OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Volume 67 • No. 8 • August 2018
2018 Summit Sponsors Platinum Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
NORTH RANCH RESOURCES
OUTCROP | August 2018
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Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
OUTCROP The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
910 16th Street • Suite 1214 • Denver, CO 80202 • 303-573-8621 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) is a nonprofit organization whose purposes are to promote interest in geology and allied sciences and their practical application, to foster scientific research and to encourage fellowship and cooperation among its members. The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the RMAG.
2018 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT
2st VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT
Terri Olson tmolson8550@gmail.com
Sophie Berglund sberglund@raisaenergy.com
PRESIDENT-ELECT
TREASURER
Tom Sperr tsperr@bayless-cos.com
Robin Swank robin.swank@gmail.com
1st VICE PRESIDENT
TREASURER-ELECT
David Katz davidkatz76@gmail.com
Eryn Bergin eryn.bergin@aec-denver.com
1st VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT
SECRETARY
Heather LaReau heatherthegeologist@gmail.com
Anna Phelps aphelps@sm-energy.com
2nd VICE PRESIDENT
COUNSELOR
Tracy Lombardi tracy.lombardi@inflectionenergy.com
Jim Emme jim_emme@yahoo.com
ADVERTISING INFORMATION
Rates and sizes can be found on page 49. Advertising rates apply to either black and white or color ads. Submit color ads in RGB color to be compatible with web format. Borders are recommended for advertisements that comprise less than one half page. Digital files must be PC compatible submitted in png, jpg, tif, pdf or eps formats at a minimum of 300 dpi. If you have any questions, please call the RMAG office at 303-573-8621. Ad copy, signed contract and payment must be received before advertising insertion. Contact the RMAG office for details.
RMAG STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Barbara Kuzmic bkuzmic@rmag.org MEMBERSHIP & EVENTS MANAGER
Hannah Rogers hrogers@rmag.org PROJECTS SPECIALIST
Kathy Mitchell-Garton kmitchellgarton@rmag.org LEAD EDITOR
Cheryl Fountain cwhitney@alumni.nmt.edu ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Kira Timm kira.k.timm@gmail.com Ron Parker ron@bhigeo.com Holly Sell holly.sell@yahoo.com DESIGN/LAYOUT
Nate Silva nate@nate-silva.com
DEADLINES: Ad submissions are the 1st of every month for the following month’s publication. WEDNESDAY NOON LUNCHEON RESERVATIONS
RMAG Office: 303-573-8621 | Fax: 808-389-4090 | staff@rmag.org or www.rmag.org The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
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Outcrop | August 2018 OUTCROP
Only four trips left! August 4, U 2018 T O Ammonite LDFossil Trip O S Kremmling, CO Location: August 25, 2018 Horseshoe Cirque
Location: Fairplay, CO
September 8-9, 2018 Upper Arkansas Valley Location: Salida, CO
October 27-28, 2018 Picketwire Canyonlands Dinosaur Trackways Location: La Junta, CO
Trip details, pricing and registration information can be found at
www.rmag.org.
email: staff@rmag.org
phone: 303.573.8621
OUTCROP | August 2018
910 16th Street #1214, Denver, CO, 80202
4
fax: 888.389.4090
web: www.rmag.org
Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
follow: @rmagdenver
OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
CONTENTS FEATURES
ASSOCIATION NEWS
16 Lead Story: Not All Bentonites Are Hazards
2 RMAG 2018 Summit Sponsors
32 Mineral of the Quarter: Celestine 47 Initiatives 97 & 108 50 Sedalia Copper Mine, near Salida, CO
4 On The Rocks Field Trips, 2018 7 Women in Geology: Documentary Viewing 9 RMAG September Short Course 11 2018 Sporting Clay Tournament 13 RMAG Field Trip: Permian Basin
DEPARTMENTS 6 RMAG July 2018 Board of Directors Meeting
15 Call For Papers – RMAG/ DWLS Fall Symposium 19 RMAG Core Workshop
10 President’s Letter
21 2018 Rockbusters Bash
42 RMAG Luncheon Programs: Michael Holmes
31 RMAG Seeks Lead Editor For The Outcrop
44 RMAG Luncheon Programs: Maria Slack
49 Call For Papers: The Mountain Geologist
46 In The Pipeline
COVER PHOTO Outcrop of the Sundance Formation near Red Mountain, Larimer County, Colorado. • Red mudstones - Lykins Formation • Pink, grey and yellow sandstones Sundance Formation • Smooth brush-covered slope Morrison Formation • Caprock sandstone and limestone Dakota Formation Photo by Carl F. Brink
48 Welcome New RMAG Members! 49 Outcrop Advertising Rates 53 Advertiser Index 53 Calendar
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OUTCROP | August 2018
RMAG JULY 2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING By Anna Phelps, Secretary aphelps@sm-energy.com
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core lovers. The Publications Committee is in search of an editor for the Outcrop, so if you are interested please contact Barbara. The Committee and the Board would like to thank Cheryl Fountain for her service as Outcrop editor for the past year. Thank you, Cheryl! The Mountain Geologist is soliciting papers so consider writing an article on that field work you’ve been working on this summer, or that project you recently completed. The On the Rocks Fieldtrips have been going well and have been well attended. Check out
OUTCROP | August 2018
Luncheon speakers through the rest of the year and has started booking speakers for early 2019. The Geostatistics Course was underway during the Board of Directors Meeting and the next upcoming course will be Fundamentals of Producing High-Quality Core and Core Data with Weatherford Labs and Canamera Coring on September 13. The Hot Plays Workshop at the Fall Symposium has been cancelled due to lack of space and a person to chair the workshop, but there are several other core-related workshop opportunities in the pipeline for all our RMAG
Greetings rock hounds! It’s summer time and the living is easy! I hope everyone is enjoying the long days and vitamin D. The July meeting of the RMAG Board of Directors was held on July 18, 2018 at 4:00 PM. All board members except David Katz and Barbara Kuzmic were present. Treasurer Robin Swank reported that expenses in June generally looked good. President Terri Olson reported on behalf of Executive Director Barbara Kuzmic that membership is at 1,725, slightly up from June. The Continuing Education Committee has booked
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Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
in Geology Women
Documentary Viewing “Rock Stars—Pioneering Women in Petroleum Geology” Introduction and Q&A session with Robbie Gries
Price - $20/person
Includes 1 drink ticket and light appetizers
Register online at www.rmag.org "Rock Stars" is an engaging video that examines and celebrates the century-long history of achievements, advancements for women in exploration geology.
August 21, 2018 5:30pm-8:30pm
The American Mountaineering Center
Her (Robbie Gries) most recent publication is the book: Anomalies—Pioneering Women in Petroleum Geology: 1917-2017. This culmination of four years of research beginning with the archives housed in Tulsa by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and continuing until the book was complete as well as the Documentary “Rock Stars—Pioneering Women in Petroleum Geology” were debuted at the 100th anniversary of AAPG in 2017.
email: staff@rmag.org
phone: 303.573.8621
Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
910 16th Street #1214, Denver, CO, 80202
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fax: 888.389.4090
web: www.rmag.org
OUTCROP | August 2018
follow: @rmagdenver
RMAG JULY 2018 BOD MEETING
POSITIONED FOR GROWTH With a proud legacy and an exciting future, QEP Resources is an industry leader in crude oil and natural gas exploration and production. We’re focused on some of the most prolific natural resource plays in the continental United States. These include two world-class crude oil provinces — the Permian and Williston Basins and two premier natural gas assets — the Haynesville Shale and the Uinta Basin.
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, QEP is an S&P MidCap 400 Index member company (NYSE: QEP). Learn more at www.qepres.com.
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Denise Stone’s summary of the mineral collecting trips in this month’s Outcrop. The Science Educational Outreach Committee will have a big meeting in August to formulate outreach plans for the upcoming school year. The Committee is also in search of a Materials Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator. Now for my favorite Outcrop game: Name the Formation! Last month’s outcrop was the iconic angular unconformity from Box Canyon in Ouray, Colorado. Laura Wray correctly guessed the formations as vertical Precambrian Uncompahgre quartzites with overlying sub horizontal marine sandstones and shales of the Elbert Formation. Excellent work, Laura! This month’s Name the Formation comes from the sandstone rimrocks around Billings, Montana. If you attended the AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting in 2017 in Billings, you likely saw them in all their splendor. This Late Cretaceous fine-grained marine sandstone has multiple depositional interpretations including incised valley fill, barrier island, and tidal point bar deposits. All I know for sure is you can see some pretty amazing lateral accretion surfaces in the bluffs! Name the Formation! (Photo courtesy of former Billings resident and 2017 AAPG RMS Meeting Committee Member, Preston Kerr.) If you have an inspiring outcrop photo from the Rocky Mountain Region that you’d like to see in the Name the Formation game, please email it to me with a short description. Thanks in advance! Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
0 0 : 4 0 0 : 9 | 8 1 0 2 , 3 1 . Sept Fundamentals of Producing High Quality Core and Core Data
ABSTRACT:
Members: $125 | Non-members: $150
Obtaining high quality core and core analysis is a key job function for any geologist. This course will cover the coring process ‘Soup to Nuts’ and will include the process of selecting core point, cutting core, selecting an analysis program, and the lab tools used to collect core analysis data. The course will be taught by experts in their field and will include demonstrations of core barrels/coring technology, a lab tour, and an Inflection Energy Marcellus core!
