Paleogeographic controls of coal accumulation, Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation and Star Point Sandstone, Wasatch Plateau, Utah

Abstract

Research Article| May 01, 1984 Paleogeographic controls of coal accumulation, Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation and Star Point Sandstone, Wasatch Plateau, Utah ROMEO M. FLORES; ROMEO M. FLORES 1U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar LOUIS F. BLANCHARD; LOUIS F. BLANCHARD 2ARCO, Denver, Colorado 80202 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar J. DAVID SANCHEZ; J. DAVID SANCHEZ 1U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar WALTER E. MARLEY; WALTER E. MARLEY 1U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar WILLIAM J. MULDOON WILLIAM J. MULDOON 3CONOCO, Ventura, California 93003 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1984) 95 (5): 540–550. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1984)95<540:PCOCAC>2.0.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation ROMEO M. FLORES, LOUIS F. BLANCHARD, J. DAVID SANCHEZ, WALTER E. MARLEY, WILLIAM J. MULDOON; Paleogeographic controls of coal accumulation, Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation and Star Point Sandstone, Wasatch Plateau, Utah. GSA Bulletin 1984;; 95 (5): 540–550. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1984)95<540:PCOCAC>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Analysis of sequences, associations, and relationships of facies in the Upper Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation and Star Point Sandstone in the Wasatch Plateau, Utah, leads to inferences regarding the paleogeographic controls affecting the accumulation of coals in delta–barrier-island complexes. Progradation, lateral shifting, and abandonment of these complexes created four major landward-thinning tongues of the upper sandstone bed of the Star Point Sandstone that extend into the lowermost Blackhawk Formation. Each tongue of the Star Point Sandstone trends northwest to southeast, subparallel to the general orientation of the Late Cretaceous paleoshoreline, and represents accretion-ridge, distributary-channel, and mouth-bar sandstones. The accretion-ridge or barrier-island sandstones grade landward into coastwise lagoonal and back-barrier swamp deposits, which, in turn, merge with bayhead deposits of short-headed streams. These deposits grade laterally into delta-plain deposits that consist of major distributary channels which crosscut the coastwise lagoons. Two coal populations were formed in this paleogeographic setting: delta-plain and back-barrier coals. Delta-plain coals formed as thin to thick, discontinuous bodies. Back-barrier coals are thicker and more laterally continuous. They parallel depositional strike and accumulated in swamps on surfaces of infilled lagoons. Here, the swamps were sites of accumulation of thick coals and were influenced by abandonment of associated deltaic barrier-island complexes. Successive offlap events resulted in accumulation of the Hiawatha coal, not as a single continuous bed, but as a series of discontinuous, related coal bodies. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.