Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Western North Dakota Lignite Strip Mining Processes And Resulting Subsurface Characteristics, Laramie M. Winczewski

Theses and Dissertations

Data on subsurface conditions obtained prior to strip mining is useful in planning effective mining and reclamation procedures as well as predicting the subsurface characteristics after reclamation. The redistribution of the overburden sediments is less predictable, however.

Through field observations, the major mining factors controlling subsurface structure and overburden sediment redistribution were determined. These include the geometry of the coal body, pit sequence, pit curvature, overburden thickness and managerial input. At a given location, however, the detailed structures and distribution of sediment types within a waste bank were observed to depend upon the dragline cutting pattern, distance between dragline positions, …

Paleozoology Of Cores From The Tyler Formation (Pennsylvanian) In North Dakota, U.S.A., James C. Grenda

Theses and Dissertations

A well-preserved fauna from the Tyler Formation was studied in cores from 34 wells drilled for oil in Billings, Golden Valley, McKenzie, Slope, and Stark Counties. Forty-four species of invertebrates, eleven form-species of conodonts, at least three types of fish, and at least four genera of plants· are present. Invertebrate species include 1 bryozoan, 15 brachiopods, 14 bivalves, 2 gastropods, 2 cephalopods, 2 annelids, 2 branchiopoda, at least 2 ostracodes, 2 malacostracans, 1 insect, and 1 echinoderm. Chordates include 1 "nonmarine" shark, at least 1 paleoniscoid fish, and 1 possible crossopterygian fish. A new genus and species of eocarid malacostracan …

The Late Cenozoic Geology Of West-Central Minnesota From Moorhead To Park Rapids, Roderic L. Perkins

Theses and Dissertations

Based on lithostratigraphic and geomorphic information, the Quaternary history of an area bounded by the Red River of the North, 95°00' west longitude, 47°00' and 46°45' north latitude in west central Minnesota, includes seven geologic episodes:

Glacial advances and retreats over all or part of the study area occurred during the first six geologic episodes. The glaciers advanced either southward across northern Minnesota, entering the study area from the northeast; or across eastern North Dakota and southwestern Manitoba, entering the study area from the northwest. As a result of these glacial events the sediment of Unit A, Sebeka Formation, New …

Petrology Of The Alaskites Of The Boulder Batholith, Montana, Kenneth C. Malick

Theses and Dissertations

The Boulder batbolith outcrops in the Northern Rookies of western Montana. It is exposed over an area of 5700 km2 and extends about 112 km along the continental divide from Mullen Pass on the north to 32 km south of Butte. The Boulder batholith represents an invasion of the upper zones of the crust by a large volume of fluid granodioritia quartz monzonitic magma emplaced at the close of a main orogenic episode during late Cretaceous and Paleocene time.

Eight alaskite bodies were chosen for sampling from previous field experience and from geologic maps published by the U.S.O.S. Textural descriptions, …

Glacial Stratigraphy Of Southeastern North Dakota, Michael Camara

Theses and Dissertations

Seven lithostratigraphic units are recognized in the glacial sediment {till) of southeastern North Dakota. Five of these units are not formally named; eventually most of these units will be correlated with formations in surrounding regions. Two of these units, Gardar and Dahlen, are formations recognized in northeastern North Dakota {Hobbs, 1975). The seven lithostratigraphic units are differentiated and correlated using the percentage of the sand, silt, and clay fractions of the till and using the proportion of igneous and metamorphic rock fragments, limestone and dolomite fragments, and shale fragments in the very-coarse-sand fraction (1 to 2 mm) of the till. …

Stratigraphy And Paleontology Of The Upper Cretaceous Morden Member (Vermilion River Formation) In The Outcrop Area, Northeastern North Dakota, Fredrick D. Wosick

Theses and Dissertations

The Late Cretaceous Morden Member is the oldest exposed bedrock unit in North Dakota, cropping out in eastern Cavalier County in the northeastern part of the state. The Morden overlies the Greenhorn Formation and underlies the Niobrara Formation. The Canadian Morden Member of the Vermilion River Formation is used in lieu of the Carlile Formation because of the lithologic similarity and proximity to the Morden type area, and the distance from the Carlile Formation type section in southeastern Colorado.

Three principal sections were measured and sampled at 2-meter intervals for microfaunal and lithologic analysis. A single well was used for …