Vol.staff@rmag.org 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org email: phone: 303.573.8621
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PRESENTERS: Derrick Whiting, Weatherford Labs Howard Wood, Canamera Coring Tracy Lombardi, Inflection Energy LOCATION: Weatherford Laboratories 16161 Table Mountain Pkwy Golden, Colorado 80403 PRICE: Students: $75 First 10 Students Free! (Thanks to the RMAG Foundation!)
910 16th Street #1214, Denver, CO, 80202
Short Course
OUTCROP | August 2018 fax: 888.389.4090 web: www.rmag.org
follow: @rmagdenver
PRESIDENT’S LETTER By Terri Olson
OUTCROP | August 2018
One such opportunity is RMAG’s fledgling public outreach effort. This has taken on new urgency with the current effort to get a “minimum distance” initiative on the Colorado ballot in 2018. Passage of such a measure would increase the allowable setback from 500 to 2500 feet, and add so-called “vulnerable areas” (parks, public open space, peremmial or intermittent streams, etc.) to the current setback regulations from homes. Such new regulation would effectively prevent new oil and gas development, including fracking, in most of Weld County and other productive areas of the state. To get involved in educating the public about the facts and potential adverse consequences of this ballot issue, contact President-Elect Tom Sperr, tsperr@bayless-cos.com. Another local leadership opportunity does involve agreeing to stand for office and getting elected. The Nominating Committee of RMAG is currently working on finding candidates for the following
What constitutes good leadership? As one former president put it, “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” (Dwight D. Eisenhower) At the local level, good leadership is essential. I’m not just talking about leadership of elected officials, but in our working lives and professional societies. Opportunities abound for leaders to contribute to success in our field, whether the goals are corporate profits, scientific advances, earth science education, or an informed electorate. You don’t have to be the President of RMAG or a company manager to be a leader. Self-directed teams and volunteer-based organizations present avenues to provide direction and inspiration as well as ideas.
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Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
2018 Sporting Clay Tournament
Registration is open! www.rmag.org
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September
Kiowa Creek Sporting Club • Prizes for individual high score and team 1st, 2nd and 3rd flights. • Includes one round of 100 sporting clays, lunch, and door prizes. • Does not include ammunition (please bring enough ammo for 100 clays or you may purchase ammo at Kiowa Creek). • You may also rent a gun for $20 onsite.
5 Person Team (member): $425 5 Person Team (non-member): $500 Individual (member): $85 Individual (non-member): $100
email: phone: 303.573.8621 Vol.staff@rmag.org 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org 910 16th Street #1214, Denver, CO, 80202
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fax: 888.389.4090 www.rmag.org OUTCROP web: | August 2018 follow: @rmagdenver
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
sm-energy.com
SM ENERGY IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE
Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Look beyond the obvious to see how our products make up your world
LookBeyond.org
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positions on the Board of Directors: President-Elect, 1st VP-Elect, 2nd VPElect, Counselor, Treasurer-Elect, and Secretary. Contact me or Past President Larry Rasmussen if you’d like to find out more and have interest in standing for office. Being on the board has unquestionably enhanced my own leadership skills. Technical leadership is another arena available to many of us. Such leadership consists of knowing what technical directions and solutions are needed, communicating that vision, and helping move in that direction. Often it does not entail developing new technology, but in knowing what’s available and how and when to apply it. Exploration for and optimization of unconventional resources has greatly expanded the horizons of geoscience technology and its applications. However, appropriate application of technology to exploration and development of conventional resources also requires good technical leadership. In fact, that’s the topic of the upcoming fall symposium, “What have we learned from unconventional reservoirs that could be applied in any petroleum system?” For more info, see www. rmag.org/2018-fall-symposium. Another aspect of technical leadership involves focusing discussion in the scientific community on the right problems and demonstrating how technology can have a large positive impact. Venues for exercising technical leadership include: • Publications: writing, reviewing, and editing papers for technical journals such as The Mountain
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Dr. Rick Sarg, Research Professor Department of Geology & Geological Engineering Colorado School of Mines This field trip will introduce participants to a series of some of the finest outcrop exposures of carbonate and deepwater siliciclastic rocks in the world. Two principle themes of the trip are: (1) to observe the characteristics of a wide variety of sedimentary environments and lithofacies in the Permian section of the Permian basin, including examples of conventional and unconventional siliciclastic and carbonate reservoirs, and organic-rich mudrocks; (2) ) to observe sequence stratigraphic architecture at seismic scale; and (3) to observe reservoir flow unit architecture. Continuous outcrops in West Texas and New Mexico expose the majority of the Paleozoic rocks which are producing both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons in the Permian basin of West Texas. The field trip will begin in El Paso and will encompass four days in the field focusing on the Permian rocks of the Guadalupe Mountains, including the deepwater basin filling siliciclastics of the Brushy and Cherry Canyon formations, and the stratigraphy, lithofacies, and reservoir architecture of the San Andres and Grayburg formations. The San Andres is the most prolific conventional reservoir in the basin. The basin floor sandstones, carbonate debrites, and organic-rich siltstones comprise the facies involved in the unconventional Wolfberry play of the Delaware basin. The field trip will end with a visit to the world famous Carlsbad Caverns that contains karst features analogous to the ancient karst developed during major Paleozoic unconformities in the region. The physical demands for this trip are MODERATE. Hikes will range from roadside stops, short traverses of less than ½ mile, to 2-3 mile roundtrip hikes over the span of a day. Off-road hikes are on well-maintained Park Service or National Forest trails and encompass relief of 100-600 feet. Weather conditions will be cool to warm, and generally dry. Temperatures typically range the 70-80’s0F. Wind and rain are possible. Layering up is a good idea. The field area is at elevations of 3,000-4,500 feet. A day pack, water bottles (2), hand lens, colored pencils and eraser (we will do several outcrop exercises on photopans), hat, sunscreen, and good hiking boots are necessary.
email: staff@rmag.org phone: 303.573.8621 Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org 910 16th Street #1214, Denver, CO, 80202
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RMAG
Field Trip
Permian Permian
Basin Basin September 24-28, 2018
Register online at www.rmag.org Double Occupancy Room: $2,100/person Single Occupancy Room: $2,500/person
All Inclusive of
Roundtrip Airfare from Denver, CO to El Paso, TX 4 Night Hotel Stay • 1 Night in El Paso, TX • 3 Nights in Carlsbad, NM Transportation from El Paso to Carlsbad and back to El Paso Breakfast and lunch are included
fax: 888.389.4090 www.rmag.org OUTCROP web: | August 2018 follow: @rmagdenver
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
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Geologist and the AAPG Bulletin • Giving talks at technical forums (such as RMAG luncheons, short courses, symposia) • Participating in study groups and discussion sections of various scientific societies • Attending technical meetings to get educated on new technology and applications • Mentoring students and young professionals • Starting a technology-focused company Note that technical leadership is not a solitary endeavor. Teams are important in geoscience because rarely does one person have “the answer” or even a full perspective on “the problem.” Management support is helpful if not critical to solving technical problems using technology, not only in providing funding but also in attitude. Recognition that we don’t already know everything and openness to new ideas fosters innovation, more effective approaches, and better answers. As another former president said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” (John F. Kennedy) Thanks to Christof Stork for discussion and insights on technical leadership, and Matt Silverman for constructive comments.
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Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
RMAG DWLS Fall Symposium What have we learned from unconventional reservoirs that could be applied in any petroleum system?
The American Mountaineering Center
Email abstracts to
Ginny Gent
ginny_gent@eogresources.com
Sam Fluckinger
10 02 18
suckiger@sm-energy.com
email: sta@rmag.org
phone: 303.573.8621
Vol.16th 67, No. 8 #1214, | www.rmag.org 910 Street Denver, CO, 80202
fax: 888.389.4090 15
web: www.rmag.org
OUTCROP | August 2018 follow: @rmagdenver
LEAD STORY
Not All Bentonites Are Hazards How Depositional Processes Affect Clay Composition By Kira Timm & Dr. Steven Sonnenberg Springs, is light gray and friable. XRD analysis shows abundant mixed-layer illite/smectite, with lesser amounts of discrete illite and kaolinite. This bentonite conforms to the common definition of a bentonite and is more typical of an altered ash-fall deposit. These altered ash-fall deposits are significant drilling hazards; however, the minimal amounts of swelling clay within the reworked bentonites found at the base of the Sharon Springs implies a significantly lower drilling hazard. While the thinness of these deposits make them unresolvable on gamma ray and resistivity logs, the lithological differences may allow recognition in drill cuttings both in the Sharon Springs and other formations. Geologically, bentonites are often used as indicators of paleowind patterns; however, the reworked bentonites provide indicators for paleocurrents. Caution must also be used when making regional stratigraphic correlations since the reworking may remove significant lateral continuity.
