Elk Basin

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View of Elk Basin facing north along the axis of the anticline. Note strata dipping to the right and left on the sides of the image.

Elk Basin is a valley on the border of Montana and Wyoming in the United States. It is an active oil field with hundreds of derricks operating in it. Geologically, it is a breached anticline formed by a deep subsurface thrust fault. Most of the rocks at the surface are Cretaceous in age, including the Lance Formation, Meeteetse Formation, Mesaverde Formation, Cody Shale, and Frontier Formation.[1]

Teaching Geology

As the rock strata in the basin are mostly exposed and relatively easy to identify, Elk Basin has long been used as a place for geology students to learn to practice geologic mapping. Often mapping classes are supported by the Yellowstone Bighorn Research Association,[2] located in Red Lodge, Montana.

References

  1. ↑ Pierce, W.G., 1997, Geologic map of the Cody 1 degree x 2 degrees quadrangle, northwestern Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey, Miscellaneous Geologic Investigations Map I-2500, scale 1:250000.
  2. ↑ Yellowstone Bighorn Research Association

Coordinates: 44°59′50″N 108°52′10″W / 44.99722°N 108.86944°W / 44.99722; -108.86944

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