Kaibab Limestone
Encyclopedia
The Kaibab is a geologic formation
that is spread across the U.S. state
s of northern Arizona
, southern Utah
, east central Nevada
and southeast California
. This geologic unit
is part of the Park City Group in Nevada and Utah and is sometimes locally classified as a geologic group in Utah. It is called the Kaibab Marble in California, the Kaibab Formation in Arizona, Nevada and Utah and the Kaibab Limestone everywhere the unit is represented except for California. Part of the Colorado Plateau
and Basin and Range
, this formation was laid down in the Early Permian during the Leonardian stage.
Asterisks (*) indicate usage by the U.S. Geological Survey. Other usages by state geological surveys.
designated for this formation. It was named by Darton in 1910 for the Kaibab Plateau
, which is on the north side of Grand Canyon
in Coconino County, Arizona
. Darton also named it as the upper formation of Aubrey Group in 1910 (group name no longer used). Bassler and Reeside revised Darton's work and assigned the Harrisburg Member in 1921. Areal extent limits were set by Gilluly and Reeside in 1928 and again by Gregory and Moore in 1931. Its lower contact was revised and the unit was informally divided into (ascending) alpha, beta, and gamma units by McKee in 1938. Blakey revised its upper contact in 1974. Welsh and others attempted to raise the formation to group rank and divide it into several formations in 1979 (not recognized by the USGS). In 1982 Hamilton redescribed it as the as Kaibab Marble in California and set its areal limits there. The Kaibab was divided into (ascending) Fossil Mountain Member (new) and Harrisburg Member by Sorauf and Billingsley in 1991. Areal limits were set again by Anderson and Hintze in 1993.
Parklands (incomplete list):
Geologic formation
A formation or geological formation is the fundamental unit of lithostratigraphy. A formation consists of a certain number of rock strata that have a comparable lithology, facies or other similar properties...
that is spread across the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s of northern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, southern Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, east central Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
and southeast California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. This geologic unit
Geologic unit
A geological unit is a volume of rock or ice of identifiable origin and age range that is defined by the distinctive and dominant, easily mapped and recognizable petrographic, lithologic or paleontologic features that characterize it....
is part of the Park City Group in Nevada and Utah and is sometimes locally classified as a geologic group in Utah. It is called the Kaibab Marble in California, the Kaibab Formation in Arizona, Nevada and Utah and the Kaibab Limestone everywhere the unit is represented except for California. Part of the Colorado Plateau
Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau, also called the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. The province covers an area of 337,000 km2 within western Colorado, northwestern New Mexico,...
and Basin and Range
Basin and Range
The Basin and Range Province is a vast physiographic region defined by a unique topographic expression. Basin and Range topography is characterized by abrupt changes in elevation, alternating between narrow faulted mountain chains and flat arid valleys or basins...
, this formation was laid down in the Early Permian during the Leonardian stage.
Asterisks (*) indicate usage by the U.S. Geological Survey. Other usages by state geological surveys.
History of investigation
There is no type localityType locality (geology)
Type locality , also called type area or type locale, is the where a particular rock type, stratigraphic unit, fossil or mineral species is first identified....
designated for this formation. It was named by Darton in 1910 for the Kaibab Plateau
Kaibab Plateau
The Kaibab Plateau is located in northern Arizona in the United States. The plateau, part of the larger Colorado Plateau, is bordered on the south by the Grand Canyon and reaches an elevation of 9241 feet above sea level. The plateau is divided between Kaibab National Forest and the "North Rim"...
, which is on the north side of Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
in Coconino County, Arizona
Coconino County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*61.7% White*1.2% Black*27.3% Native American*1.4% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.1% Two or more races*5.2% Other races*13.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. Darton also named it as the upper formation of Aubrey Group in 1910 (group name no longer used). Bassler and Reeside revised Darton's work and assigned the Harrisburg Member in 1921. Areal extent limits were set by Gilluly and Reeside in 1928 and again by Gregory and Moore in 1931. Its lower contact was revised and the unit was informally divided into (ascending) alpha, beta, and gamma units by McKee in 1938. Blakey revised its upper contact in 1974. Welsh and others attempted to raise the formation to group rank and divide it into several formations in 1979 (not recognized by the USGS). In 1982 Hamilton redescribed it as the as Kaibab Marble in California and set its areal limits there. The Kaibab was divided into (ascending) Fossil Mountain Member (new) and Harrisburg Member by Sorauf and Billingsley in 1991. Areal limits were set again by Anderson and Hintze in 1993.
Subunits
Formation rank (alphabetical):- Fossil Mountain Member (AZ,NV*,UT),
- Harrisburg Member (AZ*,NV*,UT*).
Places found
Geologic Province:- Basin and RangeBasin and RangeThe Basin and Range Province is a vast physiographic region defined by a unique topographic expression. Basin and Range topography is characterized by abrupt changes in elevation, alternating between narrow faulted mountain chains and flat arid valleys or basins...
province* - Black Mesa Basin*
- Great BasinGreat BasinThe Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
province* - Paradox BasinParadox BasinThe Paradox Basin is an asymmetric foreland basin located mostly in southeast Utah and southwest Colorado, but extending into northeast Arizona and northwest New Mexico. The basin is a large elongate northwest to southeast oriented depression formed during the late Paleozoic Era...
* - Plateau sedimentary province*
- Salton Basin*
Parklands (incomplete list):
- Capitol Reef National ParkCapitol Reef National ParkCapitol Reef National Park is a United States National Park, in south-central Utah. It is 100 miles long but fairly narrow. The park, established in 1971, preserves 378 mi² and is open all year, although May through September are the most popular months.Called "Wayne Wonderland" in the 1920s...
- See Geology of the Capitol Reef areaGeology of the Capitol Reef areaThe exposed geology of the Capitol Reef area presents a record of mostly Mesozoic-aged sedimentation in an area of North America in and around Capitol Reef National Park. Nearly 10,000 feet of sedimentary strata are found in the Capitol Reef area, representing nearly 200 million years of... - Grand CanyonGrand CanyonThe Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
- See Geology of the Grand Canyon areaGeology of the Grand Canyon areaThe geology of the Grand Canyon area exposes one of the most complete and studied sequences of rock on Earth. The nearly 40 major sedimentary rock layers exposed in the Grand Canyon and in the Grand Canyon National Park area range in age from about 200 million to nearly 2 billion years old... - Zion National ParkZion National ParkZion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
- See Geology of the Zion and Kolob canyons areaGeology of the Zion and Kolob canyons areaThe geology of the Zion and Kolob canyons area includes nine known exposed formations, all visible in Zion National Park in the U.S. state of Utah. Together, these formations represent about 150 million years of mostly Mesozoic-aged sedimentation in that part of North America... - Grand Staircase-Escalante National MonumentGrand Staircase-Escalante National MonumentThe Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument contains 1.9 million acres of land in southern Utah, the United States. There are three main regions: the Grand Staircase, the Kaiparowits Plateau, and the Canyons of the Escalante. President Bill Clinton designated the area as a U.S. National...
Works cited
- GEOLEX database entry for Kaibab, USGS (viewed 19 March 2006)
- GEOLEX database Bibliographic References for Kaibab, USGS (viewed 19 March 2006)