ABSTRACT Bentonites are commonly defined as smectite-rich altered ash-fall deposits; however, the depositional processes hold implications for both drilling hazards and geological interpretations. Depending on the depositional processes, mineralogy and clay composition vary within the bentonites of the Sharon Springs Member of the Pierre Shale Formation in the Cañon City Embayment. At the base of the Sharon Springs cohesive greenish-gray bentonites associated with debrites are interpreted to form co-genetically from distal hybrid sediment gravity flows. Thin-section analysis of this bentonite shows fining-upward and reworking of particles, which indicate deposition under turbulent conditions. The presence of primary volcanic minerals, including remnant volcanic glass, biotite and feldspar, indicate that these beds originated from volcanic-ash. However, XRD analysis shows the clay content is primarily kaolinite with only minor amounts of smectite. A second bentonite type, located at the top of the Sharon
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Kira Timm is a PhD candidate at the Colorado School of Mines, researching the petroleum geology of the Pierre Shale and Niobrara Formations in the historic Cañon City Embayment. Her research focuses on subsurface, seismic, core, geochemistry and petrographic investigations associated with the petroleum systems. OUTCROP | August 2018
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Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
Volcanic tuff (bentonite) (ash-fall tuff) (Split Fish Layer, Fossil Butte Member, Green River Formation, Lower Eocene; Promised Lands Quarry, Hams Fork Plateau, southwestern Wyoming, USA) Photo: James St. John, via Flickr
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LEAD STORY hydrocarbons are present within the overlying Pierre Shale Formation. Despite these coping methods, understanding the variation in swelling potential within a formation can better prepare drilling plans. It is likely that the bentonite variation observed in the Sharon Springs Member is present in other formations. Deposition of the Sharon Springs Member of the Pierre Shale occurred within the Western Interior Cretaceous (WIC) Seaway during the Middle Campanian, from 77 to 80 Ma based on ammonite biostratigraphy (Gautier et al., 1984). During this time, extensive volcanism on the western margin of the WIC led to numerous volcanic-ash deposits (Bertog et al., 2007). This volcanism resulted from subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate. In a study of the Niobrara Formation in the Cemex Quarry, Lyons, CO, O’Neal (2015) observed discontinuous bentonite beds within a small area as well as re-working of bentonites incorporating them into the overlying marls. The reworking was attributed to winnowing by seafloor currents and bioturbation. Hattin (1982) identified more than 100 bentonite seams in the Smoky Hill member of the Niobrara Formation. XRD analysis of 35 samples showed 23 bentonites with a dominant clay type of kaolinite. In a study of the Sharon Springs and Niobrara boundary on the Colorado Front Range, LeRoy and Schieltz (1958) observed differences in clay composition within the bentonites from the Sharon Springs into the Niobrara, with stratigraphically higher bentonites containing more montmorillonite while increasing in kaolinite in the Niobrara. However, differences are present even within the Sharon Springs. Physical differences in the lithological appearance of the bentonites within the Bull 42-4 core suggest mineralogical differences. In this study, these lithological differences are examined using petrography and geochemistry in order to determine the extent and causes of the differences and their possible effect on drilling.
»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 INTRODUCTION Bentonites are defined as smectite-rich deposits formed from the alteration of volcanic-ash (Christidis, 2008; Christidis and Huff, 2009; Elder, 1988). Alteration of volcanic-ash occurs due to the mobilization of elements to and from the altered glass, which can include the movement of major elements and trace elements including rare earth elements (Christidis, 1998). In order for smectite to form during volcanic-ash alteration, leaching of Mg-activity and alkalis is required, which only occurs in water dominated environments (Christidis, 1998, 2008). Where water is lacking, zeolites form (Christidis, 1998, 2008). Chemical composition of the resulting bentonite is largely influenced by the volcanic source, though depositional environment and diagenesis impact chemical properties as well (Bertog et al., 2007). Each volcanic eruption contains a unique chemical and mineralogical signature that reflects the magmatic history, including partial melting, mixing, and crystal fractionation (Bertog et al., 2007). This signature is retained in phenocrysts within the bentonites (Bertog et al., 2007). Geologically, bentonites are largely used for regional stratigraphic correlations since they often cross depositional settings and are deposited at a relatively instantaneous rate (Bertog et al., 2007). However, within the oil and gas industry, bentonites are both a drilling hazard and a hydraulic fracking barrier (Sonnenfeld et al., 2016). The Sharon Springs Member of the Pierre Shale is commonly considered a drilling hazard within the Denver Basin due to its high swelling potential. While the shale itself does have swelling potential, within this formation are numerous thinly bedded bentonites, which are a greater concern. In the Wattenberg Field, drilling companies use a variety of methods to mitigate the swelling in this formation including drilling with oil based mud, which will not activate swelling within the smectite, drilling through the formation at an angle less than 30 degrees to lessen exposure, and sometimes setting casing after drilling through it to prevent wellbore collapse. In the Cañon City Embayment, drillers primarily use air drilling to prevent swelling and reduce formation damage since
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METHODOLOGY
Lithological characterization of the Bull 42-4 core (API: 0504306158 located at the USGS core
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Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
November 5-6, 2018
USGS - Denver Federal Center Register online at www.rmag.org Price: Member - $350 Non-member - $400 Student/Unemployed - $175
p o sh
k r o W
e cription onate r o C Carb Des G
A M R
ore C f o
c & on i t s icla erizati c i t l r i A n S aract i e h g T nin oir Ch i a r n T eserv o s rR nd o a f H n Day criptio 2 A es D e Cor
Junaid Sadeque & Ali Jaffri This is a 2-Day course in which participants will learn the technical specifics of core-description evenly distributed between siliciclastic and carbonate environments. The primary objective of this hands-on core workshop will be to help participants learn how to identify facies and depositional environments from core-interpretation, and predict reservoir geometry and connectivity. The training will be accomplished through a combination of class-room lectures and hands-on core description sessions. Participants will learn the best practices/workflows for tying core-derived stratigraphic data with porosity-permeability, fluid properties, XRD and other relevant data for comprehensive reservoir characterization.
email: staff@rmag.org
phone: 303.573.8621
Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
910 16th Street #1214, Denver, CO, 80202
19EMAG v e n t Workshop Core
fax: 888.389.4090
web: www.rmag.org
OUTCROP | August 2018
follow: @rmagdenver
LEAD STORY
FIGURE 1: A) Map of the Cañon City Embayment identifying the location of Pierre, Niobrara and Greenhorn outcrops with a
star marking the location of the Bull 42-4 core. B) Facies analysis of Bull 42-4 core located in the Florence Field, Cañon City Embayment with gamma ray API curve for reference.
research center in Lakewood, Colorado), which contains a complete section of the Sharon Springs Member in the Canon City Embayment, led to the observed differences within the thin bentonite beds present (Figure 1). Petrographic analysis was performed on one of the bentonites using an ultra-thin (20-25μm) thin-section oriented perpendicular to bedding. Analysis was completed on a Leica DM 2500 P epifluorescent microscope. This microscope allows for combined ocular and objective lens magnifications of up to 400x. A field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) was used to analyze paragenesis in both bentonite samples. The FESEM used in this study was a TESCAN MIRA3 LMH Schottky Field-Emission SEM at the Colorado School of Mines, which includes back scanning electron microscopy (BSE) and electron dispersive spectroscopy
OUTCROP | August 2018
(EDS). To ensure high-quality imaging, close working distances of 10 mm and 15 kV beam intensities were used. Seven relatively flat, broken shale surfaces, broken perpendicular to fabric, were gold-coated to insure highest resolution imaging. Magnifications up to 500nm are possible for this machine, though picture quality is best at up to 2μm magnifications. To determine how the petrographically observed differences affected the nature of the clays in the bentonites, bulk XRD analysis and clay characterization were performed. This work was done on a Scintag x-ray diffraction system. For bulk XRD analysis, samples were powdered and prepared using a side loaded mount to insure optimum random orientation of particles (Moore and Reynolds, 1997). Testing occurred from 4 to 65o at a sample rate of 1 degree per minute. Relative intensity ratios were analyzed
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Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
Rockbusters Bash 2018 Professional Awards Celebration
Join the RMAG for an evening of heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, a live auction, and most importantly, honoring professional award winners.
Ticket Price
$45/Person
11 08 18 4:30pm - 7:30pm | The Maven Hotel at the Dairy Block Details and registration can be found online at www.rmag.org. email: sta@rmag.org phone: 303.573.8621 Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
910 16th Street #1214, Denver, CO, 80202
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fax: 888.389.4090 web: www.rmag.org OUTCROP | August 2018
follow: @rmagdenver
LEAD STORY
FIGURE 2: Core examples of the two bentonite types. A) Facies 2, cohesive bentonite formed as a sediment gravity flow deposit.
