| Chalk Butte Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Tortonian-Zanclean (Hemphillian) ~10.3–4.9 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N | |
| Type | Formation |
| Thickness | About 538 feet |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Tuffaceous sandstones, siltstones, conglomerates |
| Other | Tuff, ash beds, freshwater limestone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 43°36′N 117°30′W / 43.6°N 117.5°W / 43.6; -117.5 |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 44°18′N 114°36′W / 44.3°N 114.6°W / 44.3; -114.6 |
| Region | Malheur County, Oregon |
| Country |  United States |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Chalk Butte |
  Chalk Butte Formation (the United States)Show map of the United States Chalk Butte Formation (Oregon)Show map of Oregon | |
The Chalk Butte Formation is a geologic formation in Oregon, which forms a part of the Idaho Group. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene period. It was proposed along with the Grassy Mountain Basalt Formation and the Kern Basin Formation as a division of the Idaho Group rocks in the Mitchell Butte Quadrangle. The predominant rock types are tuffaceous sandstones, siltstones, and conglomerates with smaller amounts of tuff, ash beds, and freshwater limestone. A partial section at the type location determined the formation to be about 538 feet thick.
Fossil content
The following fossils have been reported from the formation:
- Antecalomys valensis
- Basirepomys pliocenicus
- Copemys cf. esmeraldensis
- Cupidinimus magnus
- Diprionomys parvus
- Dipoides vallicula
- Eucyon davisi
- Goniodontomys disjunctus
- Hypolagus vetus
- Peromyscus antiquus
- Pliohippus spectans
- Plionictis oregonensis
- Scapanus proceridens
- Dipoides sp.
- Spermophilus sp.
- Camelidae indet.
- Perognathinae indet.
- Soricidae indet.
- ?Vespertilionidae indet.
See also
References
- Chalk Butte Formation at USGS
- ^ Chalk Butte Formation at Fossilworks.org
- ^ Corcoran, R. E.; Doak, R. A.; Porter, P. W.; Pritchett, F. I.; Privrasky, N. C. (1962). "Geology of the Mitchell Butte Quadrangle, Oregon" (PDF). Geological Map Series. Portland, Oregon: State of Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- Shotwell, 1970
Bibliography
- Shotwell, J. A (1970), "Pliocene mammals of southeast Oregon and adjacent Idaho", Bulletin of the Museum of Natural History, University of Oregon, 17: 1–103