IMN 88
R. C:
LANGENHEIM,
JR.
DEPT. GEOL. UNIV. ILLINOIS
s
254 N. H. B., T301 W. GREEN
URBANA, ILLINOIS 61901
Geology
of sand and gravel
aggregate resources
of
Illinois
John M. Masters
Illinois
Department of Energy and Natural Resources
STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIVISION
Champaign,
Illinois
1983
Illinois
Mineral Notes 88
ST.
Drafting:
Craig
Ron to
Masters, John M.
Geology of sand and gravel aggregate resources of Illinois. —
Illinois State Geological Survey, 1983.
Champaign, IL
:
10
eral
p.
;
—
28 cm.
notes
;
(Illinois— Geological Survey. Illinois min-
88)
"Text and figures of
this
paper are extracted from: Good-
win, Jonathan M., and John M. Masters, 1983, Geology of
aggregate resources of
S.
Woodard
Geology of
1.
3.
Illinois: in
Ault, Curtis H., and Gerald
[eds.]. Proceedings of the 18th
Industrial Minerals:
Occasional
Paper
Aggregates
(Building
Gravel— Illinois.
I.
37,
Title.
p.
61-90,
Bloomington,
materials)— Illinois.
II.
Forum on
the
Indiana Geological Survey,
2.
Indiana."
Sand— Illinois.
Series.
Printed by authority of the State of
Illinois /'1983
/
'1400
Geology
of sand and gravel
aggregate resources
of Illinois
John M. Masters
ABSTRACT
1
INTRODUCTION
1
SAND AND GRAVEL AGGREGATE RESOURCES
Surf icial geology of
Illinois
Holocene and Wisconsinan deposits
2
Wisconsinan outwash sand and gravel and lake deposits
I
llinoian
outwash sand and
gravel
7
Pliocene-Pleistocene to Cretaceous Age deposits
Freeze-thaw testing of gravel aggregates
SUMMARY
9
ILLINOIS STATE
Robert
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
E. Bergstrom, Chief
Natural Resources Building
615 East Peabody Drive
Champaign,
ILLINOIS
1983
8
9
9
REFERENCES
Illinois
2
2
61820
MINERAL NOTES
88
4
Text and figures of
this
Goodwin, Jonathan
paper are extracted from:
H.,
and John M. Masters, 1983, Geology of
aggregate resources of Illinois: in Ault, Curtis H., and Gerald S.
Woodard
[eds.]
,
Proceedings of the 18th
Forum on
the Geology of
Industrial Minerals: Indiana Geological Survey, Occasional Paper 37,
p.
61 -90, Bloomington, Indiana.
Geology
of sand and gravel
aggregate resources
of
Illinois
INTRODUCTION
ABSTRACT
Most sand and
gravel aggregate resources in fllinois-
except for certain deposits of sand and chert gravel in
western and extreme southern Illinois-are related to
and waning of the continental glaciers that
from Canada during
the Pleistocene. Vast amounts of debris- laden meltwater
issued from these glaciers, washing sand and gravel into
outwash plains, fans, and deltas; valley trains; and icecontact deposits such as kames and eskers. Some of this
material was also modified and reworked by the processes
of rivers, lakes, and winds. About 50 percent of the sand
and gravel produced in Illinois is mined in a highly
the waxing
The
state
of
Illinois
quality aggregate in
gravel resources are
has abundant resources of high-
many
found
The major sand and
and outwash
areas.
in valley trains
formed by Pleistocene continental
plains
glaciation.
High-quality Wisconsinan sand and gravel
periodically reached into the state
is
espe-
abundant near the high-volume metropolitan
cially
Chicago market area; however, future availability of
these resources
in Illinois,
is
threatened by urbanization. Elsewhere
sand and gravel
is
generally less abundant and
of lower quality than in the Chicago area.