B) Facies 6, friable bentonite formed as an ash fall deposit
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VARIATIONS IN DEPOSITION AND COMPOSITION
with the software Jade for quantitative analysis of the bulk samples. For clay characterization, samples were prepared using the milipore transfer method and tested after air drying and then re-tested after 48 hours in a glycolation chamber. For clay characterization, samples were tested from 2 to 30o at a sample rate of 1 degree per minute. Clay characterization was performed using the methods recommended by Moore and Reynolds (1997). Mixed clay modelling was done with the program NEWMOD© (Reynolds, 1985). OUTCROP | August 2018
Lithological analysis of the Bull 42-4 core resulted in the identification of seven facies, two of which distinguished different types of bentonites. Facies 2 identifies a cohesive bentonite which is paired with debrite deposits (Facies 1). The distribution of these paired facies (Figure 1) is at the base of the Sharon Springs, where high energy deposits are present. The cohesive bentonite facies is light greenish-gray, less than
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Summer PTTC Workshops Spotfire Workshop
Thursday, August 2, 2018, Location: Colorado School of Mines, Berthoud Hall rm. 201 Fee: $250, includes snacks, class notes, and PDH certificate Instructor: Bryan McDowell, Colorado School of Mines, Geology Dept.
This hands-on course will introduce TIBCO Spotfire features relevant for oil and gas professionals. Participants will learn the fundamentals of importing data, creating visualizations, calculating custom properties, and exporting results by building a simple production database and interactive bubble map of the Niobrara Formation in the DJ Basin. By the end of the course, participants will be able to create: (1) Rate-Time and Cum-Time bar, scatter, and line charts; (2) summary tables by well, operator, township, and county; (3) IP and Cum Volume bubble maps with GOR indicators; and (5) rules-of-thumb for exporting quick, readable visualizations for Microsoft PowerPoint.
Volumes and Risks Assessment for Conventional and Unconventional Plays and Prospects
Tuesday-Thursday, August 7-9, 2018, Location: Colorado School of Mines, Berthoud Hall rm. 403 Fee: $750, includes snacks, class notes, and PDH certificate Instructor: Dr. Alexei Milkov, Colorado School of Mines, Geology Dept.
The course enables participants to transform qualitative geological descriptions of plays and prospects into quantitative success-case and risked volumetric models. Obtained learnings will help participants to evaluate the geological probability of success (PoS) for exploration plays, segments, prospects, wells and portfolios and to assess the range of prospective petroleum resources in exploration projects. Examples and case studies come from both conventional and unconventional plays and prospects around the world. The learning objectives are achieved through well-illustrated lectures, numerous hands-on exercises and active class discussions. By the end of the course participants will be able to 1) Use Play Based Exploration approach, tools and products (Common Risk Segment mapping, Field Size Distributions, Creaming Curves, Yet-to-Find etc.) to locate sweet spots in and define remaining potential of conventional and unconventional plays, 2) Assess and justify ranges and probabilistic distributions for input parameters used in volumetric calculations, 3) Assess geological risks and probability of success (PoS) for conventional and unconventional exploration prospects, 4) Use industry software (GeoX) to run MonteCarlo simulations and estimate success-case and risked probabilistic volumes for exploration plays, segments, prospects and wells, 5) Recognize biases and logical fallacies common in exploration assessments and know how to correct them, 6) Aggregate segments into a prospect, use dependencies between segments to calculate PoS and volumes for prospects and wells, 7) Aggregate prospects and wells into exploration portfolio. Predict the outcomes of portfolio drill-out, 8) Evaluate drilling results, establish main reason(s) for well failure, use learnings from successes and failures in future projects.
Class Descriptions and Register Online: www.pttcrockies.org For more information, contact Mary Carr, 303.273.3107, mcarr@mines.edu
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FIGURE 3: Cross-section from A to A’
flattened on the top of the Sharon Springs formation top. Gamma and ILD signatures for Sharon Springs show no distinguishable signs of bentonites.
one-inch-thick, and shows an apparent fining upward sedimentological structure (Figure 2A). The base of the deposit is a scoured surface with possible winnowing at the top. The second bentonite, Facies 6, is located at the top of the core. This facies is light gray, typically thicker (2-3 inches thick), and is very friable (Figure 2B). No obvious structures are present in this bentonite facies and does not pair with other facies, however nearby facies show low energy deposition. Bentonites are often distinguishable using gamma and resistivity logs. For instance, the Ardmore
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Bentonite marks the base of the Sharon Springs in Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota, though it is absent within the Cañon City Embayment. This bentonite typically shows a gamma spike paired with very low resistivity/high conductivity. These trends, however are not apparent with either of the bentonites present in the Sharon Springs (Figure 1 and Figure 3). The inability to petrophysically distinguish the bentonites is because they occur below welllog resolution. As such, lateral subsurface correlation is not possible, however these facies should be readily
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FIGURE 4: Spectral bulk XRD analysis of whole rock with the clay fraction consisting of kaolinite (38.7%), and biotite (12.2%),
with pyrite (22%), quartz (13.8%), anorthite (8.9%) and minor anhydrite (4.4%). kaolinite, however, may have formed from alteration of remnant volcanic glass due to leaching from humic and fulvic acids during organic matter maturation in the adjacent organic-rich shale, similar to the formation of tonsteins (Bohor and Triplehorn, 1993). Conversely, kaolinite may have formed from a secondary alteration of smectite. So the low smectite concentrations could also result from reworking of the bentonite during transportation. Thin-section images of the cohesive bentonite show distinct fining upward. Upper fine-grained silt sized quartz and feldspar grains wrapped in biotite are present at the base of the bed (Figure 6A) whereas very fine silt sized quartz and feldspars occur in a matrix of kaolinite is present at the top of the bed
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identifiable from cuttings during well drilling.
COHESIVE BENTONITE
Compositionally, the cohesive bentonite is very different from the common definition of a bentonite. Bulk XRD analysis shows that the clay fraction consists of kaolinite (38.7%), and biotite (12.2%), with additional minerals of pyrite (22%), quartz (13.8%), anorthite (8.9%) and minor anhydrite (4.4%) (Figure 4). Clay characterization of the glycolated sample (Figure 5) shows very little smectite present as there are no significant peaks below six degrees. However, 001 and 002 peaks are present for both biotite and kaolite. While biotite is an aluminosilicate and therefore part of the clay fraction, it is a primary volcanic mineral. The Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
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FIGURE 5: Glycolated clay analysis showing primarily kaolinite and biotite with only a small amount of smectitic clays.
FIGURE 6: Bentonite sediment gravity flow deposit. Image A is located at the top of the bentonite and shows very fine grained
texture. Image B is at the bottom of the bentonite and shows larger grains wrapped by biotite. Image A & B in XPL
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FIGURE 7: Facies 2 bentonite A. Possible diagenetically altered organo-mineralic aggregate with a pyrite framboid; B. Large platy
clay with euhedral pyrite of a different habit.
(Figure 6B). Feldspars, like biotite, are primary volcanic minerals, though some feldspars display alteration rims (Figure 6A). The proximity of the cohesive bentonite to the debris flow deposits combined with the fining upward character of the bentonite are strong evidence of bentonite deposition under turbid conditions. These paired deposits are likely co-genetic and form from distal hybrid sediment gravity flows from a plain sheet system (Haughton et al., 2009). FESEM analysis shows the presence of both framboidal pyrite and subhedral pyrite within the bentonite (Figure 7A & B, gold indicates pyrite). The subhedral pyrite (Figure 7B) is wrapped in clay and biotite with a habit different from the classical cubic pyrite. The changes in the habit are most likely due to impurities within the mineral lattice. A number of elements form a solid-solution with pyrite, including Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and possibly Mo (Tribovillard et al., 2006). In addition to Fe and S, BSE analysis of the subhedral pyrite indicate only minor amounts of Al, Si and O, which is more indicative of clay interference in the testing, so it is unclear which elements may have affected the pyrite habit. Also present are possible diagenetically altered organo-mineralic aggregates (Figure 7A, green identifies altered organo-mineralic aggregate). One of these Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
aggregates is tellingly located next to a pyrite framboid, which often form from the reaction of iron to H2S produced by bacterial sulfate reduction of organic matter during diagenesis (Berner, 1984). Organo-mineralic aggregates are common within the associated debrites and therefore may have been incorporated within the bentonite deposit during a co-genetic sediment gravity flow.
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ASH-FALL BENTONITE
Clay characterization of the friable ash-fall bentonite shows a superstructure very close to K-rectorite (Figure 8) (Moore and Reynolds, 1997). Using Δ2Θ and 1D clay modelling, the mixed clay found in this bentonite shows a Reichwite ordering of 1, indicating a well ordered mixed clay, with 60% illite to 40% smectite. Also present within the clay fraction are discrete species of illite and kaolinite. Additional impurities in the clay analysis are quartz, remnant from the volcanic glass, and pyrite. This mineral assemblage combined with its lightly lithified, friable nature better fits the definition of a bentonite altered from an ash-fall. To better understand the paragenesis associated with the formation of the bentonite, petrography was needed. FESEM analysis shows kaolinite books in a mixed
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LEAD STORY confined to the Sharon Springs member of the Pierre Shale, bentonite streaks present within the Niobrara Formation and other WIC deposits may have undergone similar alteration by depositional processes.
