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Passaic Formation (NJJTRp;5)

Geologic Formation in NJ, PA, NY

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Lithology

Shale

Siltstone

Geologic Age

Early Jurassic – Late Jurassic (201.5 Ma – 145 Ma ago)

Geologic Unit Label

JTRp

(Olsen, 1980) - Reddish-brown to brownish-purple and grayish-red siltstone and shale (JTrp) maximum thickness 3,600 m (11,810 ft). At places contains mapped sandy mudstone (JTrpms), sandstone (JTrps), conglomeratic sandstone (JTrpsc) and conglomerate containing clasts of quartzite (JTrpcq), or limestone (JTrpcl). Formation coarsens up section and to the southwest. Quartzite conglomerate unit (JTrpcq) is reddish-brown pebble conglomerate, pebbly sandstone, and sandstone, in upward-fining sequences 1 to 2 m (3-6 ft) thick. Clasts are subangular to subrounded, quartz and quartzite in sandstone matrix. Sandstone is medium to coarse grained, feldspathic (up to 20 percent feldspar), and locally contains pebble and cobble layers. Conglomerate thickness exceeds 850 m (2,790 ft). Limestone conglomerate unit (JTrpcl) is medium-bedded to massive, pebble to boulder conglomerate. Clasts are subangular dolomitic limestone in matrix of brownish- to purplish-red sandstone to mudstone; matrix weathers light-gray to white near faults. Maximum thickness unknown. Conglomeratic sandstone (JTrpsc) is brownish-red pebble conglomerate, medium- to coarse-grained, feldspathic sandstone and micaceous siltstone; unit is planar to low-angle trough cross laminated, burrowed, and contains local pebble layers. Unit forms upward-fining sequences 0.5 to 2.5 m (1.6-8 ft) thick. Conglomeratic sandstone thickness exceeds 800 m (2,625 ft). Sandstone (JTrps) is interbedded grayish-red to brownish-red, medium- to fine-grained, medium- to thick-bedded sandstone and brownish-to purplish-red coarse-grained siltstone; unit is planar to ripple cross-laminated, fissile, locally calcareous, containing desiccation cracks and root casts. Upward-fining cycles are 1.8 to 4.6 m (6-15 ft) thick. Sandstone beds are coarser and thicker near conglomerate units (JTrpcq, JTrpcl). Maximum thickness about 1,100 m (3,610 ft). Sandy mudstone (JTrpms) is reddish-brown to brownish-red, massive, silty to sandy mudstone and siltstone, which are bioturbated, ripple cross-laminated and interbedded with lenticular sandstone. To southwest where similar lithologic units also occur, they have not been mapped separately, but have been included in undivided unit JTrp. Rhythmic cycles 2 to 7 m (7-23 ft) of thick gray-bed sequences (Trpg), termed Van Houten cycles by Olsen (1985), contain basal thin-bedded to finely laminated shale to siltstone, which grade upward through laminated to microlaminated, locally calcareous mudstone to siltstone and finally into massive silty mudstone. Lowest part of cycle has some desiccation features and local fossils; middle part has highest organic content and the most fossils; highest part contains mudcracks, burrows, and root casts. Gray-bed cycles are abundant in lower half of Passaic Formation and less common in upper half. Rocks of the Passaic Formation have been locally thermally metamorphosed to hornfels where in contact with the Orange Mountain Basalt, diabase dikes, and sheetlike intrusions. Total thickness of formation ranges from 3500 to 3600 m (11480-11810 ft).

— USGS