Locations of sand and gravel pits and information
populated six-county area
on plant capacities and quality classes of aggregates
were compiled for this report from Bulletin 23 of the
the state where the
Illinois
in the northeast comer of
most extensive and highest quality
sand and gravel deposits are concentrated. In sand and
Department of Transportation (IDOT, 1977).
many pits and quarries in the state are operated
Because
some
gravel pits to the south, the ratio
with portable equipment on an
increases, the gravel tends to
pits
quality gravel particles
have been opened since Bulletin 23 was compiled.
products used
in
of sand to gravel
become finer, and poorbecome more abundant. Gravel
may
Portland cement concrete generally
cannot be produced from pits
Illinois, but high-quality sand
along the major river
valleys.
in the
is
southern half of
abundant -especially
as- needed basis,
have been abandoned and some
new
sites
may
Aggregates are generally grouped into four quality
on the basis of physical testing by the Illinois
Department of Transportation (1979). Class A aggregate
is acceptable for use in Portland cement concrete and all
classes
lower class applications. Class B aggregate
for use in top-quality bituminous
state
and primary roads and
Class
C
aggregate
is
all
is
acceptable
pavements for
inter-
lower class applications.
suitable for base courses
and
seal
coats in secondary quality bituminous pavements and
all
lower class applications. Class
only for use
macadam
in
fill
D
aggregate
and base courses and
is
suitable
in water- based
gravel surfaces of secondary roads.
IDOT
standards have been somewhat modified, and mining
conditions at
some
Illinois pits
publication of Bulletin 23.
GEOLOGY OF SAND AND GRAVEL AGGREGATE RESOURCES OF
ILLINOIS
have changed, since
SAND AND GRAVEL AGGREGATE RESOURCES
Surficial geology of Illinois
During the Pleistocene,
was repeatedly covered
Illinois
deposits
by thick continental glaciers that left extensive
terminal
of
of clay, silt, and sand and gravel in the form
trains,
and ground moraines, outwash plains, valley
of the
kames, eskers, and other landforms. Deposits
extensive
are
advances
Wisconsinan and Illinoian glacial
Kansan glaciation
in Illinois (fig. 1). Deposits of the
only in extreme
exposed
older glaciation) are
(or possible
western
Illinois.
Wisconsinan
Glacio- fluvial deposits related to the
sand and
high-quality
of
resources
Stage provide major
northeastern part of
gravel in the densely populated
Illinois.
Downstream from
the terminal Wisconsinan
age and
moraines, valley- train deposits of Wisconsinan
are the
age
Illinoian
of
deposits
-fluvial
other glacio
principal sources of sand
The
and gravel
in Illinois.
in
stratigraphy and nomenclature outlined
and Frye,
Pleistocene Stratigraphy of Illinois (Willman
(Willman
1970) and Handbook of Illinois Stratigraphy
et
al.,
1975) are used
group the sand
in this report to
state
and gravel resources and related deposits in the
physical
and
histories,
that have similar ages, depositional
and gravel
characteristics. In this report, only the sand
proceeding
bearing units will be discussed, generally
from the youngest to the oldest deposits.
_r-»-J
:
I-_-^-_-I-d
Alluvium. Parkland Sand, and Henry Formation combined, alluvium.
Cahokia A
windblown sand, and land and gravel ou twain
Holocene and Wisconsinan deposits
consists of
Cahokia Alluvium. The Cahokia Alluvium
present
of
deposits
floodplain deposits and channel
rivers
Windblown
till
more than 6 meters (20
ft)
EqualHv Formation s.tt, clay, "nd m glacial, slackwater. and modern lakes Incloaet
Lake Michigan Formation (Hotocene and Wisconsinan)
Glacial nil with
ound moraine
till
with some sand, gravel, and
gravel,
and
of the Glatford
silt,
age assignments
Formation combined
silt
till
Mounds
with gravel, sand, and
Gravel,
silt,
shells,
glacial ice;
it
silts,
Naify
Bedrock
and sands
tributaries has
(10 to 20
at or
.n
Although
formed broad fans that deflect the
river.
is
present along
all Illinois
deposits
streams; however, only the more widespread
thickness
The
figure
2.
of larger streams can be shown in
brown chen pebbles .and sand
Formation (Baylis Formation
gravel.
continues to accumulate,
of the Cahokia varies greatly:
Clay,
and
major valleys,
especially during flood events. In some
some large
particularly in the Illinois, the alluvium of
Some Cahokia Alluvium
silt
low -lying deposit
clay, clayey sand, and locally
Cahokia
often referred to as "recent alluvium," the
as they
soon
as
valleys
many
in
accumulate
began to
course of the
Glacial
(fig. 2). It is a
abundant wood fragments,
were free of
Formation and Hagarstown Member
outwash sand,
silt
J
Glasford Formation, glacial
of some units is uncertain
Pearl
sand, gravel, and
some
and streams
of poorly sorted
thick
western ID.
silly
fine quartz
sand
ft) in
many
3 to 6 m
m (30 to 40 ft)
commonly
valleys; 9 to 12
the Kaskaskia
along the Illinois River (central Illinois) and
18
(50 to 60 ft)
to
15
and
River (southwestern Illinois);
m
the southern
along the Mississippi River (especially in
near the surface
half of Illinois).
