members of the 

Greenhorn limestone may be observed at the point 

where United States Highway No. 281 crosses into 

Russell County. This Is in the SWiSWi sec. 32, T. 

10 S., R. 12 W. The uppermost bed of limestone at 

this location can be traced into the "Fencepost" quarries 

east of the highway, and a continuous section is present down into the Hartland shale member, although 

the lower part' is best exposed in Russell County. 

The overlying Fairport chalky shale member of the 

Carlile shale is about 7 ft thick in this place, and is

very similar to the Pfeifer shale member of the 

Greenhorn limestone.

Representative measured section

The following section of the Pfeifer shale, 

Jetmore chalk, and Hartland shale members of the 

Greenhorn limestone was measured in a road cut 

along U. S. No. 281 in the SWiSWi sec. 32, T. 10 S., 

R. 12 W.:

Carlile shale".

Fairport chalky shale member.

Greenhorn limestone: 

Pfeifer shale member ' 

Limestone, hard; buff to cream, 

iron stains in middle part; 

fossiliferous; "Fencepost" bed ......

Shale, silty, calcareous; gray, 

weathers gray and tan; thin 

seams of bentonite 0.05 and 

0. 8 ft from base ...................

Limestone, chalky; buff; thin and 

lenticular or concretionary; 

fossiliferous......................

Shale, calcareous, thin-bedded; 

gray, weathers gray and tan........

Lime stoner concretion zone, buff 

to white; irregular in shape, discoidal, 4 in. to 2 ft in diameter; 

fossiliferous ......................

Shale, blocky to thin-bedded; gray, 

weathers to tan and gray bands; 

contains fish scales ...............

Bentonite, gray-white; weathers red 

brown.............................

Shale, silty, blocky; gray, weathers 

buff; clams and fish scales .........

Bentonite, tan to pink with white 

bands at top and bottom; abundant small crystals of calcite; 

known as the "sugar sand"..........

Shale, calcareous, thin-bedded; 

light brown, weathers buff..........

Limestone, massive, blocky, hard; 

gray, weathers buff to tan; tends 

to be lenticular....................

Shale, calcareous, thin-bedded; gray, 

weathers buff; highly fossiliferous; 

lenticular limestone masses, gray, 

streaked with iron oxide, hard, 

fossiliferous at 0.6, 1.4, 2. 1, 

2.8, .3. 8, and 4. 7 ft from base......

Limestone, massive, blocky, hard; 

gray, weathers cream; fossiliferous ..........................

Shale, gray; weathers to tan and 

gray bands; limestone concretions, buff, discoidal, fossiliferous at base and 1. 6, 2. 5, 

3. 1, and 3. 9 ft above base..........

Shale, thin-bedded; gray, weathers 

to gray and tan bands; very fossiliferous. ........................

Feet

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Greenhorn limestone Continued 

Jetmore chalk member

"Shell-rock" limestone bed, massive 

to faintly bedded, hard; gray, weathers buff; fossiliferous............:.... 1.2

Shale, chalky, thin-bedded to platy; 

gray to tan, weathers buff to 

gray; fossiliferous.................... 1.5

Shale, lower half-fossiliferous 

and dense, buff to gray, weathers 

cream; upper half thin-bedded, 

lenses of discoidal, fossiliferous, calcareous concretions ........ 1.5

Limestone, gray; iron-oxide 

stains on surface and in 

fractures; fossiliferous ................ .4

Shale, chalky, hard, compact, 

weathers to thin plates; gray, 

weathers white; very fossiliferous. .............................. 1.0

Limestone, upper half hard, 

gray, and fossiliferous; lower 

half chalky and cream to buff........... .5

Shale, silty, thin-bedded to 

very thin-bedded; gray, weathers 

to gray and pink bands; fossiliferous ............................... .8

Bentonite, white; weathers reddish 

brown . .........................:... .05

Limestone, massive, hard, gray; 

irregular fracture; iron-stained 

zone near center...................... .4

Shale, silty, calcareous; thin-bedded; 

banded tan and gray; iron stains, 

fossiliferous.......................... 0. 9

Limestone, gray; weathers buff to 

brown; iron stain through center, 

tends to fracture along the stain; 

fossiliferous ......................... .2

Shale, silty, very thin bedded; 

banded gray, buff, pink; weathers 

buff; fossiliferous ..................... 1.0

Limestone, gray; weathers white; 

iron-oxide nodules; irregular 

in thickness.......................... .2

Shale, calcareous, very thin bedded; 

gray to buff, weathers tan; fish 

teeth and scales..................... . .9

Limestone, chalky, blocky; gray, 

weathers buff; brown iron streak 

near center........................... .5

Shale, chalky, very thin bedded to 

blocky; gray, weathers white; 

fossiliferous........................ . 2.5

Limestone, chalky, blocky; gray, 

weathers white with tan ironoxide streak in center; fossiliferous. .............................. 0.4

Hartland shale member

Shale, calcareous; gray, weathers 

white to buff with a few tan 

zones; fossiliferous................... 15.0

Total thickness exposed (base covered)..... 48.0 

Thickness

The entire Greenhorn limestone is present at 

depth under Osborne County and its average thickness

is 80 ft. Outcrops are usually of the uppermost 20 

or 30 ft of the formation.

Construction materials

Construction materials from the Greenhorn 

limestone in Osborne County are: road metal, 

structural stone, and fill material.

Carlile shale 

Areal distribution

The Carlile shale of Late Cretaceous age crops 

out over one-tenth of Osborne County. (See pi. 1.) 

It forms especially conspicuous bluffs in those places 

where it is capped by the Fort Hays limestone member 

of the Niobrara formation.

General description

The Carlile shale is divided into three members 

which are, in ascending order, the Fairport chalky 

shale, Blue Hill shale, and Codell sandstone. (See 

fig. 4.) The three members are shown as a single 

stratigraphic unit, the Carlile shale, on plate 1.

1. Fairport chalky shale member

The Fairport member lies just above the 

Greenhorn limestone and the thin beds of limestone 

in its basal part are very similar to the "Fencepost" 

bed. Higher in the member the beds of limestone 

are thinner and farther apart, and some of them are 

pink or orange. Thin seams of bentonite are common, 

and pyrite is present in the gray unweathered shale. 

Fine-crystalline gypsum fills cracks in the shale and 

appears to have been deposited by ground water. 

There are a few beds of silty shale in the upper part 

of the member. Fossils are present throughout; 

these are mostly marine shellfish, but there are also 

occasional teeth of sharks and marine reptiles. The 

Fairport is about 100 ft thick.

2. Blue Hill shale member

The Blue Hill is largely a clay shale but becomes 

increasingly silty toward the top. It is dark blue 

gray or black when unweathered, and weathers 

greenish gray to brown. It contains zones of lime 

concretions at intervals throughout and contains, in 

its lower two-thirds, flattened yellow to brown 

concretions (septarian) associated with fossils of 

marine shellfish. The silty upper part of the member 

contains large spherical concretions of lime and is 

less fossiliferous than the lower part. Crystals of 

gypsum, some as large as 4 in. across, in many 

places give a glassy sparkle to exposures of the Blue 

Hill. Its thickness is about 200 ft.

3. Codell sandstone member

The Codell sandstone member is composed of 

clean, fine to medium, well-sorted sand. It is 

soft, very poorly cemented, and is usually brown 

to tan in weathered outcrops. Fossils present are 

the teeth of sharks and marine reptiles and a few 

bones. The member ranges in thickness from 6 in. 

in the north tier of townships to 5 ft or more near the 

Russell County line, such as in the SEiSEi sec. 32, 

T. 10 S., R. 15 W.
Representative measured sections Feet

1. The following section of the lower part of 

the Fairport chalky shale member of the Carlile 

shale is exposed in a small tributary valley of the 

South Fork Solomon River in the NWi sec. 25, T. 

7 S., R. 11 W.:

Feet 

Sanborn formation: Tan silt................ 4.0

Carlile shale:

Fairport chalky shale member:

Shale, gray; weathers buff to tan; 

very fossiliferous ...............

Limestone, crystalline, soft, 

buff to orange ...................

Shale, badly weathered; appears to 

have been bentonitic; dark gray, 

weathers buff...................

Limestone, lenticular to irregular; 

buff to orange...................

Shale, calcareous, silty in streaks, 

thin-bedded; gray, weathers to 

light gray and tan bands; 

fossiliferous ....................

Limestone, pink to orange.........

Shale, silty in part, -thin-bedded, 

gray; weathers light gray with 

tan streaks; fossiliferous.........

Limestone, granular, hard, gray 

to brown; weathers buff to pink....

Shale, silty, calcareous, very 

thin bedded; gray, weathers light 

gray to buff; fossiliferous ........

Limestone, gray; weathers light 

gray to buff; thin seam of 

bentonite at top..................

Bentonite, white; weathers brown ..