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illite/smectite matrix (Figure 9A, blue identifies kaolinite). Due to the separation from the matrix, the kaolinite present in these bentonites likely formed after the formation of montmorillonite. Chemically this occurs from the removal of Mg from the octahedral layer, Ca from exchange sites and some Fe from the original montmorillonite structure (Morgan et al., 1979). Also present is euhedral pyrite (Figure 9A & B, gold identifies pyrite). This pyrite again varies from the cubic pyrite habit most likely from impurities within the mineral lattice. Mineralized on top of the pyrite are fine crystals. BSE analysis shows that these minerals are composed of Al, Na, and Si. Chemical composition and mineral habit indicate that these minerals are zeolites. In bentonite diagenesis, smectite forms in the presence of a high water:rock ratio while zeolites form under low water:rock conditions (Christidis, 1998). The formation of these zeolites on top of the pyrite minerals suggests formation post compaction when the water:rock ratio would be significantly reduced.
REFERENCES
Berner, R. A., 1984, Sedimentary pyrite formation: An update: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 48, p. 605-615. Bertog, J., Huff, W., and Martin, J. E., 2007, Geochemical and mineralogical recognition of the bentonites in the lower Pierre Shale Group and their use in regional stratigraphic correlation: The Geological Society of America, v. Special Paper 427, p. 23-50. Bohor, B. F., and Triplehorn, D. M., 1993, Tonsteins: altered volcanic-ash layers in coal-bearing sequences: Geological Society of America, Boulder, Colorado, no. Special Paper 285, p. 44. Christidis, G. E., 1998, Comparative study of the mobility of major and trace elements during alteration of an andesite and rhyolite to bentonite, in the islands of Milos and Kimolos, Aegean, Greece: Clays and Clay Minerals, v. 46, no. 4, p. 379-399. Christidis, 2008, Do bentonites have contradictory characteristics? An attempt to answer unanswered questions: Clay Minerals, v. 43, p. 515-529. Christidis, G. E., and Huff, W. D., 2009, Geological aspects and genesis of bentonites: Elements, v. 5, p. 93-98. Elder, W. P., 1988, Geometry of Upper Cretaceous bentonite beds: Implications about volcanic source areas and paleowind patterns, western interior, United States: Geology, v. 16, p. 835-838. Gautier, D. L., Clayton, J. L., Leventhal, J. S., and Reddin, N. J., 1984, Origin and source-rock potential of the Sharon Springs Member off the Pierre Shale, Colorado and Kansas: Hydrocarbon Source Rocks of the Greater Rocky Mountain Region, p. 369-385. Hattin, D. E., 1982, Stratigraphy and depositional environment of Smoky Hill Chalk Member, Niobrara Chalk (Upper Cretaceous) of the type area, western Kansas, Kansas Geological Survey. Haughton, P., Davis, C., McCaffrey, W., and Barker,
CONCLUSIONS
Mineralogical evidence indicates that both the friable ash-fall bentonite and the cohesive bentonite originated from volcanic-ash deposits. However, depositional processes impact clay composition and texture of each bentonite type. In the Sharon Springs of the Bull 42-4 core, low smectite bentonites appear as highly lithified rocks with a distinct fining upward structure. The low levels of smectite significantly reduce drilling risk at the base of the Sharon Springs. The reworking of these bentonites may provide indications of paleocurrent directions, as opposed to the paleowind directions inferred from altered insitu ash-fall deposits. Additionally, caution should be used with regional stratigraphic analysis since redeposition may have removed lateral continuity. The more conventional altered ash-fall deposits at the top of the core impose high drilling risks and will act as significant hydraulic fracturing barriers. These differences, unfortunately, are not apparent on logs, making subsurface mapping of deposits impossible. While lack of subsurface mapping ability will impair drill plans, the lithological differences should be apparent in drill cuttings, allowing for reactive planning. And while this study was
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FIGURE 8: Clay analysis showing a Reichwite ordering of 1 with 60% illite to smectite and a delta 2 theta of 7.06.
Kaolinite and discrete illite also comprise the clay fraction.
FIGURE 9: Facies 6 bentonite. A. Small euhedral pyrite with apparent spinel structure and kaolinite books; B.
Pyrite with an unusual habit showing secondary crystallization of zeolites on top.
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S., 2009, Hybrid sediment gravity flow deposits Classification, origin and significance: Marine and Petroleum Geology, v. 26, p. 1900-1918. LeRoy, L. W., and Schieltz, N. C., 1958, Niobrara-Pierre Boundary Along Front Range, Colorado: ® fromof Petroleum Bulletin of thePetroFecta American Association Geologists, v. 42,Fluid no. 10,Inclusion p. 2444-2464. Moore, D. M., and Reynolds, R. C. J., 1997, X-Ray DifTechnologies fraction and the Identification and Analysis of Clay a unique approach combining Press. Minerals, NewisYork, Oxford University ® Trapped Analysis (PDQ-XRFD. ),E., Morgan, D. J.,XRF Highley, andFluid Bland, D. J., 1979, A ® ), and High Resolution Photography (FIS montmorillonite, kaolinite association in the Lower ® ) of theEngland: entire wellbore from Cretaceous (RockEye of south-east Developments in well cuttings or core samples of any age. Sedimentology, v. 27, p. 301-310. O’Neal, D., 2015, Chemostratigraphic and depositionAll analyses are conducted on the same al characterization of the Niobrara Formation, Ce1 gram sample (up to 575 samples per well) mex Quarry, Lyons, CO [Master of Science: Colorado with an analytical cycle of four days. School of Mines, 118 p. Reynolds, R. C., Jr., 1985, NEWMOD: Brook Rd., HaData provided on a DVD with nover, NH, R.C. Reynolds, p. a computer program previewerJr., software. for the calculation of one-dimensional diffraction patters of mixed-layered clays. Sonnenfeld, M., Katz, D., Odegard, M., Ohlson, C., and Zahm, C., 2016, Niobrara core poster highlighting bentonite distribution and their impacts on propInformation about PetroFecta ® pant placement, AAPG 2015 Annual Convention and and other FIT services, Exhibition: Denver,call Colorado, AAPG, p. 4. 918.461.8984 or visit www.fittulsa.com Tribovillard, N., Algeo, T. J., Lyons, T., and Riboulleau, A., 2006, Trace metals as paleoredox and paleoproductivity proxies: An update: Chemical Geology, v. 232, p. 12-32.
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neil3@q.com 80433-9610
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RMAG Seeks Lead Editor For The Outcrop The lead editor of The Outcrop is responsible for all aspects of article content including cover photo and description solicitation, lead article topic generation and solicitation, editorial review, and accepting and rejecting material. Material review includes monthly President’s Letter, Board of Director’s Meeting Review, Lead article, Mineral of the Month, Pipeline, as well as intermittent articles such as awards and electoral candidate biographies. The lead editor generates and/ or solicits the Lead article authors’ biographies, and additional content readers would find interesting and informative. Lead editor is responsible for delegation of duties to the associate editors, including article solicitation. With the approval of the Board, Lead Editors may appoint, replace and reappoint associate editors from among the RMAG membership as needed. The Lead Editor works with contracted specialists to prepare files, layout content, copy edit, and approve final issues for distribution.
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MINERAL OF THE QUARTER By Jamison Brizendine Takeoff Technician, Independence Excavating, Inc., Independence, Ohio.
CELESTINE A mineral named for the heavens
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Celestine, Sakoany Deposit, Katsepy, Boeny Region, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar, 6.2 x 5 x 10 cm, Photo by Jamison Brizendine (Personal specimen #754).