Figure
1.
Simplified geologic
materials (Quaternary and
1979, 1981).
map
of
surficial,
unconsolidated
older) in Illinois (after Lineback,
The modern channel sands of the Cahokia Alluvium
from the Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash
dredged
are
Rivers
(fig.
2) for use as fine aggregate.
Some
gravel
is
Wabash.
recovered with the sand from the Ohio and
in floodmeanders
Ancient channel deposits in cut-off
ISGS/ILLINOIS
MINERAL NOTES
88
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Present or recent river dredge operation
2
Number
Number
3
f
Figure
2.
of recently active pits per county
f
Areas underlain by alluvium
Distribution of the Cahokia Alluvium (Wisconsinan and
Holocene)
in Illinois (after
plain areas can
aggregate
;
sometimes be dredged and used
as fine
however, floodplain deposits themselves are
seldom usable. In the major river valleys and in some
minor ones, the Cahokia Alluvium overlies deposits of
the
Mackinaw Member of
the
Henry Formation.
floodplain areas where the Cahokia
it
may
is
In
sufficiently thin
be scraped away, and sand or sand and gravel
recovered from the underlying Henry Formation.
Typical pits of this type are located in the valleys of
the
Sangamon River
(central Illinois) and the Mississippi
River (southern half of
Figure
3.
Distribution of the Parkland Sand (Wisconsinan and
Holocene)
Lineback, 1979).
Illinois).
of recently active pits per county
Areas underlain by wind-blown sand
in Illinois (after
Lineback, 1979).
deposits commonly overlie terraces of the Mackinaw
Member of the Henry Formation and adjacent uplands
of the main valleys. Although widespread throughout
the northern part of Illinois,
many
deposits are too
Most dunes are
some accumulations
of dunes and sheetlike deposits can be as thick as 30 m
(100 ft). The sand generally becomes finer on the eastern
small or too thin to be
3 to 12
sides
soil
in figure 3.
m (10 to 40 ft) high, but
of dune
winds.
shown
Many
fields
because of the prevailing westerly
of these dunes are covered only by thin
and vegetation. Disruption of this cover
renewed dune migration.
Raw and
Parkland Sand. The Parkland Sand consists of wind-
from these deposits are used typically
blown sand, in dunes and sheetlike deposits (fig. 3),
derived from valley -train deposits. These wind-blown
mason sand, molding sand, and
Illinois State
GEOLOGY OF SAND AND GRAVEL AGGREGATE RESOURCES OF
fill
may
cause
processed material
as blend sand,
sand. Studies at the
Geological Survey have shown that the
ILLINOIS
r
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-
\.s
i
y-
.'
i
v.
I
10
30
10
«0
5
..
IO»30«050ttOfcm
2
f
Number
of recently active pits per county
Areas underlain by outwash plains
Figure 4. Distribution of the Wisconsinan age Batavia Member of
the Henry Formation in Illinois (after Lineback, 1979).
sand
is
also a potential source of feldspar
and Masters, 1974).
Gravel pit location
5
Sample numbers from
table
1
Figure 5. Locations of gravel pits from which samples in table
1
were obtained.
These members
and quartz
used in the manufacture of ceramics and glass (Ehrlinger
•
in quality
all
contain abundant sand, suitable
and particle
size for processing into various
types of fine -aggregate construction products. The
gravel in these
members
is
not as abundant or as widely
Wisconsinan outwash sand and gravel and lake deposits
distributed as the sand, but gravel of sufficient quantity
Henry Formation. The Henry Formation includes all
types of outwash sand and gravel deposits of Wiscon-
all
sinan age in Illinois.
