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| Elephant Canyon Formation Stratigraphic range: Permian | |
|---|---|
| Type | Formation |
| Unit of | Cutler Group[1] |
| Underlies | Cedar Mesa Sandstone[2] |
| Overlies | Unconformity on the Pennsylvanian Honaker Trail Formation[2] |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Sandstone |
| Other | Limestone, siltstone, shale[2] |
| Location | |
| Region | Utah: Paradox basin[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Type section: Elephant Canyon, secs. 4 and 9, T. 30 S., R. 19 E., San Juan County, Utah[1] |
| Named by | Baars, D. L., 1962[1] |
The Elephant Canyon Formation is the basal Permian geologic formation of the Cutler Group overlying an unconformity on the Pennsylvanian Honaker Trail Formation in the Paradox Basin of southern Utah.[1][2]
Description
It consists of pink dolomite, light-gray dolomitic sandstone, light-brown and moderate-red, fine-grained sandstone, a basal conglomerate and conglomeratic sandstone, and limestone. The basal conglomerate is composed of moderately sorted cherts up to 3 cm in diameter. It weathers to a medium brown and forms hackly, blocky ledges and intervening slopes.[3]