Shale, calcareous, silty, very thin 

bedded; gray, weathers light 

gray; lenticular calcareous 

concretions 1.2, 2.8, and 3. 5 ft 

from base; fossiliferous..........

Total thickness present (underlain by 

the Pfeifer shale member of the 

Greenhorn limestone).............

15.0 

.4

15.0 

.3

2.5 

.3

5.5 

.2

8.0

.5 

.3

5.5

53.5

2. The upper part of the Blue Hill member of 

the Carlile shale is well exposed under the Fort 

Hays in the SWiSWi sec. 10 T. 6 S., R. 13 W.:

Niobrara formation:

Fort Hays limestone member.

Feet

25. ±

Carlile shale:

Codell sandstone member:

Sandstone, fine-grained, silty, 

loose to friable, massive, noncalcareous; greenish gray, 

weathers brown .................

Blue Hill shale member:

Shale, thin-bedded, noncalcareous, 

gray; weathers buff; limonite 

streaks........................

1.0

1.2

Carlile shale Continued

Blue Hill shale member Continued

Shale, thinrbedded to blocky, 

irregular silty and sandy zones; 

dark gray to tan, weathers gray 

to tan; contains sandstone lenses 

about a foot thick (in places well 

cemented) and spherical concretions 2 to 5 ft in diameter of 

granular calcium carbonate in 

concentric shells ...............

Shale, noncalcareouSj dark-gray; 

weathers blue gray; limonite 

streaks........................

Shale, thin-bedded to very thin 

bedded; dark gray, weathers 

blue gray; silty zone near top; 

numerous septarian concretions 

1 to 2 ft in diameter; gypsum 

crystals .......................

Shale, sandy, gray; contains 

septarian concretions 1 to 2 ft 

in diameter....................

Shale, thin-bedded to very thin 

bedded; silty zone near top; 

dark gray, weathers blue gray

Shale, thin-bedded to very thin 

bedded; dark blue gray, weathers 

blue gray; contains mudstone 

concretions having coarsely 

granular exterior...............

Shale, clayey, noncalcareous; 

thin-bedded to very thin bedded; 

dark blue gray, weathers blue 

gray; occasional mudstone concretions .......................

,. 5.0

.. 13.0

. 2.0

. 16.0

10.0

Total thickness exposed (base covered).... 62.8

3. The middle part of the Blue Hill member 

of the Carlile shale is exposed in the center of sec. 

25, T. 8 S., R. 12 W. as follows:

Feet

Carlile shale:

Blue Hill shale member : 

Upper part includes a 2.6 ft 

Codell sandstone zone; 

generally duplicates section 

2 above ................... 63.0

Middle part:

Shale, dark-gray; weathers 

blue gray with iron-oxide 

stains in fractures; splintery; 

scattered fractures; concretions of irregular flattened 

shape ......................

Shale, thin-bedded to very thin 

bedded; dark gray, weathers 

blue gray; fossiliferous concretions, large, yellowish and 

flattened; pyrite nodules in 

basal part ...................

5.0

16.0
Feet

Carlile shale Continued

Blue Hill shale member Continued 

Middle part Continued

Shale, thin-bedded to very 

thin-bedded; dark gray, 

weathers blue gray; large, 

fossiliferous concretions, 

yellow to tan at surface; 

iron-oxide nodules ............

Shale, thin-bedded to platy; 

dark gray, weathers bluish 

gray and brown ...............

Shale, silty, well-bedded; blocky 

fracture; dark gray, weathers 

brown; scattered concretions 

including disc-shaped septarians; fossiliferous.............

. 9.0 

. 18.0

5.0

Total thickness exposed (base covered). .. 53.0

Thickness

The total thickness of the Carlile shale is about 

300 ft. It is at or near the surface in nearly half the 

county.

Construction materials

Fill material is the only construction material 

available for use from the Carlile shale in Osborne 

County.

Niobrara formation

General

The Niobrara formation of Late Cretaceous age 

is composed of two members, the Fort Hays limestone 

at the base, and the very thick Smoky Hill chalk. 

(See fig. 4.) In Osborne County, however, only the 

lower one-fourth of the latter is present. The two 

members are mapped separately on plate 1 because 

the Fort Hays limestone member is far more important as a source of engineering construction materials.

Fort Hays limestone member

Areal distribution. The Fort Hays limestone 

member caps the higher hills in nearly all the interstream areas. In the western part of the county, 

where it is partly covered by younger formations, it 

forms a prominent escarpment or break in the topography, . (See pi. 1.) Nearly all of the permanent 

streams in the county have cut through the Fort Hays 

into the underlying Carlile shale.

General description. The Fort Hays member 

is a marine limestone, chalky, gray to buff, and in 

massive beds having a maximum thickness of 4. 4 ft. 

Weathered surfaces are gray or white and may be 

streaked with iron oxide. Nodules of iron oxide are 

present in some of the limestones. The thick beds 

of limestone are separated by thin partings of chalky 

shale and these, coupled with vertical joints spaced at 

intervals of about 8 ft, cause the beds to break into 

large blocks. Exposed surfaces are case-hardened 

by deposition from seepage water.

The upper part of an outcrop of this member is 

characterized by small fragments of limestone to a 

depth of 2 or 3 ft. This shattered zone is the result 

of the mechanical weathering of the rock. The porous 

and fractured nature of the Fort Hays and its broad 

outcrop areas make the member a fairly good aquifer, 

as is indicated by seeps along the outcrops and by the 

presence of heavier vegetation at the contact between 

it and the underlying Carlile shale.

Representative measured section^ An old 

quarry in the SWiSWi sec. 10, T. 6 S., R. 13 W. 

shows the following section of the Fort Hays member:

Soil

Feet

0.2

Niobrara formation:

Fort Hays limestone member: 

Limestone, shattered zone;

fragments 1 to 3 in. across,

angular, irregular undersides

coated with calcium .carbonate;

moderately hard; white ................ 1.0

Limestone, weathered and broken

to blocks 1 to 6 in. thick and

5 to 20 in. across; undersides

co'ated with calcium carbonate,

uppersides rounded; hard; buff,

weathers white ....................... .6

Shale, calcareous, soft, platy;

buff ................................. ,1

Limestone, hard, massive; white

mottled "with buff; contains

fossils............................... .4

Shale, calcareous, soft, platy,

buff.................................. - 2

Limestone, chalky, massive; 

buff with iron-oxide stains on 

fracture planes; contains a few 

fossil fragments ...................... 2. 2

Shale, calcareous, soft, platy; 

buff; iron-oxide stains; fossiliferous .............................. .1

Limestone, chalky, massive, porous, 

irregular fracture; buff, weathers 

gray; fossiliferous .................. . 2. 4

Shale, calcareous; soft, platy; 

buff; fossiliferous .................... .1

Limestone, chalky, massive, porous; 

white, streaked with iron oxide, 

weathers buff; case-hardened; 

fossiliferous......................... 1.6

Shale, calcareous, platy; gray, streaked with iron oxide, weathers buff ...... .2

Shale, chalky, platy to massive; buff, 

streaked with iron oxide, weathers 

buff; numerous fossils............... . .4

Limestone, chalky, massive; porous; 

buff, weathers cream spotted with 

iron-oxide stains; case-hardened; 

abundant fossils ...................... 2.8

Limestone, massive to platy; buff 

with bands of iron-oxide stain; 

fossiliferous ......................... .6

Limestone, chalky to hard, massive; 

cream, weathers buff mottled with 

gray; resistant to weathering .......... 1. 6
Feet 

Niobrara formation--Continued

Fort Hays limestone member--Continued 

Shale, calcareous, platy, gray;

weathers buff ........................ .2

Limestone, thick-bedded, cream;

weathers white, streaked with

iron oxide; fossiliferous .............. 1.0

Shale, calcareous, platy, buff;

iron-oxide streaks ................... 0.1

Limestone, porous, massive,

cream; weathers white to buff;

case-hardened; fossiliferous .......... 2. 0

Shale, thin-bedded, gray; weathers

buff; limonite nodules; fossiliferous ............................ . .1

Limestone, buff; weathers tan;

pyrite nodules weathered to

iron oxide; large blocks become

rounded upon weathering;

fossiliferous ........................ 3.9

Clay parting .......................... .05

Limestone, massive with coarse

texture, chalky; buff to cream,

weathers white to tan; weathered

surface covered by small pits and

iron-oxide nodules; fossils along

bedding planes...................... . 4. 4

Total thickness present (underlain by 

the Carlile shale).................... 26.05

Thickness. --The usual exposure of Fort Hays 

limestone member is from 20 to 30 ft thick. Some of 

the more prominent escarpments show as much as 

40 ft of the limestone, whose total thickness is about 

60ft.

Construction materials. Construction materials 

from the Fort Hays limestone member of the Niobrara 

formation in Osborne County are calcareous binder, 

road metal, structural stone, and fill material.