Many
of these deposits are too
small to be illustrated in figure
1
,
and are combined
on the map with other related deposits. Where outwash
sands and gravels are overlain by, or intertongue with,
their associated
deposits.
tills,
they are mapped with the
The formation
is
till
divided into three members:
Member consists of outwash plains, the
Mackinaw Member of valley trains, and the Wasco
Member of ice-contact deposits.
the Batavia
A quality (IDOT, 1979) can be found in
members. Gravel is most abundant in north-
and of Class
three
eastern Illinois, tending to decrease in size, abundance,
and quality to the south.
Batavia Member. Outwash plains of the Batavia
of the Henry Formation
(fig.
Member
4) are upland deposits
located along the fronts of moraines in discontinuous,
sheetlike deposits. Batavia deposits generally occur high
on the land surface. In northeastern Illinois they may be
m (200 ft) thick, and may extend far
more than 60
ISGS/ILLINOIS
MINERAL NOTES
88
Table
1.
Summary pebble count
data of samples collected from selected Illinois gravel deposits.*
Rock Types
Other
Sample
sedi-
Carbonate
no.
mentary
Chert
Igneous
Metamorphic
Miscel-
laneous
WISCONSINAN STAGE
Henry Formation
(ourwash)
Mackinaw Member
(valley trains)
1
1
7
7
2
6
8
4
3
78
72
4
4
5
68
Fox
6
Illinois
7
Mississippi
Rock
8
9
Wabash
10
11
65
66
12
8
13
3
1
10
10
14
3
1
22
6
3
88
-
4
8
-
79
64
43
4
9
5
3
6
15
6
5
4
8
18
15
10
6
60
42
8
8
8
16
2
20
22
12
8
-
2
Member
12
2
8
2
13
87
84
1
(outwash plains)
1
2
9
4
14
90
1
1
6
2
15
29
21
41
4
4
16
48
20
26
4
2
18
53
10
10
9
8
68
5
5
12
Batavia
-
ILLINOIAN STAGE
Glasford Formation
Hagarstown Member
(crevasse deposits)
17
Pearl
Formation
(ourwash)
Data
1
18
2
sources: samples 1,
3,4,5,6, 7,8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, and 18 are taken from an unpublished ISGS collection of pebble
from Anderson (1967), sample 9 is from a current research project, and samples 12, 13, and 14 are from
Anderson and Block (1962). All samples represent material in about the 3/8- to 1/2-inch size range. All are spot or channel
samples, except number 9, which is from an uncrushed production sample.
counts, sample 2
below the water
is
table.
The Batavia Member generally
deposition in a high-energy, near-ice environment
grades downslope into valley -train deposits of the
where debris-laden meltwater could not
Mackinaw Member of the Henry Formation. In Boone,
Kane, and McHenry Counties, prominent outwash plains
material. In
east,
grade outward into valley trains in the broad valleys of
contain the coarsest gravel (Cobb and Fraser, 1981).
the
Fox and Kishwaukee
(fig. 4).
are
In
more
Rivers and Piscasaw Creek
comparison with valley
variable in particle size
trains,
outwash plains
and thickness. Some
gravel deposits can be characterized
by the
relative
abundances of boulders, cobbles, and pebbles (Masters,
1978).
Commonly, more than 80
in the gravel are
and 14;
dolomite (table
samples 12, 13,
Member
of outwash plains generally
these outwash plains are so coarse grained
more
ridden by glacial
ice,
pitted, contain
gravel than sand.
outwash plains
complex deformation
Where
generally are poorly sorted, indicating
over-
are generally
features,
and
grade into ice -contact deposits of the Wasco Member.
Outwash
in
plains and related sand
and gravel deposits
northeastern Illinois contain the largest concen-
trations of coarse-grained deposits in Illinois.
fig. 5).