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MINERAL OF THE QUARTER: CELESTINE
Celestine (SrSO3) is a common, but economically important mineral of strontium. Celestine (often called by its synonym, celestite) is found in vugs and pockets in sedimentary (limestone and dolostone) deposits. Celestine specimens are typically gray in color, but can also be blue, brown, green, and yellow. It is a fairly soft mineral, ranking a 3 to a 3.5 on Moh’s Scale of Hardness and exhibits a bright vitreous and/or pearly luster. Associated minerals that are found with celestine include fluorite, barite, sphalerite, calcite, and strontianite (Wolfe, 2014). In the 1790s, German mineralogist Martin H. Klaproth (1797) discovered unusual veinlets of an unknown fibrous mineral in Bell’s Mill, Blair County, Pennsylvania. Klaproth, realizing that the mineral was strontium rich, named his find schwelfelsaurer strontianite aus Pennsylvania. A year later the mineral was renamed by another German geologist, Abraham Gottlieb Werner. Werner called the mineral zoelestin, derived from the Greek word cœlestis, which means “celestial”, a nod to its ethereal blue color (1798). Celestine belongs to the orthorhombic crystal system
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a series with baryte, with the general formula AXO4 (A = Ba, Pb or Sr, and X = Cr or S). In some cases, there are even calcian (Ca) or barian (Ba) varieties of celestine, though they are rare. Although the two minerals look alike, the mineral baryte has a much higher specific gravity: 4.5 versus celestine’s 3.96. Industrial uses for strontium derived from celestine include ferric ceramic magnets, glass for cathode ray tubes in televisions (now being replaced by liquid crystal display), additives to drilling fluids for oil-and-gas wells, and atomic clocks (Wolfe, 2014). Also, when a celestine crystal is put on an open flame it
(Editors note: Jamison Brizendine is a guest contributor to the Mineral of the Month column. He is an avid mineral collector and a prolific contributor to mineralogy websites and databases. Many of his photos have been featured in previous Mineral of the Month articles).
showing dipyramidal crystals; mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) (Fisher, 1977). It can be found as tabular crystals, but can also be found as nodules, granular masses, fibrous masses (like those from Bell’s Mill) and geodes. It is relatively common to see crystals with an elongated a axis and flattened along the {001} plane. Prismatic and pyramidal crystals have also been documented with development along the {210}, {001}, {101} and the {122} planes. Twinning in celestine is rare. Celestine has three planes of cleavage: Perfect {010}, good {010} and poor on {010} and it is bi-axially positive under thin section (Cook, 1996). Celestine forms
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exhibits a bright red color due to its strontium content. This can also be seen on the Fourth of July in exploding fireworks! Celestine is not a rare mineral by any stretch of the imagination. In the United States, celestine has been documented from 38 out of the 50 states (Mindat.org). A large portion of the celestine specimens found in the United States come from the Findlay Arch District, encompassing Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Ontario, Canada. Ohio, especially, has several localities that are known for its celestine specimens. Noted localities include the White Rock Quarry (Clay Center), Graymont Dolime Quarry (Genoa), Shelly Materials Inc. Quarries (Lime City and Portage), Hanson Aggregates Inc. Quarries (Waterville and Sylvania), Carmuese Lime & Stone Quarry (Millersville), Martin Marietta Aggregates Quarry (Woodville) and the Custar Stone Co. Pugh Quarry (Carlson, 2015). Although many of these Ohio locations are now flooded or closed to collectors, specimens can still be found at shows. The world’s largest crystals of celestine were found in Ohio; off Put-inCelestine displaying classic 2/m2/m2/m orthorhombic symmetry, Holloway Bay, South Bass Island and Green Island Quarry, Newport, Monroe Co., Michigan, 6 x 8 x 6.3 cm, John Medici Specimen, Photo by Jamison Brizendine. (Strontian Island), north of Sandusky off Lake Erie. Heineman’s Winery in Put-inBay boasts the world’s largest cave of ceof marcasite, parallel to the broad c {001] face (Huizing lestine crystals. Some of the crystals were measured to and Russell, 1986). The Indiana specimens are becombe nearly 45.7 centimeters long and have an estimated ing difficult to find as both these quarries are partially weight of several hundred pounds (Wolfe, 2014, Carlflooded, but affordable Michigan specimens are relason, 2015). tively plentiful at rock shows. Other Findlay Arch localities should not be left Celestine has been found in two other notable out! These include the Newport Quarry, the Maybee Pennsylvania quarries, besides the type locality at Quarry and the Holloway Quarry all in Monroe County, Bell’s Mill: Meckley’s Quarry, in the Silurian TonoloMichigan. Tabular, blue crystals up to 10 cm have been way Formation, Mandata, Northumberland County and found in all three quarries. In Indiana, unique bi-colthe old Faylor-Middle Creek Quarry, Winfield, Union ored blue and gold celestine specimens were found in County. New York’s Chittenango Falls in Madison Coungeodes and vugs at the old Lehigh Portland Cement Co. ty also produced outstanding celestine crystals in vugs Quarry, Lawrence County and the Hanson Aggregates with golden calcite. In the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar Quarry (frm. Hoosier Stone & Concrete Corp. Quarry), Washington County. The unique gold color of these InDistrict, Hardin County, Illinois, celestine was a rather diana celestines are caused by small, filiform crystals CONTINUED ON PAGE 36
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MINERAL OF THE QUARTER: CELESTINE
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rare mineral until 1985. At the Annabel Lee Mine in the Harris Creek District, several celestine crystals were found with dark purple fluorite in the Sub-Rosiclare Level and in 1987, another pocket of celestine crystals, again in the Sub-Rosiclare Level, appeared with bright white baryte. A much smaller find of celestine at the Annabel Lee Mine was found between 1989-1991 in the deeper Cadiz (St. Louis) Level. The Annabel Lee Mine in 1995 was one of the last fluorspar mines to close in the United States (Lillie, 1988). Two unique United States localities for celestine that are worth mentioning are Squaw Creek, Wymore, Nebraska and the Garden of the Gods in El Paso Co., Colorado. The Nebraska celestines, a state not normally recognized for mineral specimens, are found in vugs and geodes as very blue small needles and make excellent micromounts. Only one significant specimen of celestine was found in Colorado and its currently part of the Roebling Collection at the Smithsonian Institution. Mindat.org currently lists that celestine has been found in 69 countries and even exotic locales such as Antarctica (Grew et al., 2007) and the Moon (Mokhov et al., 2007)! Notable international locales include Canada (Dundas Quarry, Ontario), Italy (Caltanissetta and Agrigento, Sicily with sulphur), Mexico (El Tule Mine, Coahuila State), the Netherlands (Ratum Quarry, Gelderland), Poland (Machow Mine, Tarnobrzeg), Tunisia (Hammam-Zriba Mine, Zaghouan Governorate) and Turkmenistan (Beineu-Kyr, Ahal Province). The Turkmenistan locality is one of the few places in the world where the celestine crystals exhibit a deep red color owing to microscopic inclusions of hematite (Mindat.org).
Celestine elongated along the c-crystallographic axis, Ottawa Silica Co. Quarry, Rockwood, Wayne Co., Michigan, 5 x 1.5 x 7 cm. Photo by Jamison Brizendine (Personal specimen #795).
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MINERAL OF THE QUARTER: CELESTINE
Unusual elongated celestine habit from White Rock Quarry, Clay Center, Ottawa Co., Ohio, 28 x 3 x .8 cm, John Medici Specimen. Photo by Jamison Brizendine.
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The premier locality for celestine specimens are the vast deposits found in Sakoany, Boeny Region, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar. This deposit has produced thousands of celestine specimens found in geodes with both prismatic and thick, tabular crystals in geodes as large as 30 cm in diameter! The celestine in these geodes range from a light gray to a brilliant blue color. This locale is so prolific that it shouldn’t take long for a mineral collector to find an attractive specimen using “the silver pick” at local rock and gem shows (Wilson, 2010).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Mark Heintzelman and Jolyon Ralph/Mindat.org (Rock Currier), for permission to use their photographs. I would also like to thank Michelle Gillilan (Independence Excavating) and Janet Clifford (Mineralogical Society of Cleveland/Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History) for editing and proofreading this article.
Celestine displaying sky-blue bladed crystals from the Holloway Quarry, Newport, Monroe Co., Michigan, 5 x 7.5 x 7 cm, John Medici Specimen. Photo by Jamison Brizendine.
WEBLINKS
• www.heinemanswinery.com/crystalcave.asp • www.mindat.org/min-927.html
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MINERAL OF THE QUARTER: CELESTINE Klaproth, Martin, H., 1797, Schwefelsaurer Strontianit aus Pennsylvania: Beitrage zur Chemischen Kenniniss der Mineralkorper, v. 2: p. 92-98 Lillie, Ross, 1988, Minerals of the Harris Creek Fluorspar District, Hardin County, Illinois: Rocks & Minerals, v. 63(3): p. 218. Mokhov, A. V., Bogatikov, O. A., Kartashov, P. M., Gorshkov, A. I., Koporulina, E. V., Magazina, L. O., & Ashikhmina, N. A., 2006, Rhenium oxide, potassium perrhenate, iron and aluminum hydroxychlorides, barite, and celestine in lunar regolith: Doklady Earth Sciences, MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica, v. 407(2): p. 460-464. Werner, Abraham G., 1798, Cœlestin in Emmerling, L.A, 1798, Lehrbuch der Mineralogie. Wilson, Wendell E., 2010, The Sakoany celestine deposit.: The Mineralogical Record, v. 41(1), p. 405-416. Wolfe, Mark E., 2014, Celestine in Ohio: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Geofacts: v. 28: p. 1-2.
