The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-10-21
SCIENCE N GAS WRITER GIVES ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ON STRUCTURES IN THIS ARE

U. S. Bureau of Mines, repres-
entatives of the Governors of
Montana, South Dakota and
other states, a..d which was also
attended by Governor Leslie
hunt of Wyoming, had as its
purpose the making of plans for
the creation of synthetic fuel
plants in Montana and Wyo-
mig for the distilling of oil
shales and coal measures in
Guiding Ignite. Gasoline to the
amount OF 60-120 gallons can be
distilled from one ton OF oil
shale and southern Big Horn
county has oil shale deposits.
The bentonite possibilities of
Big Horn and Sheridan coun-
ties were not overlooked at thit
meeting. If an oil shale distill-
ing plant was built here in Big
Horn county, 1t would most GER
tainly mean the coming of a
much needed new industry for
this area of south-central Mon
tana.
There are three major geolog-
ic periods represented in the
land masses of Big Horn county,
and these include those of the
Big Horn and Pryor mountains.
The Parkman sandstone is of
the upper Cretaceous formation
and this period was the last part
of the major Mesozoic geologic
era. The Cloverly is of the same
period, and consist of coarse,
massive buff sandstone with
light colored shales. The Morri-
son, considered a potential oil
producer, is of the Lower Cret-
aceous period of the Meeozoic
geologic era, and is revealed as
massive shale, greenish gray
buff and maroon with sa i'd
stone. The estimated thickness
of the Cloverly in Big Horn
county is about 10000 feet,
while that of the Morrison is
10000 feet in thickness. The
Sundance which is soft sand
sto e overlaid by greenish-grey
shaleS with several hard fossil
ferrous marine layers is about
25O-45O feet in thickness, and
this strata is of the Jurassic
period, which was the middle of
the major Mesozoic geologic era.
The Chugwater strata consists
of red shales, soft sandstoneS
with thin limestone layers near
top and bottom with some gyp-
! sum deposits. This strata is of
the Triassic of the Mesozoic and
the Permian of the Palezoic,
thus two major eras of the geol-
ogic record are represented in
the ChugWater formation. The
Embar is represented in Big
Horn county by grey limestone,
with cherry beds. It is of the
Carboniferous period of the
major Palezoic era. The Madison
limestone is a light colored mas
sive limestone with some fos-
sils, and it has an estimated
thickness of %250-1,100 feet. It is
of the Mississippia1 (Palezoic)
series. The Tensleep is a sand
stone buff to grey, slightly cal
careous near its top. It is of
the Carboniferous period of the
Palezoic era.
The Big Horn limestone is an
interesting formation with a
vast geologic antiquity, and it
appears j. the form of hard
massive limestone with streaks
of silica, which should have
commercial value if worked. It
is of the Odrovician period of
the Palezoic era and its lower
member is of the trenton SER
les, whereas the upper member
is of the Richmon series. The
Deadwood formation is repre-
sented in the form of lime
green shales in flat pebble
limestone. It's estimated thick
ess OF 600 $50 feet and it is
Of the Mi1d'e Carb0niferous
era. In addition t. tho strata
already described hore. the
third period of the oeologi" e.
cord that IF the Conozoic which
followed the Mesozoi" era in
geologi" sequence is represented
in gravels sands and loss sur
face deposits of various areas Of
Big Horn county,. The Ce~ozoi"
era owing to It's longevity and
its diversified forms of life prin-