In northeastern Illinois, boulder gravels of the
Batavia
east sides
that they contain
percent of the particles
1,
and the
Many of
sort out fine
most cases deposition occurred from the
They have
supplied large tonnages of construction aggregates to
the Chicago metropolitan area since early in this century
GEOLOGY OF SAND AND GRAVEL AGGREGATE RESOURCES OF
ILLINOIS
(Burchard, 1907). In 1978, 53 percent of the sand and
produced for construction aggregate
gravel
came from
in Illinois
the six counties in the northeastern corner
upstream, especially in northern
Illinois, (2)
m (100 ft) or more
deposits to depths of 30
extension of
below
local
floodplains in buried valleys, (3) increasing terrace
down
of the state where the Batavia and other members of the
Henry Formation are thickest (Samson, 1981). However,
production from this area is likely to decline drastically
elevations upstream, and (4) extension of deposits
because the expanding demand for land for urban
portions of valley trains often contain
development
of terraces that can be distinguished by their different
limiting the expansion of existing pits
is
and the opening of new
areas of Whiteside, Lee, Henry, and Bureau Counties
northwestern
monly
(40
These deposits com-
Illinois (fig. 4).
uppermost 12
consist mostly of sand in the
ft),
may
but
12 to 30
m
m
contain abundant gravel at depths from
(40 to 100
Layers of clay and
ft).
tion to the southern tip of the state.
till
Fewer
stream;
in
Alluvium
problems and the distance of the
mined
as those in
the northeast.
and east-central Illinois, most outwash
narrow bands along the convex outer side
In central
in
of Wisconsinan moraines
(figs.
are often relatively thin
and are composed of poorly
and
1
sorted sand and fine gravel. However,
deposits about 10
m
(30
ft)
These deposits
4).
may
be
(fig. 2).
Several different glacial lobes supplied gravel to
are
deposits from major, high -volume markets, these outplains are not as extensively
found down-
completely buried by modern deposits of Cahokia
deposits occur below groundwater level. Because of the
lie
some well -sorted
some medium
thick with
somewhat
Mackinaw Member. Each lobe
different bedrock terrain, picking
up rock types unique to each area: the Mississippi River
valley train was largely supplied by the Lake Superior
Lobe; the Rock, Fox, and Illinois River valley trains
were largely supplied by the Lake Michigan and Green
Bay Lobes; and the Wabash River
was
valley train
supplied by both the Lake Michigan
Lobe and the
between the igneous and metamorphic rock assemblages in the Mackinaw between
the Mississippi and Wabash River valley trains are the
Erie Lobe. Differences
most
northwestern
distinct. In
down
Illinois,
the Mississippi
mouth of
Rock
to coarse gravel occur where morainal re-entrants and
River valley train,
subglacial channels are present (Anderson, 1960; Hester
River, consists almost entirely of igneous and meta-
and Anderson, 1969). These deposits generally contain
too
many
meet Class
deleterious gravel particles to
(IDOT, 1979)
A
specifications, but they are suitable for
lower quality aggregate.
morphic rock types (table
6) includes ice -contact sand and gravel in
is
most abundant
kames
in northeastern Illinois.
These deposits are generally recognized by their characteristic
and
topographic expressions and extreme lateral
vertical variability
of grain
size, sorting,
and deformational features, such
Although present
Wisconsinan
deposits
Member
is
member
as folds
in all Illinois counties
ice sheets, the areal
bedding,
and
faults.
covered by
extent of most Wasco
too small to be shown in figure
6.
The Wasco
provides locally important sand and gravel
resources, but because
1, fig. 5).
the
At the Rock
River,
of contributions from the Rock River valley train and
erosion of material from the surrounding terrain.
Wasco Member. The outwash of the Wasco Member
and eskers, and
to the
sedimentary rock types become more abundant because
Rock, Fox, and
(fig.
all
set
lithologies in the
the southern half of the state they
traversed
plains
The upstream
more than one
valley -train terraces are
the valley trains of the
wash
by rock
distributions, or perhaps
gravel.
often interbedded with this outwash and most of the
resulting extraction
glacia-
elevations, loess cover, soil development, grain-size
pits.
Deposits of outwash sand and gravel underlie large
in
major valleys beyond the margin of Wisconsinan
are relatively small, the
contributes relatively
little
to the total aggre-
Illinois
80 percent middle to
(table
early Paleozoic dolomite particles
5) near their upstream ends, but this
1, fig.
composition
The
River valley trains contain about
is
progressively diluted downstream, pri-
marily with other sedimentary rocks, including chert.
For instance,
in the Illinois
(samples
and
7, 8,
River valley -train samples
9, table 1), carbonate rocks decrease
from 70 to 40 percent, and other sedimentary rocks
increase from 4 to 8 percent and chert increases
from
9 to 21 percent. In general, only Class B or lower quality
coarse aggregate
is
produced from downstream valley
train gravel pits; this indicates that the
downstream
addition of deleterious gravel lowers the overall quality
of the material for use as construction aggregate.
gate resources of the state.