Smoky Hill chalk member

Area! distribution. --Occasional outcrops of the 

Smoky Hill chalk member appear above the prominent 

escarpment formed by Fort Hays limestone member 

and in the broad interstream areas of the western half 

of the county. (See pi. 1.) The most extensive outcrop area is that between Alton and Natoma which extends southwest from Covert. There are less extensive outcrops on the hilltops south of Natoma, and the 

member is exposed in many places in the interstream 

area north of Alton. The member is only meagerly represented in the eastern half of the county and 

its outcrop area does not reach the eastern boundary.

General description. --The Smoky Hill chalk 

member is composed of beds of cream-colored chalky 

limestone and buff to tan chalky shale. The limestone 

is thin-bedded and soft, and makes infrequent outcrops 

in road cuts, shallow gullies, and plowed fields. 

Fossils, mostly shellfish, are abundant although they 

are usually broken. Thin seams of bentonite are 

present in the beds of shale. The shale beds are about 

twice as thick as those of limestone.

Occasional small buttes developed in the Smoky 

Hill chalk member are usually capped by the more

resistant rocks of the overlying Ogallala formation. 

In some places the buttes are capped by the chalk 

itself which has been made more resistant to erosion 

by deposits of calcium carbonate that occupy fractures 

in it. One such butte, in which the calcareous veins 

are as much as 6 in. thick, is in the SWiSWi sec. 21, 

T. 8 S., R. 15 W.

Representative measured section.--The valley 

of an intermittent stream in the NWiNWi sec. 29, 

T. 9S., R. 14 W. shows the following section of the 

Smoky Hill member: -

Feet

Ogallala formation: 2.0

Niobrara formation:

Smoky Hill chalk member:

Limestone and shale in alternating

beds about 0. 5 ft thick; shale is

gray, weathers buff, and is

very thin bedded; limonite is

gray, weathers white, and is

platy .............................. .

Shale, gray; weathers buff;

orange bentonitic seams ............ .

Shale, chalky, hard, gray;

weathers white to cream..............

Shale, calcareous, soft, platy to

very thin bedded, cream;

bentonite seam near base;

abundant fossils .................... .

Limestone, blocky; crudely bedded;

gray, weathers white to cream ........

Shale, thin-bedded, gray; weathers

cream to brown; fossiliferous .........

Shale, chalky, hard, massive to

blocky, gray; weathers white to

cream ..............................

Shale, thin-bedded, gray; weathers

buff to tan; bentonite seam near

middle ............................ .

Shale, chalky, firm to hard, gray;

weathers cream; fossiliferous ....... .

Shale, thin-bedded, gray; weathers

buff to brown; bentonite seam near

base; fossiliferous.................. .

Shale, splintery to very thin bedded,

gray; weathers buff to cream; hard

calcareous beds and soft clay beds;

abundant fossils .................... .

Shale, calcareous, very thin bedded,

gray; weathers buff to cream;

fossiliferous ........................

Shale, chalky, blocky, hard, gray;

weathers cream.................... .

Shale, thin-bedded, soft, gray; weathers

buff to tan; seam of bentonite near

middle .............................

Shale, blocky, c'halky, firm to hard,

gray; weathers cream; occasional

fossils ........................... .

Shale, thin-bedded, soft, gray;

weathers buff to tan; bentonite

seam 1 in. thick ................... .

Shale, chalky, massive to well-bedded,

gray; weathers cream; fossiliferous....

8.0

I.1 

.1

II.0 

3.0 

3.3

5.0

1.4 

-.7

1.0 

1.2

10
Feet 

Niobrara formation Continued

Smoky Hill chalk member Continued 

Shale, calcareous, soft, very thin 

bedded, gray; weathers buff to 

tan; fossiliferous .................... 1. 5

Total thickness exposed (base covered). . 46. 5

Thickness. Individual outcrops of the Smoky 

Hill chalk member generally range from 5 to 10 ft 

thick, although some outcrops are as much as 40 ft 

thick. The maximum thickness, largely covered, 

is reported to be 115 ft in sec. 7, T. 9 S., R. 15 W. 

(Landes, 1930, p. 16.)

Construction materials. Construction materials

from the Smoky Hill chalk member in Osborne County 

are calcareous binder, road metal, and fill material.

Ogallala formation 

A real distribution

The Ogallala formation of Pliocene age (see 

fig. 4) crops out near the southwest corner of 

Osborne County. The easternmost and best exposures 

are in sees. 22 and 27, T. 9 S., R. 13 W. (See 

pi. 1.) All of the outcrops are in the interstream 

areas and are of greatest extent in T. 9 S., R. 15 W. 

and T. 9 S., R. 14 W. The formation is most conspicuously exposed along the shoulders of tablelike 

hills and is buried beneath the Sanborn formation 

back from the shoulders. Because the basal beds 

of the Ogallala formation closely resemble weathered 

chalk of the Smoky Hill chalk member of the Niobrara 

formation, and may grade into it, there are places 

where it is difficult to distinguish between the two. 

If a deposit of lime-encrusted pebbles is apparently 

a foot or more thick, it has been mapped as Ogallalaformation on plate 1.

General description

The Ogallala formation consists of layers of 

sand, silt, some silicified sandstone, and "mortar 

bed, " all of nonmarine origin. The "mortar beds" 

are lenses of lime-cemented sand and gravel. They 

are usually harder than the other sediments with 

which they are interbedded and thus form conspicuous 

ledgelike outcrops on many hillsides. The pebbles 

of limestone in them were derived from the underlying 

Smoky Hill chalk member of the Niobrara formation 

and cemented together by additional lime deposited 

by percolating subsurface water.

Some lenses of sand and gravel have been 

cemented by opaline silica to form a very hard, 

durable rock called quartzite. However, quartzite 

is not common in Osborne County and only a few 

small deposits of it were found, all of which are less 

than a foot thick. Small fragments of opal are 

scattered over the outcrops, and close examination 

of the quartzite reveals small veins filled with opal.

The Ogallala formation is best .exposed in the 

SWiSWi sec. 22, T. 9 S., R. 13 W., where more 

than 40 ft of interbedded sand, silty sand, and 

"mortar bed" form a prominent butte. This butte 

is an erosional remnant of the formation and indicates

that at one time it covered the entire county at a 

comparable level.

Representative, measured section

The following section of the Ogallala formation 

was measured at the previously mentioned erosional 

remnant in the SWiSWi sec. 22, T. 9 S., R. 13 W.:

Feet

Ogallala formation:

"Mortar bed, " weathered and broken; 

composed of sand, and fragments 

of opal and limestone cemented by 

calcium carbonate; greenish gray, 

weathers gray; supports desert 

vegetation .........................

"Mortar bed, " hard "cap rock" for 

buttes; coarse sand firmly cemented 

by lime and silica; gray to greenish 

gray; some opal in veins ............

Sandstone, medium- to coarse-grained, 

poorly sorted, friable and soft; 

light gray; a few nodules of silica .....

"Mortar beds" composed of limecemented medium-grained sand, 

light-gray, 1 to 2 ft thick, alternating 

with less well cemented beds of 

sand ..............................

Sandstone, fine- to medium-grained, 

pqorly sorted, friable to loose; 

light greenish-gray .................

Quartzite, fine to medium-grained, 

cemented by silica; hard ............

"Mortar bed" composed of recemented 

and partly silicified limestone 

pebbles............................

6.0

6.0 

8.0

10.0

16.0 

.5

2.0

Total thickness present (underlain by the 

Smoky Hill chalk member of the Niobrara 

formation) ............................ 48. 5

Thickness

Except for the 48. 5 ft of the Ogallala formation 

exposed in the measured section cited above, most 

of its outcrops are from a foot to 4 ft thick and are 

of the basal part of the formation.

Construction materials

In Osborne County, the construction materials 

available from the Ogallala formation are road metal 

and aggregate for concrete.

Sanborn formation 

Areal distribution

The Sanborn formation of Pleistocene and 

Recent (?) age crops out in all parts of Osborne 

County. (See pi. I and fig. 4.) Recent erosion 

has removed the formation from hillsides and stream 

banks, but many interstream areas throughout the 

county have been sufficiently protected from erosion 

by the Fort Hays limestone member of the Niobrara 

formation that considerable quantities of the formation remain. The areas of long, gentle slopes 

underlain by the Fairport chalky shale member of

11
the Carlile shale are also covered by extensive deposits of Sanborn formation. The more rolling 

slopes formed by the Blue Hill shale member of the 

Carlile shale are less extensively covered in their 

interstream areas. Remnants of the Sanborn formation are present on every bench formed by resistant rocks.

General description

The Sanborn formation is composed of materials deposited by streams, slopewash, wind, and 

through the action of gravity. Frye and Pent (1947, 

pp. 41-51) have divided the formation into members. 

