Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Mineralogy And Chemistry Of Clay-Rich Sediments In The Contact Zone Of The Bullion Creek And Sentinel Butte Formations (Paleocene), Billings County, North Dakota, David W. Brekke

Theses and Dissertations

The Bullion Creek and Sentinel Butte Formations (Paleocene) form over 50 percent of the surface and near surface sediments in the North Dakota part of the Williston Basin. These rocks are composed of sandstones, siltstones, claystones, and numerous lignite beds. A distinct surface color change from light colors in the Bullion Creek Formation to dark colors in the Sentinel Butte Formation serves as a boundary marker and is widely exposed in the Little Missouri River badlands. The color boundary is a product of weathering and is not readily apparent in the subsurface. The use of clay mineralogy was investigated as …