Equality Formation. The Equality Formation consists
Mackinaw Member. Valley
ber
(fig.
trains of the
Mackinaw Mem-
7) generally are lowland deposits of glacial out-
wash sand and gravel deposited in alluvial terrace systems
in valleys that extend away from glacial fronts. Valleytrain deposits are generally
variable than
outwash
more evenly bedded and less
kames and eskers.
plains or
Characteristics of valley trains include: (1) coarsening
of
silt,
clay,
lakes (fig.
and sand deposited
1).
in glacial
and slackwater
Except for ancient and modern (Lake
Michigan Formation) beach ridges
in the vicinity
Lake Michigan, none of these deposits
is
known
of
to
contain sand or gravel in sufficient concentrations to
be used in construction aggregates. Sand has been
excavated
in the past for
fill
and
certain fine aggregate
ISGS/ILLINOIS
MINERAL NOTES
88
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3
S
Li/
1
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hm
Number
10
Figure 6. Distribution of the Wisconsinan age Wasco
Member of
the Henry Formation in Illinois (after Lineback, 1979).
30 40 60 60
6
Numbers
f
Areas underlain by valley trains
of recently active pits per county
Areas underlain by kames and eskers
M
Figure
7.
of recently active pits per county
Distribution of the Wisconsinan age
of the Henry Formation
in Illinois (after
Mackinaw Member
Lineback, 1979).
uses from the beach ridges, but these deposits have
carbonate rocks and higher in deleterious rocks (such
been depleted, covered by urban development,
or absorbed into local and state parks or nature preserves.
as chert
essentially
and other sedimentary rocks) than are Wiscon-
sinan gravels.
Where outwash sands and
gravels are over-
lain by, or intertongue with, their associated
mapped along with
the
Illinoian
Pearl Formation
outwash sand and gravel
and f/agars town Member of the G lasford Formation. The Pearl Formation consists of all
mation,
types of Illinoian outwash sand and gravel deposits in
train deposits along valleys near the
Illinois.
No members
have been defined because
ferent types of Illinoian
outwash
dif-
are difficult to identify
The
Illinoian
of the
land forms, and thicker overburden. Although assigned
deposits
which
also contains
abundant sand and
Member,
gravel, will be
discussed along with the Pearl Formation.
The
outcrop areas of both units are illustrated
in figure 8.
Table
1
larger
indicates that these units generally are lower in
they
fig. 1).
Pearl Formation occurs in terraces of valley-
till
sheet. Similar deposits
margin of the
may
also be buried
by Wisconsinan valley -train deposits. In the lower half
and map because of deeper weathering, more subtle
to the Glasford Formation, the Hagarstown
till
tills,
deposits (Glasford For-
are
Illinois
River valley, for example, older gravel
may be preserved at depth, or Wisconsinan
may have reworked the gravels, incorporating
meltwaters
older and younger material. This possible mixing, at
least in part,
would account
for the increase in chert
and other deleterious particles down the
Pearl also occurs in
GEOLOGY OF SAND AND GRAVEL AGGREGATE RESOURCES OF
ILLINOIS
outwash
plains,
valley.
The
kames, and eskers,
»
-
_i_T
r
i
V-
S
._j
,
;
r-~
VV;/; I.
•
'
•I
^r-
10
10 30
30
10
» 40
J
•
:>
L
V
,
f~~<
bO ^
40
SO <0
<-
j
>m
.
\JL
Number
1
of recently active pits per county
Areas underlain by outwash, mainly crevasse
~
8.
Lowest
Intermediate
deposits and outwash plains
Highest
Figure
Figure
•
a
Distribution of the Illinoian age Pearl Formation and
Hagarstown Member of the Glasford Formation
in Illinois (after
9. Pit
locations and
summary of
near Illinois that
1979) coarse aggregate.
but
sometimes more than 30
not as extensive, thick, or coarse grained as
many Henry Formation deposits of similar origin.
The Hagarstown Member (Jacobs and Lineback,
is
1969) occurs mainly as low ridges
cemented by
and
plain
is
known
ft)
varies
above the
many
as "ridged drift." In
the ridges and hills gradually rise
100
in the Illinoian
till
plain.
till.