It was not feasible to attempt the mapping of these 

members in the field work on which this report is 

based. To do so would have required a greatly extended field program, including test drilling. The 

treatment of the Sanborn formation as an undivided 

unit seems adequate to serve the purpose of this 

inventory of construction materials.

Silt is present nearly everywhere in the formation, but especially in the interstream areas. Soil 

development is deep except in sloping areas subject 

to considerable erosion. The color of the silt below the "A" horizon may be light gray, tan, or, in 

some of the older deposits, orange. Orange silts 

near Covert are separated from the overlying tan or 

gray silts by an old soil profile, which may be observed as a dark bank running across cultivated fields.

Deposits of volcanic ash were reported by residents of Osborne County and may very likely be present. A careful search should reveal them. Samples 

of the reported deposits were studied and found to 

contain fine angular fragments of quartz, but no 

shards of volcanic glass.

Unsorted sand is mixed with the silt of the Sanborn formation. The sand is composed of rounded 

coarse-grained fragments of quartz and feldspar, and 

very likely was derived from the Ogallala formation.

Lenses composed of limestone pebbles are 

present in the basal part of the Sanborn formation 

in many places. The pebbles were derived from the 

Fort Hays limestone member of the Niobrara formation and in some of the deposits, even though they are 

only crudely stratified, most of the silt has been 

washed out. The lenses range from 2 to 10 ft in 

thickness and are characteristic of that part of the 

Sanborn formation which covers the Blue Hill shale 

member of the Carlile shale a short distance in front 

of the escarpment formed by the Fort Hays.

Other deposits of gravel are found in two 

distinctive positions: a residual position on interstream areas between small intermittent streams and 

associated with the streams themselves; and in 

stream valleys where the deposits are fairly well 

sorted. The deposits on the interstream areas are 

older, and lie beneath or within the older deposits 

of silt.

All of the pebbles, except those nearest the 

base of the escarpment formed by the Fort Hays 

limestone member of the Niobrara formation, are 

well rounded and most of them are harder than the 

unweathered rock from which they were derived.

The pebbles are usually flat, and raxige from 0.25 

to 3 in. in diameter.

The lower part of the Sanborn formation in the 

outcrop areas of the Blue Hill shale member of the 

Carlile shale contains fragments of concretions 

eroded from the shale.

A different kind of gravel caps some of the hills 

in the northern tier of townships. It is a poorly 

sorted quartz-feldspar sand and gravel associated 

with an ancient high-level stage of the North Fork 

Solomon River'. The gravel deposits stand well above 

the present river level and were formed more recently 

than any of the deposits of limestone gravel.

A characteristic gently rolling surface has developed in the Sanborn formation except for a few 

gullies and slump areas. In some places the Blue 

Hill shale member of the Carlile shale has been eroded 

into a badland type of topography in which remnants 

of an older, nearly level surface are capped by silt 

and gravel of the Sanborn.

Representative measured section

The following section is exposed in a road cut 

in the NEiNEi sec. 24, T. 7 S., R. 14 W.:

Feet

Soil, light-brown, crumbly, porous ......... 1.0

Sanborn formation:

Silt, calcareous, crumbly; light 

tan, weathers cream .................

Silt, calcareous; massive; buff; 

a few small yellowish-white 

calcareous concretions...............

Silt, clay, and sand, well-sorted 

and stratified; buff; at a higher 

level than terrace deposits; lowermost foot in fine, well-sorted 

sand; contains some lime nodules .....

Silt, stratified and cross-bedded; 

buff; a few limestone pebbles .........

Sand, medium-grained, variable composition but largely quartz; wellsorted, clean; grains rounded; a 

few pebbly zones; sampled by augering

Stratified clay, silt, sand, and 

pebbles; fragments of Blue Hill 

shale concretions; sampled by 

augering ...........................

Coarse gravel, largely limestone 

fragments, well-rounded; sampled 

by augering ........................

Total thickness exposed (base covered).

Thickness

3.0 

6.0

3.5 

9.0

8.0

1.0

.5

31.0

The Sanborn formation ranges in thickness from 

a foot, where it may be indistinguishable from 

residual soils, to an estimated 40 ft.

Construction materials

Construction materials available from the 

Sanborn formation in Osborn County are mineral

12
filler, road metal, aggregate for concrete, and 

fill material.

Terrace deposits 

Areal distribution

Terrace deposits of Quaternary age are characteristic of the valleys of'the major streams in the 

county. (See pi. 1 and fig. 4.) Narrow extensions 

of these terraces extend a few miles up the valleys 

of the larger tributary streams. The terrace deposits are broad in the valley of the South Fork 

Solomon River and are more than a mile wide near 

Osborne. Terrace deposits are relatively few in 

the southern half of the county. The presence of 

older terraces at higher levels is indicated by this 

investigation, but, inasmuch as their originally flat 

surfaces have been rounded by erosion or buried 

under deposits of the Sanborn formation, these are 

mapped as part of the Sanborn formation. There is 

a minor development of a lower and younger terrace 

of limited areal extent in the meanders of the principal streams.

General description

The terrace deposits are composed of clay, 

silt, sand, and pebbles deposited by the North and 

South Fork Solomon River and their tributaries 

during late Pleistocene( ?) and Recent time. Lenses 

of gravel and sand are generally in the lower portion 

of a deposit and grade upward into well-stratified 

fine sand and silt. The upper 3 to 5 ft is silt which 

shows little evidence of stratification and might have 

been deposited by wind. The silt is gray to buff, 

and the fine sand is light gray. The thicker terrace 

sediments tend to be darker in color, with tan to 

gray silts predominant. Layers of dark-gray clay 

may represent buried soil horizons.

The lower layers of gravel and sand are well 

sorted and show both bedding and cross bedding: They 

are composed largely of fragments of quartz, feldspar, and granite but also contain some fragments of 

chert or opal and a few pieces of shale from the Blue 

Hill shale member of the Carlile shale. Most of 

this material appears to have been eroded from the 

Ogallala formation and carried into this area by 

the two forks of the Solomon River.

Representative measured section

The following section of a terrace deposit may 

be observed in a road cut near the South Fork Solomon 

River in the NEiSEi sec. 14, T. 7 S., R. 13 W.:

Soil: unstratified silt

Terrace deposit:

Soil, clayey; stratified; gray to

gray brown ..................

Silt, fine sandy, free from clay;

loose; buff ....................

Feet

5.0 

7.0

Thickness

The maximum height of the terrace above the 

South Fork Solomon River is about 37 ft and the average height is about 30 ft. The lowermost 10 ft is 

generally sand and gravel. Other terraces in the 

county are no more than 10 or 15 ft above stream 

level.

Construction materials

From the terrace deposits in Osborne County 

the following construction materials can be had: 

mineral filler, aggregate for concrete, road metal, 

and fill material.

Alluvium

Areal distribution

Alluvium (see fig. 4) is defined in this report 

as material deposited by present-day streams. Its 

areal extent is limited in Osborne County. (See pi. 1. ) 

Along the major streams it is largely confined to 

the stream channel, and small areas of flood plain 

which occupy the inside curve of some meanders. 

Intermittent and other minor streams have deposited 

small amounts of alluvial gravel and sand, but these 

are so small that they cannot be shown on plate 1.

General description

Alluvium consists of stream-deposited clay, silt, 

sand, and pebbles. The narrow flood plains are 

covered witn layers of clay and silt, although buried 

gravel and sand bars are fairly numerous. The South 

Fork Solomon River and its tributaries are eroding 

the- Carlile shale at several places, and for this 

reason their alluvium contains a moderately high 

percentage of clay lumps. Alluvium in the smaller 

streams reflects the material which the stream is 

eroding. A small intermittent stream in the SWi 

sec. 4, T. 8 S., R. 13 W. has cut its valley into 

the Fort Hays limestone member of the Niobrara 

formation and the Blue Hill shale member of the 

Carlile shale. It has deposited at least 6 ft of 

alluvium which consists of silt and flat pebbles of 

limestone. The pebbles, derived from the Fort Hays, 

range from % to 3 in. in diameter, and are subangular. 

The silt came largely from the upper part of the 

Blue Hill shale member.

Representative measured section

The relief of the alluvium is so low that a 

representative section was not measured. Typically 

the alluvium exposed along the South Fork Solomon 

River, such as that in the NWiSWi sec. 17, T. 7 S., 

R. 13 W., consists of about 8 ft of gray to brownishgray clay, silt, and fine sand, and occasional small 

lenses of gravel.

Thickness

The maximum thickness of the alluvial deposits 

is estimated to be about 25 ft.

Total thickness exposed (base covered)...... 12 0

13
Construction materials

Construction materials from the alluvium are 

aggregate for concrete and road metal.

INVENTORY OF CONSTRUCTION 

MATERIALS

General

The objectives of this inventory of construction 

materials in Osborne County are to define the construction materials as they are classified in this 

report and to relate the materials to the map units 

in which they occur.