»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38 REFERENCES Carlson, Ernest H., 2015, Minerals of Ohio: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Bulletin 69, Second Edition: p. 86-89, p. 163-168. Cook, Robert B., 2010, Connoisseur’s Choice: Celestine, Maybee Quarry, Monroe County, Michigan: Rocks & Minerals, v. 71(2), p. 112-115. Fisher, Henry, 1977, Ohio celestine: Rocks & Minerals: v. 52(8), p. 411-414. Grew, Edward S., Armbruster, Thomas, Medenbach, Olaf, Yates, Martin, and Carson, Christopher J., 2007, Chopinite, [(Mg,Fe)3(PO4)2], a new mineral isostructural with sarcopside, from a fluorapatite segregation in granulite-facies paragneiss, Larsemann Hills, Prydz Bay, East Antarctica: European Journal of Mineralogy, v. 19 (2), p. 229-245. Huizing, T. and Russell, R., 1986, Indiana Minerals: A locality index: Rocks & Minerals, v. 61(3), p. 147-150.
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Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
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OUTCROP | August 2018
RMAG LUNCHEON PROGRAMS Speaker: Michael Holmes | August 1, 2018
Methodology to Make Quantitative Estimates of Variable Reservoir Wetting Properties in Unconventional Reservoirs Using Triple-Combo Well Log Data By Michael Holmes
OUTCROP | August 2018
exponent (n). For the interpretation presented here, values of the changing slope can be calculated to define, point-by-point, the changing value of “n” (“m” is kept constant), to be used in calculations of water saturation. Profiles of “n” are constructed to show changes in wetting characteristics. Examples from a number of unconventional oil-bearing reservoirs are presented. Some are unequivocally oil-wet in the effective organic porosity fraction (Bakken and Wolfcamp), and others are interpreted to be of mixed wetting (Niobrara and Eagleford). The results show that mixed reservoir wetting characteristics can be estimated from readily available petrophysical data. Implications as to fluid flow behavior are significant.
In many unconventional oil-bearing reservoirs it is generally recognized that the system has mixed reservoir wetting properties. Part of the porosity system is water-wet and part is oil-wet. Unless specialized analytic techniques have been applied to rock samples, it has not been possible to define wetting characteristics. Additionally, there are no readily-available methods to address the issue of fluid flow in mixed wetting environments. In a previous publication (Holmes 2017), the authors described a technique to quantify effective organic porosity in the shale fraction as compared with the effective inorganic porosity in the clean fraction using triple-combo well logs. Porosity/resistivity cross plots were also presented to demonstrate the effective inorganic porosity is water-wet and the effective organic porosity is frequently oil-wet. This publication expands on the 2017 findings to include examples where the effective organic porosity is interpreted to have mixed wetting characteristics. The degree of wetting can be quantified. For unconventional oil reservoirs, careful examination of the porosity/resistivity cross plots for the effective organic porosity indicates that the data for water saturations less than 100% often align on non-linear trends. In standard petrophysical analysis, linear alignment is interpreted to honor the Buckles relationship (porosity x irreducible water saturation = constant) and the slope of the data is a direct measure of the difference between the Archie cementation exponent (m) and the Archie saturation
Michael Holmes has been involved in oil and gas exploration activities for 47 years. He started his career with British Petroleum working in England, Libya, East Africa, and the North Sea. He then joined Shell Canada, working the west coast offshore Canadian Basin. Subsequently he was with Marathon Oil Company, research division, and Berry Wiggins, UK. For the past 30 years he has been in all aspects of exploration and exploitation activities worldwide, with particular emphasis in petrophysics. In 1994 heformed Digital Formation, Inc., a consulting and software development company, with his two sons as partners.Dr. Holmes has a BSc and PhD degrees in geology from the University of London, and an MSc in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.
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RMAG LUNCHEON PROGRAMS Speaker: Maria Slack | September 5, 2018
South-Central Oklahoma SCOOP Plays Select Petroleum System Elements and Processes By Maria Slack geographic distribution. This presentation reviews select petroleum system elements and processes within the SCOOP plays. It includes the oil-source rock assignment with geographic-stratigraphic distribution of over 400 oils, with the identification of key source rock variables (i.e., quantity and quality) that impose primary control on reservoir energy. A specific example includes the separation of the Woodford petroleum system into clay-rich and clay-poor (i.e., siliceous or carbonate) organic facies, along with calculating sample specific thermal stress. The thermal stress analysis often includes multiple molecular weight ranges (e.g., gas isotopes vs. adamantanes vs. biomarkers) to identify indigenous vs. migrated (i.e., mixed) charges within a converging interpretation scheme. When this information is compared to the host rock properties, the migration vector can be quantified using a 3-D basin
The multiple high flowing hydrocarbon zones in the south-central Oklahoma SCOOP plays provide opportunities that rival those being exploited in the Permian Basin, but at a significantly lower entry and operation cost. This is attributed to a favorable geologic column that provides stacked source rock in the same acreage with opportunities for oil, wet gas, and dry gas production. The geologic diversity contributes to hybrid traits that can be documented in the unconventional resources, as well as enables drillers to use the same pads to develop the diverse resources. The major liquid-rich plays are in the Devonian-Mississippian dual-bench Woodford-Meramec and Mississippian Springer Formations, with additional resources being developed in the Mississippian Sycamore / Osage, Caney, and Springer Formations. Future activity is forecast to develop in the black shales of Pennsylvanian age, as well as the Ordovician Viola Formation, but these are expected to be niche plays with limited
»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 46
Maria Slack is a partner and senior geologist with Petroleum Systems International, Inc. (PSI). She found her passion for geology early in college where she saw the incredible value in real world science that affects the day to day lives of people around the globe. She received her masters degree in Geology from Brigham Young University in 2011. While finishing her degree, she found employment as a geologist with Dr. David Wavrek at PSI and has been with the company for 7 years. Since starting, she has contributed to petroleum systems solutions for dozens of companies in countries spanning five continents. At PSI she has been responsible for digitally mapping geologic and petroleum systems; graphical analysis of petroleum systems; petroleum systems modeling in 1D, 2D, and 3D; and creation and maintenance of petroleum systems databases for rocks, oils, gases, and waters. She is an author or co-author on 8 publications and presentations, in addition to work on over 100 proprietary reports. Her current focus is as the technical lead in developing 3D visualization products for unconventional mass spectrometry data of multiple wellbores with PSI’s partner company Field Geo Services based in Grand Junction, CO. In her free time she enjoys being active outdoors with snow skiing, hiking, Ultimate Frisbee, and various other sports. OUTCROP | August 2018
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RMAG LUNCHEON PROGRAMS inclusion stratigraphic methods. This latter item
»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 44
modeling study. Within the Woodford oil phases, it is documented that the clay-poor organic facies reach peak hydrocarbon generation at a lower degree of thermal stress in a total oil window profile that is narrower, compared to the clay-rich organic facies. This type of input variable is critical to the correct calibration of kerogen kinetics for basin modeling. Reservoir energy can also change by secondary alteration mechanisms such as secondary gas charge (i.e., increase GOR), phase separation (i.e., increase or decrease), and top seal leakage (i.e., decrease GOR). The devolatilization is documented to be most common along structural trends (e.g., fractures in brittle rock facies), but this variable can also be investigated using fluid
is demonstrated by using the systematic variation in the mass spectrometry signatures in context of the rock properties to quantitate the top seal in-
tegrity, with leakage proven using isotopic analysis of hydrocarbon-filled gas inclusions. The compo-
nents impacting reservoir energy, as well as other
mass spec data, are further analyzed across multi-
ple wellbores using newly developed 3D visualization products which are particularly beneficial for
analysis of unconventional reservoirs. Collectively, the petroleum system puzzles can be solved with
systematic strategies, analytical programs, and integrated / converging interpretation methods.
IN THE PIPELINE AUGUST 1, 2018
AUGUST 10, 2018
RMAG Luncheon. Speaker: Michael Holmes. “Methodology to Make Quantitative Estimates of Variable Reservoir Wetting Properties in Unconventional Reservoirs Using Triple-Combo Well Log Data.” Maggiano’s Little Italy in Denver. Contact: staff@ rmag.org
DIPS Luncheon. Members $20 and Non-members $25. For more information or to RSVP via email to kurt. reisser@gmail.com. AUGUST 21, 2018 RMAG Documentary Viewing “Rock Stars--Pioneering Women in Petroleum Geology.” The American Mountaineering Center, Golden, CO.
AUGUST 2, 2018 PTTC Rockies Short Course. “Introduction to TIBCO Spotfire-Niobrara Case Study.” CSM, Golden, CO.
AUGUST 25, 2018 RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip. Trip leader: Paul Myrow. “Horseshoe Cirque.” Fairplay, CO.
AUGUST 4, 2018 RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip. Trip leader: Dennis Gertenbach. “Ammonite Fossil Trip.” Kremmling, CO.
AUGUST 28, 2018 RMS-SEPM Luncheon Lecture. Speakers: Justin Birdwell and Ron Johnson. “Distribution of Mineral Phases in the Green River Formation, Piceance Basin, Colorado, Implications for the Evolution of Eocene Lake Uinta.” Wynkoop Brewing Co. Denver, CO.