5 to
30
The base of
from the surface of the
trenched valleys in the
1
till
the
places
(50 to
outwash
plain to deeply en-
Most of the
to the direction of Illinoian ice
m
till
ridges are parallel
m
(100
ft) thick,
rare.
Large masses of sand and gravel
calcite
are
conglomerates. The Hagarstown deposits are the major
upland sources of sand and gravel aggregate within the
Illinoian
tions,
is
till
plain. This aggregate, in
generally satisfactory for
proper
size grada-
most uses (except for
Portland cement concrete).
movement and were
Age deposits
The Pliocene -Pleistocene Mounds
of deeply weathered, subrounded chert
Pliocene -Pleistocene to Cretaceous
Mounds
The
Gravel consists
ridges consist of poorly to well sorted sand
and some
commonly
(and sometimes limonite) into
deposited by meltwater streams flowing in ice -walled
till,
but these
thick areas usually consist mostly of sand. Coarse gravel
channels during stagnation of the Illinoian ice sheet.
gravel, gravelly
freeze-thaw
test
Lineback, 1979).
it is
relative
beams made with gravel from pits in and
have recently produced Class A quality (IDOT,
expansion values of
silt
and
clay.
They
and
are
pebbles
Gravel.
in a
matrix of red, clayey sand. Chert pebbles
1SGS/ILLINOIS
MINERAL NOTES
88
have a glossy,
but
may
medium
to dark olive -brown patina,
when broken
be of various colors and textures
open. The gravel
is
cemented
Gravel
is
common
widespread
some
in
southernmost
in
The Mounds
places.
Illinois (fig. 1);
m (10 to 20 ft) in most
reach 15 m (50 ft).
ranges in thickness from 3 to 6
it
some
areas, but in
places
may
from the Wisconsinan
glacial front.
and
locally with hematite
limonite. Broad lenses and beds of red, clayey sand
without gravel are
to have higher expansion values with increasing distance
SUMMARY
Sand and
gravel deposits are
abundant
gravel suitable for use in Portland
but
in Illinois,
cement concrete
is
generally limited to Wisconsinan outwash deposits,
and
most abundant
is
northeastern
in
Illinois.
Additional
Willman and Frye (1970) interpret the Mounds as
terraced fluvial deposits derived primarily from the
sand and
Tennessee River drainage basin. Chert gravel from the
in Wisconsinan deposits toward the margin of the ice
Mounds commonly was used
sheet; the
in concrete,
but today
is
in the past as aggregate
used mainly for
fill
and for
Older Tertiary units underlie the
more
distal portions
The Wilcox Formation
is
(fig.
1).
occasionally exposed and
Sand
Mounds
cement concrete
is
is
northernmost part of the Mississippi Embayment
of
slightly
in the Pliocene-
Gravel.
is
abundant
in the
same deposits
as
gravel of that quality. In addition, such high-quality
Illinois.
The McNairy generally
micaceous, fine-grained, white to
other discussed Pleistocene
all
Sand of the Gulfian (late Cretaceous) McNairy
Formation of southernmost Illinois may also meet
units.
a
Gulfian (late Cretaceous) fluvial -deltaic sand deposited
southernmost
trains; in Illinoian
sand can also be produced with proper processing from
sand.
McNairy Formation. The McNairy Formation
in
found
suitable for use as fine aggregate in Portland
sand deposits within
in the
of valley
deposits, especially the Hagarstown; and
Mounds Gravel
toward the western end of the outcrop belt
fill
for uses with lower quality specifications can be
Pleistocene age
surfacing gravel roads.
excavated for
gravel deposits containing material suitable
consists
and industrial sand needs
certain fine -aggregate
in
the future.
light -gray,
loosely consolidated to unconsolidated quartz sand and
REFERENCES
very clayey, gray to black lignitic
Anderson, R. C, I960, Sand and gravel resources of Champaign
most
In
common
in
Clean sands are
upper and lower parts of the section.
some places the McNairy
but commonly
silts.
it is
is
15 to 60
150
m
m
(500
County,
(50 to 200
ft) thick,
Rock River
deposit onto the irregular Paleozoic rock surface (Kolata,
can be used as blend sand or as a
the sand of
Illinois,
fill
silica
material, but
Anderson, R. C, and D. A. Block, 1962, Sand and gravel resources of McHenry County, Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey, Circular 336, 15 p.