Whenever available, laboratory test data have 

been introduced into the report to aid the reader in 

his evaluation of the materials. The information 

given in table 1 is based on standard testing procedures of the State Highway Commission of Kansas 

(1945, pp. 16, 333-334, 335-336) and the American 

Association of State Highway Officials (1947, pp. 198- 

204, 235-241, 249-254, 257-258). It is expected that 

prospects listed in this report will be proved by subsequent augering, drilling, or test pitting, and that 

the materials themselves will be subjected to laboratory testing prior to production for specific uses.

The materials reported in the following classification are exposed at the surface or are under soft 

or unconsolidated overburden sufficiently thin that 

they may be economically developed. Deposits overlain by thick or consolidated beds, or deposits that are 

relatively inaccessible, usually are not included in 

this inventory because of the additional expense involved in their removal or transportation.

Aggregate for concrete 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Aggregate for concrete is classified as fine 

aggregate and mixed aggregate in table 1 and on 

plate 1. In this report the distinction is an arbitrary 

one based on the percentage of material retained on 

a standard' no. 4 sieve. The portion of a sample 

retained on that sieve is designated as the coarse 

fraction. The material is classified as a mixed 

aggregate if the coarse fraction is 5 percent or more 

by weight of the whole sample; as a fine aggregate 

if the coarse fraction is less than 5 percent. Fine 

and mixed aggregate will be considered together 

because of the standard practice of bringing the 

grading to specifications by sweetening or screening.

Stratigraphic sources and 

performance characteristics

The following stratigraphic units are actual 

or potential sources of aggregate for concrete:

1. Alluvium. --The alluvial deposits were 

not sampled by the field party although they are the 

most promising source of aggregate in the county. 

These deposits would have to be pumped directly from 

the stream bed, and there was no facility available 

to obtain samples. The alluvial deposits of the 

North and South Forks of the Solomon River have 

been used locally in concrete and serve satisfactorily

in small structures. They contain pebbles of limestone and soft shale, and some of them are contaminated by a high percentage of silt and clay.

2. Terrace deposits. --Sand and gravel are 

present in the terrace deposits under a thick overburden of silt. Samples of sand and gravel from this 

source were obtained by augering but were not tested 

because of the excessively thick overburden. The 

sand is siliceous, well sorted, and clean. Intensive 

search may reveal terrace deposits from which most 

of the sijty upper part has been removed by erosion.

3. Sanborn formation. --Two samples of fine 

aggregate (fa 1 and fa 2) and one of mixed aggregate 

(ma 1) were obtained from the Sanborn formation. 

The sand and gravel of this formation are composed 

predominantly of particles of granite, quartz, and 

feldspar, with some chert and limestone.

Additional supplies of sand and gravel from this 

source may be discovered by careful search of the 

formation where it outcrops along the margins of 

river valleys. Ancient high-level river deposits 

have been mapped on plate 1 as part of the Sanborn 

formation where they lie above the highest terrace 

and at the base of a valley wall.

4. Ogallala formation. Two samples of fine 

aggregate (fa 4 and fa 5) were obtained from this formation. The beds are not extensive and the deposits 

are not in commercial quantity. Although other beds 

of gravelly sand undoubtedly occur in the Ogallala 

formation, they are probably not adequate sources 

of aggregate.

Road metal 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Road metal (known also as surfacing material, 

crushed stone, and aggregate), is defined in this 

report as any material that may be applied to a road 

to improve the performance characteristics of that 

road. Many materials fulfill this requirement, and 

the list of such materials will differ from one area 

to another. The following materials are available 

in Osborne County for use as road metal:

1. Aggregate for concrete.

2. Crushed rock. The indurated rocks available in Osborne County for use as road metal are 

nearly all limestone. A small quantity of "mortar 

bed" in the Ogallala formation is available and, 

locally, calcareous concretions from the Blue Hill 

shale member of the Carlile shale have been crushed 

for this use. The materials included here under 

crushed rock are listed in table 1 and mapped on 

plate 1 under the more specific designation of limestone and "mortar bed" because, in addition to their 

use as road metal, they may be used as structural 

stone and riprap.

3. Limestone gravel. --The Sanborn formation 

contains widespread deposits of pebbles derived 

from the Fort Hays limestone member of the 

Niobrara formation. These pebbles are harder than 

the original limestone, rounded, and intermixed with 

silt.

14
Stratigraphic sources and 

performance characteristics

1. Sources of aggregate for concrete. The 

materials listed in~the section on aggregate for concrete have not been widely used in Osborne County 

as road metal because of the availability of other, 

more widespread materials of acceptable quality.

2. Crushed rock. (a) Ogallala formation. 

Material from the Ogallala has not been widely 

used as road metal because of the limited 

thickness and area of outcrop of the formation. 

On the hilltops north of Natoma, however, there 

is sufficient nodular limestone that it might be 

economically produced for use as road metal. 

Beds 2 or 3 ft thick crop out at the heads of 

numerous draws in this region.

(b) Smoky Hill chalk member of the Niobrara 

formation. Traffic-bound macadam, constructed of 

the Smoky Hill, was observed on a county road near 

the northwest corner of the county. The performance 

of this road appears to be inferior to that of roads 

constructed of limestone from the Fort Hays limestone 

member of the Niobrara formation, especially in wet 

weather. Township roads in the outcrop area of the 

Smoky Hill, where soils are thin, have been bladed 

to grade to produce a kind of traffic-bound macadam. 

So long as the percentage of clay in the Smoky Hill 

is high, with good drainage these roads give satisfactory all-weather performance.

(c) Fort Hays limestone member of the 

Niobrara formation. The Fort Hays has been used 

as crushed rock on a number of light-traffic roads in 

Osborne County. Generally the shattered zone in the 

upper part of an outcrop is removed with a blade and 

transferred directly to the road. Little or no crushing is required and the rock is moved directly into 

place, wetted down, rolled, and bladed to grade to 

form a traffic-bound macadam. This use of the rock 

is made chiefly in areas near the outcrop of the Fort 

Hays limestone member. Quarrying and crushing 

any of the beds in the member is feasible throughout 

the county at any of the outcrops mapped on plate 1.

The crushed limestone makes a satisfactory wetweather road, although it has a tendency to dust during 

dry weather.

(d) Pfeifer shale member of the Greenhorn 

limestone. The "Fencepost" limestone bed and other 

beds of chalky limestone in the Pfeifer shale member 

have been used locally as road metal and are satisfactory in this use. The thinness of the beds and their 

restricted outcrop area limit the quantity of rock that 

can be produced.

(e) Jetmore chalk member of the Greenhorn 

limestone. The Jetmore chalk member has not been 

widely used as road metal in Osborne County because 

of its restricted outcrop area, but is satisfactory for 

use on light-traffic roads or as base-course material.

^ Mineral filler 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Material composed predominantly of silt-size 

mineral particles (50 percent or more of the material 

passing the no. 200 sieve) is classified in this report 

as mineral filler. It has no more than a trace of 

sticks or other organic debris, but may contain minor 

amounts of fine sand or clay. W. E. Gibson,of the 

Road Materials Laboratory of the State Highway 

Commission of Kansas, states in a personal communication that material will qualify for mineral filler 

only if laboratory tests indicate a low coefficient of 

cementation.

Stratigraphic sources and 

performance characteristics

The following Stratigraphic units are actual or 

potential sources of mineral filler:

1. Terrace deposits. Terrace sediments along 

the South Fork Solomon River contain extensive deposits of silt and very fine sand which have a coefficient of cementation sufficiently low that they can 

be used as mineral filler.

A sample (mf 1) of fine sandy silt from the 

NE|NEi sec. 26, T. 7 S., R. 11 W. shows 48 percent passing the no. 200 sieve and a coefficient of 

cementation of 20. This material is 15 ft thick above 

the water table, stratified, and crossbedded. It is 

similar to terrace deposits throughout the valley of 

the South Fork Solomon River. Another sample from 

a terrace south of Osborne (mf 2) is gray sandy loam. 

Sieve analysis indicates that 70 percent passes the 

no. 200 sieve, and the coefficient of cementation is 

38. The material is acceptable for use as mineral 

filler under sections 108 and 109. of the 1949 Standard 

Specifications of the State Highway Commission.

2. Sanborn formation. A sample of silt (mf 3) 

from the Sanborn formation shows by analysis that 

70. 8 percent passes the no. 200 sieve. The coefficient of cementation is 40. The deposit is rather 

extensive. In most places, however, the Sanborn 

formation contains so much clay that its coefficient 

of cementation is too high.

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Riprap, as defined in this report, is any material suitable for protecting earthen fills from erosion. 

To be acceptable for this use the material must be 

relatively sound and free from cracks and other 

structural defects or impurities that would cause it 

to disintegrate through erosion, slaking, or freezeand-thaw. It is desirable that the material be in 

blocks having approximately rectangular faces 7 in. 

or more in width and that the specific gravity be 

2 or higher.