AUGUST 7-9, 2018 PTTC Rockies Short Course. “Volumes and Risks Assessment for Conventional and Unconventional Plays and Prospects.” CSM, Golden, CO. OUTCROP | August 2018
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Initiatives 97 & 108 operations on non-federal lands in Colorado. According to CRED, oil and gas currently contributes over 1 billion dollars in taxes to state and local governments. If this measure were to pass, thousands of good jobs would be lost in the state particularly hitting rural areas the hardest.
By Tom Sperr, RMAG President Elect
You can always tell that election season will soon be upon us. Droves of clipboard carrying people have descended upon the 16th Street mall seeking signatures from registered Colorado voters supporting various ballot initiatives. There are currently two proposed initiatives that would affect those of us who are in the petroleum industry. These would also affect any resident of Colorado who pays taxes or receives benefits from the state.
INITIATIVE 108
This proposed amendment to the state constitution would require the government to compensate landowners for reductions in the value of their property due to state laws or regulations (think minerals). This amendment greatly strengthens property rights and protects both long term rural landowners and oil and gas investors from ‘takings’ by governments.
INITIATIVE 97
This proposed law would require all future oil and gas operations to be setback 2500 feet from occupied structures as well as vulnerable areas. Vulnerable areas are defined as ‘playgrounds, permanent sports fields, amphitheaters, public parks, public open space, public and community drinking water sources, irrigation canals, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, perennial or intermittent streams, and creeks, and any additional vulnerable areas designated by the state or a local government’. That’s a mouthful, but the effect would be a de facto ban of oil and gas
Initiatives within the state require over 98,000 valid signatures be obtained by August 6th to be on the ballot. I suggest you study up on these two initiatives (see below). Sign or don’t the petitions based on your inclination and explain the issues to your friends and neighbors.
• https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_2018_ballot_measures • http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2017-2018/97Final.pdf (Initiative 97) • https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2017-2018/108Final.pdf (Initiative 108) • https://www.protectcolorado.com/ • https://www.cred.org/ Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
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WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!
Nick Argis
Victor Cimino
Matthew Myers
is a Geologist at SRC Energy in Denver, Colorado.
is an Intern at Mallard Exploration in Denver, Colorado.
is a Geologist at Devon Energy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
is Chief Geophysicist at Baird Petrophysical in Houston, Texas.
is a Geologist in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
lives in Denver, Colorado.
Ralph Baird
Brianna Berg
works for AIM GeoAnalytics in Lolo, Montana.
Kenneth Bernstein lives in Globe, Arizona.
Scott Brinton
works for Stantec in Littleton, Colorado.
Nathan Corbin Jamie Dandar
works in Business Development at Columbine Logging in Denver, Colorado.
William Harmony
lives in Silverthorne, Colorado.
Shawna Harrison
Dusty Parker
is a Wellsite Geologist/ Geosteerer at Decollement Consulting in Denver, Colorado.
Stan Paxton
works for the USGS in Golden, Colorado.
Addison Richter
works for MHA Petroleum Consultants in Denver, Colorado.
is a prospective Grad-Student at SDSU in San Diego, California.
lives in Denver, Colorado.
is CEO of Columbine Logging Inc in Denver, Colorado.
Kristofer Hornsby Joseph Islas
works for the Bureau of Land Management in Vernal, Utah.
Emre Kondakci
is a graduate student at the Colorado School of Mines and lives in Lakewood, Colorado.
Nicklos Marti
Wes Schrader Donna Steele
works for Three Peaks Resources LLC in Grapevine, Texas.
Gary Swindell
is a petroleum engineer at Gary S. Swindell in Sunnyvale, Texas.
Lans Taylor
is a Geology Graduate who lives in Evergreen, Colorado.
lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.
lives in Casper, Wyoming.
lives in Bel Aire, Kansas.
Doug Morton
OUTCROP | August 2018
Sarah Palaich
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Monica TurnerWilliams
Vol. 67, No. 8 | www.rmag.org
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Sedalia Mine from a distance is the large light colored un-vegetated area on the mountain side above the vehicles.
Sedalia Copper Mine, near Salida, CO Joint Trip: RMAG and Colorado Mineral Society (CMS) - July 1, 2018 By Denise M. Stone
OUTCROP | August 2018
eye protection when hammering, possible rock slides, and rarely seen snakes, we headed up the mountainside. Getting to the mine, about 12 miles from Salida, and about 300 feet above the parking area, (Photo 2) required hiking up an abandoned mining road full of steep switchbacks built on loose talus. RMAG trip leader, Nigel Kelly, faculty member of both CU Boulder and Colorado School of Mines, gave us a brief overview of the Sedalia mine’s geological origin. He said, “It is a metamorphic volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, part of a mineral belt of Proterozoic age that crosses Colorado extending north to the Wyoming border.” Sedalia contains a complex mix of minerals metamorphosed to amphibolite facies. The mineralization that occurs at volcanic arcs is the modern analogue to these deposits. The schist was intruded by both volcanic fluids and late stage pegmatites. The pegmatites
On the morning of Saturday July 1, a group of 30 field trip enthusiasts, from both RMAG and CMS assembled at the Safeway parking lot in Salida. Resting on the tailgate of a pick-up truck was a flat box of mineral samples belonging to CMS trip leader Don Bray (Photo 1). They were his best finds from over 30 years of exploring the Sedalia Copper Mine! “This is what you will find up there,” he said, describing each one in turn and passing them around for closer inspection. His collection included large garnet crystals, bladed stars of actinolite, crystals of sphalerite, malachite, azurite, chrysocolla, and many others. Everyone’s eyes got big when he said, “Softball-size dodecahedrons of almandine garnet weathered from schist have been collected here. A real prize would be finding one of them.” We all took that as a challenge. After a lengthy discussion on safety, including
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LEFT: Colorado Mineral Society (CMS) member and field trip leader Don Bray sits on the tailgate of his pickup next to a box of mineral specimens he has collected during 30 years of visits to the Sedalia Mine. TOP RIGHT: Bright blue chrysocolla from a vein of copper oxide mineralization, found at the Sedalia Mine by Wendy Carley of the CMS. BOTTOM RIGHT: Bright blue chrysocolla from a vein of copper oxide mineralization, found at the Sedalia Mine by Wendy Carley of the CMS.Â
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miners and the history of the area. Among the prizes of the day were a perfectly formed dodecahedron of almandine garnet (Photo 3) and colorful crustaceans of chrysocolla (Photo 4). Both were found by Wendy Carley of CMS. The dodecahedron was not soft-ball sized as Don described that morning, but rather golf-ball sized. Nonetheless, all 12 crystal faces were clearly preserved. Congratulations to Wendy. What impressed me most about the trip was the enthusiasm of the CMS members. Several that I spoke to were professionals completely outside the field of earth science that loved the thrill of finding minerals, being outdoors, and enjoying the mountain views, which were all around. Special thanks for a great day go to Laura Johnson of the RMAG field trip committee for organizing the trip, and both Don Bray and Nigel Kelly for giving their time and sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for the origin and history of the Sedalia Mine.
could be seen in outcrop having weathered to light colored knob-shaped forms having little to no vegetation cover. The mine was discovered in 1881 and worked until 1923. It was the largest copper mine in Colorado. The primary target ore minerals were chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, cuprite, sphalerite, cerussite and galena. Secondary copper minerals mined were mainly malachite and azurite with associated veins of chrysocolla. The talus slope contained scattered ruins of a sluiceway made from now-weathered, heavy timber that enabled freshly mined ore to slide by gravity down to the base of the slope. Timbers also marked the openings of several now fenced-off mine adits, the cool air exiting theses were refreshing in the summer heat. Remains of a bunkhouse for miners and a mess hall were also evident on the property. In its day the manual work to develop the mine no doubt required great toil. The ruins are a testament to both the great effort of the
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Are You a Photographer? Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists would like to invite you to submit your digital images that capture the geology of the Rocky Mountain region. Pore Throat to Outcrop, Modern Analogs, Oilfield Activity (Rigs), Dinosaur Trackways. These images will be used on the cover of the Outcrop and a select number will be used in a forthcoming RMAG Calendar.
• All images will be accredited to the photographer • A brief description of the image (location, formation, significance) • The file size must be 300dpi or greater and be in TIFF or JPEG format. • Limit 10 images/person
OUTCROP | August 2018
Submit images to: Cheryl Fountain, cwhitney@alumni.nmt.edu
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• Raisa Energy ��������������������37 CALENDAR | AUGUST 2018
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
1 RMAG Luncheon. Speaker: Michael Holmes.
5
6
7
8
FRIDAY
2
SATURDAY
3
PTTC Rockies Short Course.
4 RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip.
9
10
11
DIPS Luncheon.
PTTC Rockies Short Course.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
RMAG Documentary Viewing
26
27
RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip.
28
29
30
31
RMS-SEPM Luncheon Lecture.
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