15
Stratigraphic sources and 

performance characteristics

1. Niobrara formation. None of the limestones 

of the Niobrara formation are suitable for use as 

riprap. A few instances of the use of the Fort Hays limestone member for riprap were noted in which blocks 

were used to face the earthen dams of farm ponds. 

All evidence indicates that this limestone will disintegrate in a short time if it is exposed to continued 

immersion in water.

2. Greenhorn limestone. Both the "Fencepost" 

limestone bed of the Pfeifer shale member and the 

"Shell-rock" limestone of the Jetmore chalk member 

have been cut into blocks and used as riprap. Both 

appear to perform, with fair satisfaction, although 

some of the blocks have weathered enough in 10 yr 

to develop numerous fractures. Failure 

of the reservoir dam at Osborne was not due to disintegration of the riprap, which was rock from the 

Greenhorn limestone.

Structural stone

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Structural stone, as defined in this report, is 

any hard, dense rock material that can be quarried and 

produced to desired size and shape. Materials fulfilling these requirements occur in the Jetmore chalk 

and Pfeifer shale members of the Greenhorn limestone, 

and in the Fort Hays limestone member of the Niobrara 

formation.

Stratigraphic sources and 

performance characteristics

1. Smoky Hill chalk member of the Niobrara 

formation. The chalky limestone which occurs in the 

Smoky Hill member is not suited for use as structural 

stone because it slakes too rapidly. One farmhouse 

was observed which had been constructed partly of 

chalk from the Smoky Hill. Many of the blocks have 

completely disintegrated.

2. Fort Hays limestone member of the Niobrara 

formation. Blocks of the Fort Hays limestone member 

are used extensively throughout Osborne County in 

the construction of dwellings and farm buildings. The 

limestone is soft and chalky but hardens after being 

cut. Structures 50 yr old still stand in Osborne, but 

occasional blocks have disintegrated at or near ground 

level where moisture has been excessive. The test 

characteristics are given for one sample of Fort Hays. 

(See Is 7 and Is 10 in table 1.)

3. Pfeifer shale member of the Greenhorn limestone. The "Fencepost" limestone bed has been 

widely used as structural stone in Osborne County, 

although most of the rock was quarried in other counties. The older buildings in Osborne were built more 

than 50 yr ago and the "Fencepost" limestone used in 

the foundations of some still appears to be sound. It 

has also been used for carved trim and the amount of 

weathering of the cut surfaces is negligible. The 

Osborne County courthouse is an example of the constructional use of this stone. However, it is to be 

noted that its foundation was constructed of a much 

older limestone brought in from eastern Kansas.

16

4. Jetmore chalk member of the Greenhorn 

limestone. --The "Shell-rock" and"other limestone 

beds of the Jetmore have been quarried extensively 

in neighboring counties, but only to a minor extent in 

Osborne County. The stone is used both for fenceposts and for the construction of buildings. It may 

or may not exhibit a brown iron-oxide streak, but is 

generally of greater thickness than the "Fencepost" 

limestone.

Calcareous binder 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

To be classified as calcareous binder the material must be composed essentially of calcium carbonate and must be easily pulverized. A variety of 

geologic materials is included in this classification. 

Two local Stratigraphic units are sources or potential 

sources of calcareous binder.

Stratigraphic sources and 

performance characteristics

1. Smoky Hill chalk member of the Niobrara 

formation. Chalk of the Smoky HilFmember has been 

accepted by the State Highway Commission of Kansas 

as material suitable for use as calcareous binder. It 

contains beds of chalky limestone similar to those of 

the Fort Hays limestone member.

2. Fort Hays limestone member of the Niobrara 

formation. Limestone of the Fort Hays member has 

been accepted by the State Highway Commission of 

Kansas as material suitable for use as calcareous 

binder. This member contains massive beds of 

chalky limestone that are soft, easily pulverized, and 

free from deleterious substances. The material can 

be obtained in almost unlimited quantities from any 

of the outcrop areas of the Fort Hays shown on plate 1.

Subgrade and embankment material 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

The following definition of subgrade and embankment material is adapted from the specifications 

compiled for the American Association of State Highway Officials (1937, pp. 37-38). Suitable geologic 

materials for this kind of construction are: fine, 

granular, unconsolidated sediments, including soil, 

of which 50 percent or more pass through a no. 200 

sieve; coarse, granular, unconsolidated sediments 

and broken or crushed consolidated rocks, of which 

at least 65 percent by weight is retained on a no. 200 

sieve; and broken or crushed rock.

Stratigraphic sources and 

performance characteristics

All of the materials listed above are available 

in Osborne County for the construction of subgrades 

and embankments. The geologic formations in which 

these materials occur are:

1. Fine, granular, unconsolidated sediments. 

The Sanborn formation and terrace deposits contain 

large quantities of silt or clayey silt. The extensive outcrops of these formations are mapped on 

plate 1 and indicate the availability of the material in 

 most of the county.
2. Coarse, granular, unconsolidated sediments. --A small quantity of sand and gravel is avail - 

able for use in the construction of subgrades and embankments. Some sand and gravel is present in the 

basal part of the Sanborn formation, and at a few 

scattered localities higher in the formation. Sand 

and gravel also occurs in the lower terrace beds. 

Some sand and gravel has been produced from alluvium 

of the major streams, though largelyL^pr concrete 

construction. It is possible that the extensive deposits 

of limestone gravel within the Sanborn formation 

will prove acceptable for this use.

3. Broken or crushed rock. --The formations 

of Cretaceous age are the only extensive sources of 

broken or crushed rock in Osborne County. Very 

local use may be made of a nodular limestone which 

is present to a limited extent in the Ogallala formation.

(a) Greenhorn limestone. Only the Jetmore 

chalk and Pfeifer shale members are commercial 

sources of crushed stone. The bearing strength of 

material from these sources is probably adequate.

(b) Carlile shale. Except for the Codell 

sandstone member and the silty zones immediately 

below it, and the lower part of the Fairport chalky 

shale member, the Carlile shale is composed predominantly of clay.

(c) Niobrara formation. Broken or crushed 

rock from the Fort Hays limestone and Smoky Hill 

chalk members appear to be acceptable for use in the

construction of subgrades and embankments if drainage is good.

REFERENCES CITED

American Association of State Highway Officials, 

. 1937, Highway materials, pt. 1, Specifications,

pp. 37-38. 

__^_____1947, Standard specifications for

highway materials and methods of sampling and

testing, 5th ed., pt. 2, pp. 198-204, 235-241,

249-254, 257-258. 

Congressional documents, 1944, Missouri River basin,

conservation, control, and use of water resources:

78th Cong., 2d sess., S. doc. 191. 

Flora, S. D., 1948, The climate of Kansas: Kansas

State Board Agr., vol. 67, no. 285, 320 pp. 

Frye, J. C., and Fent, O. S., 1947, Late Pleistocene

loesses of central Kansas: Kansas Geol. Survey

Bull. 70, pt. 3, pp. 41-51. 

Kansas State Highway Commission, 1945, Standard

specifications for State road and bridge construction,

pp. 16, 333-334, 335-336. 

Landes, K. K., 1930, The geology of Mitchell and

Osborne Counties, Kans.: Kansas Geol. Survey

Bull. 16, p. 16. 

Moore, R. C., Frye, J. C., and Jewett, J. M.,

1944, Tabular description of outcropping rocks in

Kansas: Kansas Geol. Survey Bull. 52, 22 pp. 

U. S. Dept. Commerce, Weather Bur., 1937-46,

Climatological data, Kansas section. 

Wilmarth, M. G., 1938, Lexicon of geologic names

of the United States: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 896,

pts. 1 and 2.

17

INT.-DUF. SBCV. WASH., D.C. 2ST1*
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

99°00' R.15W. R.14 W.

CIRCULAR 179 PLATE 1

T.

,o*0-0»»_o° j ^-'VS

-.ateA-V^ ^

. ,

*&&& I

H / r ,

D^/ KC

fWJiJ

Kc, C^k. J

NATOMA

99°00' R.15W. R.14 W. 98°45' R.12W. R. 11 W.

98° 30'

Base adapted from maps provided by the State Highway Commission of Kansas. 

Drainage from aerial photographs provided by U.S. Department of Agriculture

Geology by Charles P. Walters and Larsen Y. Drake, 1949

MAP SHOWING CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND GEOLOGY OF OSBORNE COUNTY, KANSAS

1 0 5 Miles

1 i i i i

EXPLANATION

 5

;5 

<X.

Predominantly silt; lenses of sand and gravel.

Source or potential source of: aggregate, road metal

Terrace deposits

Silt; lenses of sand and gravelly sand in lower part.

Source or potential source of: aggregate, mineral

filler, road metal, fill material

Sanborn formation

Brown, tan and gray silt; lenses of limestone gravel

and sand in lower part. Source or potential source

of: mineral filler, aggregate, road metal,fill material

Ogallala formation

Fine to medium sand, locally cemented by lime to

form mortar bed or silica to form quartzite;

pebble zone near base. Source or potential source

of; road metal, aggregate

cc. '

oc.

UI

Niobrara formation 

Kns; Smoky Hill chalk member

Interbedded calcareous, soft tan and gray shales and 

thin, light gray to tan, chalky limeston.es. Source or 

potential source of: calcareous binder, road metal, 

fill material

Knf; Fort Hays limestone member

Thick beds of chalky limestone; massive, blocky, 

soft; light gray to tan. Source or potential source 

of: calcareous binder, road metal, structural 

stone, fill material 

I

o

LU 

O

or 

o

Carlile shale

Upper part, dark-blue thin-bedded shale with sandy 

zone near top, contains zones of concretions; 

lower part, interbedded fossiliferous, orange-gray 

chalky limestones and shales. Source or potential 

source of: fill material

Greenhorn limestone

Thin, hard limestones separated by calcareous shales; 

tan and gray; fossiliferous. Source or potential 

source of: road metal, structural stone, fill material

Geologic contact

Operated pit or quarry

Prospect pit or quarry

Is 

Limestone

fa 

Fine aggregate

ma 

Mixed aggregate

mf 

Mineral filler

ig

Limestone gravel

mb 

Mortar bed

Is 7

3.5

Letters and number above line indicate materials 

listed in table I and their sample number; number 

below line indicates quantity of material available 

.in units of 10,000 cubic yards

-f

Township corner

APPROXIMATE MEAN 

DECLINATION 1951

1952
Table 1. Summary of material tests

(Blank spaces Indicate data not available)

Classification of

the material

aggregate Fine 

Mixed aggregate

s

fMineral 

II

Limestone gravl

F"

«

SI

w -*- 

o "5.

e 

o

1

z

fa I

fa 2

fa3

fa 4

fo 5

fa 6

fa 7

fa 8

fa 9

fa 10

ma 1

ma 2

ma3

ma 4

ma 5

ma 6

ma 7

mf 1

mf 2

mf 3

va 1

ig i

ig2

Ig3

Ig4

ig 5

ig 6

ig7

Ig 8

igs

iglO

Ig-il

Igl2

Ig 13

Igl4

IglS

Igl6

Igl7

Igl8

ig)9

Is I

Is 2

Is 3

Is 4

Is 5

1 s 6

Is7

Is8

Is9

Is 10

Isll

Is 12

Is 13

Is 14

Is 15

mb 1

Location

1/4 fraction

SE

NE

WI/2

NE

NW

SW

SE

SE

NW

NW

NE

NW

NE

SW

W 1/2

SW

SW

NI/2

SE

NW

SE

SE

NE

NW

SW

NW

NW

NE

SE

SW

SW

SW

NE

E 1/2

SE

NE

SE

SW

C

o

t

t>

M

* 

"^

SE

NE

SW

NE

NW

SE

NE

SE

SW

SW

SE

SE

SW

NE

NW

NW

SE

NE

SW

NE

NW

SW

NE

NW

NW

SE

NE

SW

SE

SW

NW

SE

SE

NE

NE

SW

SW

SW

SE

SE

NE

NE

SE

SW

SW

SE

SE

SW

SW

SE

SE

NE

SE

SW

Section

9

II

31

23

8

12

24

17

31

22

6

10

31

19

18

8

3

26

20

24

24

3

15

30

4

14

33

9

6

19

28

3

17

15

27

13

14

12

35

21

3

10

36

30

6

6

15

7

7

19

19

7

26

31

31

22

Township (S)

6

6

6

7

7

7

7

7

8

9

6

6

6

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

10

6

6

6

6

6

6

7

7

7

7

7

7

8

8

8

8

9

10

10

6

6

6

6

7

7

7

8

8

9

9

10

10

10

10

9

§

 > o»

C

o 

Or

12

13

14

13

14

14

14

15

14

13

12

12

14

II

13

14

15

II

12

14

15

II

12

12

13

13

14

II

13

13

14

15

15

12

12

13

13

13

13

15

12

12

12

13

12

13

15

12

12

12

14

12

12

12

12

13

~-5 1 

IZ2 5-

"111 

« = ? 3 iii CT E ,3

31,500

15,000

1,000

10,000

4,000

10,000

60.0OO

100,000

700

5,000

9,000

3,000

11,500

9,000

5,000

10,000

15,000

700

10,000

10,000

5,000

1,300

20,000

7,500

7,000

5,000

30.0OO

eopoo

60,000

30,000

10,000

25,000

800

30,000

30,000

9,000

20,000

2,500

2,500

15,000

5,000

5,000

SflOQ

35,000

5,000

5,000

icpoo

10,000

spoo

2POO

1,000

Average 

thickness

"o

it

O Cl 1^

20

8

12

8

9

6

10

8

15

15

6

6

9

9

6

8

20

20

30

20

20

20

35

20

20

20

10

20

1

1

6

Overburden 

(feet)

8

6

0

10

5

2

2

2

2

2

2

6

2

2

2

2

1

1

'

1

'

'

1

1

'

1

1

1

5

5

2

Accessibility

Good

Good

Good

Fair

Good

Fair

Good

Fair

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Fair

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Geologic formation 

or member

Alluvium

Sanborn

Sanborn

Alluvium

Terract

Dune sand

Sanborn

Dune sand

Alluvium

Ogallala

Alluvium

Sanborn

Sanborn

Terrace

Terrace

Alluvium

Sanborn

Terrace

Terrace

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Alluvium

Terrace

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanbom

Sanborn

Sanborn

Sanborn

Fort Hays

Fort Hays

Fort Hays

Fort Hays

Fort Hays

Fort Hays

Fort Hays

Fort Hays

Fort Hays

Fort Hays

Smoky Hill

Fort Hays

Pfelftr

Pfeifer

Jetmore

Ogallala

o

 »- _

D

>» »-

± o *- -o 

o

£ 4-

 - in 

3 >

< *.

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

SHCK

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

USGS 

SHCK

 *- 

w>

V

 »- 

 * 

o

V

O 

O

4-49

7-49

6-47

4-42

2-35

4-42

9-49

7-49

6-47

4-42

4-42

6-47

4-49

4-42

1-48

7-49

9-49

5-47

9-49

3-42

6-48

6-47

7-49

9-49

4-47

9-49

9-49

10-49

9-49

8-46

9-49

7-49

5-47

4-42

7-48

5-40

7-40 

4-42

10-38 4-42

6-37 

8-46

4-33

4-33

5-34

5-34

5-34

5-34

7-49

6-34

6-34

4-46

10-49

5-36

8-41

10-49

10-49

10-49

Sieve analysis

Jl

5*

(X *O

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

1

5

0

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

1

3

1

1

2

2

1

3

!l

£o CD

 1 >-

a! 10

0

2

7

0

3

0

1

0

7

5

7

15

1

5

5

3

0

0

0

0

2

14

9

9

12

19

9

12

17

4

15

II

s

1*II

0

5

II

0

7

0

2

0

II

II

16

21

3

II

10

7

0

0

0

1

17

51

31

24

33

40

30

29

37

19

38

33

§

£ u>

0 

o o

a. z

2

17

32

0

0

7

0

32

38

46

46

17

35

45

25

0

1

0

2

48

96

57

42

66

68

59

51

61

53

63

64

g

+. o 

E°

u 

 » o*

0. Z

70

92

98

78

99

71

84

87

98

98

98

99

97

98

99

97

27

63

7

24

65

99

68

56

84

76

69

70

77

73

77

75

Percent patsed (wash) 200 No. 

23.3

5.4

1.4

12.9

0.8

13.6

1.08

5.4

1.4

19

2.4

0.32

2.5

1.8

0.50

2.07

48.0

30

70.8

67

32.5

30.82

42.3

14.55

21.80

29.4

26.7

18.6

24.19

20.9

20.5

25.2

19.5

22.4

Description

Fraction M

 -

O

3

O

Feldspars

Gypsum and anhydrite Magnetite

of the mater

Limestone fragments

Shale 

fragments

Sand 

aggregates

a, 2

V)

3 

O 

a> 

c 

»*>

sf

o 

CO

 >

3 

O

tt&r

0

~° £

'o

<

« f ^>"o 

o

Fine siliceous sand.

Siliceous sand with a 

mixed.

small amc-ut of clay interSand, gravel, and clay resulting from the disintegration of siliceous and calcareous rocks.

Naturally disintegrated sand consisting of siliceous particles.

Clean siliceous sand 

of herd imestone

containing a 

pebbles.

small portion

Naturally disintegrated sand consisting of 

siliceous and calcareous particles.

C

F 55 15 25

Very fine, well

Tr

95

5

Tr

Tr

Tr

Tr Tr

sorted, brown sand.

Sand-gravel resulting from the disintegration 

of siliceous and calcareous rocks.

C

F 70 Tr Tr 30

Naturally disintegrated sand-gravel consisting of siliceous and calcareous particles.

Naturally disintegrated sand-gravel consisting of siliceous and calcareous particles.

Naturally disintegrated sand-gravel consisting of siliceous ond calcareous particles.

Naturally disintegrated sand-gravel consist 

of siliceous and calcareous particles.

Sand-gravel 

careous

ng

consisting of siliceous and calparticles.

Naturally disintegrated sand-gravel consisting of siliceous and calcareous particles.

C

F

5

60

Tr

5 10 Tr

85

20

5

Tr Tr

Tr

Tr

Grey silt.

Gray sandy

Yellow silty

Light gray

loam

clay.

volcanic ash.

Fragments of local limestones 

clayey silt.

in a matrix ot

Limestone gravel i

Limestone gravel

n a matrix

in a

of clayey silt.

matrix of clayey silt.

White and yellowish gray limestone

Fragments of local limestone in a 

clayey silt.

Limestone gravel

gravel.

matrix of

in a matrix of clayey

Fragments of local limestone 

clayey silt.

n a

silt

matrix of

Fragments of limestone and calcareous concretions in a matrix of clayey silt.

Mixture of calcareous gravel

Limestone grave 

integration of

and binder.

resulting from the natural 

calcareous rocks.

Fragments of local 

clayey silt.

Large fragments 

matrix.

limestone

of local

Limestone gravel in

disin a matrix of

limestone

a clayey

in a silty

matrix.

A mixture 

limestone

of clay, 

pebbles

calcareous binder,

Mixture of calcareous, siliceous, 

clay materials.

Mixture of calcareous, siliceous, 

clay materials.

Light gray

Soft white

Soft white

Soft, white 

limestone

Soft white

Massive

and

and

and

silty

silty

limestone gravel.

limestone.

limestone.

to cream, thick-bedded, chalky

limestone.

beds of soft yellow limestone.

Light yellow limestone.

Massive beds of soft chalky limestone.

Soft white limestone.

White limestone

Soft, white

Tan, platy,

chalky limestone.

shaly chalk.

Light yellow limestone.

Light yellow limestone.

Massive tan limestone marked 

streak in middle zone.

by red-brown

Massive gray limestone which contains an 

abundance of fossil shells.

Mortar bed; friable to firmly cemented, 

sorted sand.

wellLaboratory test data

Weight per(dry) foot cubic 

103.0

105.9

99. 0

93.0

102.2

98.9

110.0

110.0

108.7

107.0

110.0

90.5

90.5

89.4

72.0

92.4

97.5

98.3

1150

II 0.0

118.0

104.0

119.0

145.0

>*

I 

«

II

2.53

2.58

2.54

251

2.55

2.59

^58

2.58

2.60

2.58

2.60

2.63

2.64

2.59

2.32

Z29

228

1.83

1.84

1.76

1.89

1.67

1.74

1.81

1.91

232

1.76

1.83

2.09

2.14

2.18

Gradation 

factor

1.16

2.39

1.33

3.33

0.94

1.86

1.30

3.30

3.84

3.67

3.89

2.53

3.38

3.60

2.93

30.2

2.84

5.40

3.41

2.67

4.01

4.10

3.47

3.25

3.86

3.83

3.80

Compresslve 

strength 

ratio

>i

 0

 o

0.64

1.44

3.30

0.67

1.46

0.63

0.96

0.63

1.13

1.18

1.17

1.17

1.51

 !

0.77

1.36

0.71

1.49

0.65

1.14

0.66

1.07

1.05

1.01

1.07

1.29

±sl> O O" 

c +~ " 5

" "

0 fc

_j a.

32.0

30.4

34.2

30.8

39.8

33.4

32.0

39.4

36.4

34.8

35.1

27.0

33.8

38.8

36.6

44.8

53.9

13.1% 

Wear

I0.25'/ 

Wear

14.1% 

Wear

17.8% 

Wear

13.5% 

Wear

10.8% 

Wear

50.4

18.0% 

Wear

8.2% 

Wear

64.8

56.8

9.5% 

Wear

43.4

43.6

Soundness cycles) (25 

0.84

0.83

0.87

0.88

0.85

O.7I

0.67

0.68

0.54

0.76

0.66

0.81

0.61

0.66

0.70

0.60

0.71

0.58

Not 

Sound

Sound

Not 

Sound

Not 

Sound

Not 

Sound

Not 

Sound

0.48

Not 

Sound

0.22

0.19

OK

Sound

0.86

0.94

w 

w

t) 

c 

.c 

o»

3 

O 

1-

3

3

3

3

3

4

7

6

Cementation

2O

38

40

75

100

100

100

Absorption

1555

15.07

16.0

13.8

19.1

16.7

17.21

13.4

5.0

18.24

15.65

8.5

7.8

7.06

m 

o 

o 

o

dk st

It st

cl

st

cl

V

dk st

cl

It st

cl

It st

cl

Laboratory No.

62421

63874

54986 

55124

44804

24892

44805

64219

63872

55124

63867

44807

448OO

55130

62420

44806

58071

63875

64777

54985

64220

44695 

44696

59203

55131

63869 

64214

63870 

64215

54397

63871 

64216

64222

64221

64224

64223

64218

51723 

63873

54987

44801

59578

39783

44803

44802

51722

21277

21278

23321

23323

23322

23324

63876

23320

23320

50554

64773

28267

42987

64771

64774

64772

Remarks

Acceptable under Sees. 108 and 109, 1945 SHCK Std. Specs.

Sample 54986 contained 19.9% mud bells and was rejected for 

use under Sec. 108, 1945 SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable under Sec. 69, 1939 SHCK Sld. Specs. If brought to 

required grading.

Acceptable for use as aggregate for concrete if brought to proper 

grading stated In Sec. 55, 1934 SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable under Sec. 69, 1939 SHCK Std. Specs, if brought to 

required grading.

Overburden is silt, 6 feet thick, which Is acceptable for use as 

mineral filler (see sample mf 3).

Material crumbles under water therefore no test was performed.

Acceptable under Sec. 65, 1937 SHCK Std. Specs, if produced to 

comply with sieve analysis requirements.

Acceptable under Sees. 108,109,110, and 112, 1945 SHCK Std. Specs, 

if produced to comply with sieve analysis requirements.

Acceptable under Sees. 65, 69, 71, and 75, 1937 SHCK Std. Specs, 

if produced to comply with sieve analysis requirements.

Does not comply with Sec. 106, 1945 SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable for use as mineral filler under Sees. 108 and 109, 

1945 SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable under Sec.69, Art.69.3, 1937 SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable under Sec. 116, 1945 SHCK Std. Specs, if produced 

to comply with sieve analysis and plasticity requirements.

Acceptable under Supplemental Spec. 45-111, SHCK, if produced 

to comply with sieve analysis requirements.

Does not comply with soundness requirements of Sees. 108 and 

IO9, 1945 SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable under Sec.74, 1937 SHCK Std. Specs.

Does not comply with soundness requirement of Supplemental 

Spec. 45-341, SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable under Sec.74, 1937 SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable under Sec.74, 1937 SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable under Sec.74, 1937 SHCK Std. Specs.

Not acceptable as coarse mineral aggregate in bituminous 

mat construction.

Acceptable for use as mineral aggregate In bituminous mat 

construction.

Not satisfactory for use In bituminous-mat or portland-cement 

construction; satisfactory, if pulverized, for use as mineral filler.

Not satisfactory for use in bituminous-mat or portland-cement 

construction; satisfactory, if pulverized, far use as mineral filler.

Not satisfactory for use In bituminous- mat or portland-cement 

construction; satisfactory, if pulverized, for use as mineral filler.

Unsound, so not acceptable for use in concrete construction.

Unsound, so not acceptable for use in concrete construction.

Satisfactory for use as mineral aggregate in bituminaus-mat 

and portland-cement construction.

Acceptable for use under Type LM-4 of Sec. 116, 1945 

SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable as aggregate under Sec. 58, 1934 SHCK Std. Specs.

Acceptable for use as riprap under Sec. 91, 1937 SHCK Std. 

Specs.

"Fencepost" limestone bed.

"Shell-rock" limestone bed.

Material crumbles under water so no tests were performed.

1. SHCK, State Highway Commission of Kansas. SHCK and USGS, 

sieve analysis and laboratory tests by State Highway Commission; sample collection and description of material by U.S. 

Geological Survey.

2. C, coarse fraction, retained on No. 4 sieve; F, fine fraction, 

passed through No. 4 sieve-, Tr, trace.

3. Color: cl, clear; It st, light straw; st, straw-, dk st, dark straw; 

v dk st, very dark straw.