Annual Book of
The McNairy has been mined in TenKentucky and used in glass making and as
foundry and abrasive sand (McGrain, 1968). Another
Burchard, E.
Cretaceous deposit of fine- to medium-quartz sand and
Chicago
clayey sand occurs in western Illinois
340,
industrial uses.
(fig.
1),
Standards, 1979, Concrete and mineral
testing):
American Society for Testing and Materials,
826 p.
F., 1907, Concrete materials produced in the
Philadelphia, PA, Part 14,
but has
limited economic potential.
ASTM
aggregates (including manual of aggregate and concrete
nessee and
a
in Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey,
Circular 414, 17 p.
it
sand for various
State Geological Survey, Circular
Anderson, R. C, 1967, Sand and gravel resources along the
because of the erosion of the top and onlap of the
Treworgy, and Masters, 1981). In
the McNairy has been used only as
Illinois: Illinois
294, 15 p.
ft) thick,
Cobb,
J.
p.
U.S. Geological Survey, Bulletin No.
district:
383-410.
C, and G.
S. Fraser,
1981, Application of sedimen-
tology to development of sand and gravel resources in
McHenry and Kane Counties, northeastern
The
Illinois
Department of Transportation
is
reevaluating
Ehrlinger, H.
Illinois:
land cement concrete. Their
work has concentrated on
freeze -thaw expansion testing of concrete beams (ASTM
The data shown
Hester, N.
Illinois
in the
and (3)
R. C. Anderson, 1969, Sand and gravel resources
Illinois: Illinois
State Geological Survey,
Department of Transportation, 1977, Sources and pro-
IDOT, Bureau of
Illinois:
Materials and Physical Research, Bulletin
1, 1977), Springfield, IL, 113 p.
Department of Transportation, 1979, Standard specifications for road and bridge construction: IDOT, Springfield,
IL, adopted October 1, 1979,813 p.
Jacobs, A. M., and J. A. Lineback, 1969, Glacial geology of
23 (Revised October
Illinois
youngest, coarse-grained outwash plains located
in northeastern Illinois;
C, and
Geological Survey, Illinois Mineral
ducers of aggregates for highway construction in
the sample sites, indicate that: (1) in general, only
Portland cement concrete; (2) gravels with the lowest
freeze -thaw expansion values tend to be concentrated
M. Masters, 1974, Commercial
Kankakee County,
Circular 446, 16 p.
in figure 9,
trains contain gravel of a quality suitable for use in
J.
p.
of Macon County,
the geologic history of
Wisconsinan outwash plains, kames, eskers, and valley
and
Illinois State
Notes 56, 18
C-666, 1979) formed using the various sources of coarse
when considered along with
P., Ill,
feldspar resources in southeastern
coarse aggregate products currently being used in Port-
aggregate (Traylor, 1981).
Illinois: Illinois
State Geological Survey, Illinois Mineral Notes 82, 17 p.
Freeze -thaw testing of gravel aggregates
valley -train gravels tend
GEOLOGY OF SAND AND GRAVEL AGGREGATE RESOURCES OF
the Vandalia,
Illinois, region:
Survey, Circular 442, 23
ILLINOIS
p.
Illinois State
Geological
Kolata, D. R.,
D. Treworgy, and
J.
framework of the
Illinois: Illinois
Lineback,
J.
A.,
J.
M. Masters, 1981 Structural
,
Embayment
of southern
State Geological Survey, Circular 516, 38 p.
1979, Quaternary deposits of
State Geological Survey
Lineback,
J.
Mississippi
A., 1981,
Illinois: Illinois
map, 1:500,000.
Quaternary deposits of
Illinois
J.
M., 1978,
map, 1:2,500,000.
Sand and gravel and peat resources
northeastern
Illinois:
Illinois
State Geological Survey,
Circular 503, 11 p.
McGrain, Preston, 1968, Economic geology of Calloway County,
Kentucky: Kentucky Geological Survey, Series X, County
Report
10
2,
35
p.
mineral industry in 1978 and review
Illinois
State Geological Survey, Dlinois Mineral Notes 79, 35 p.
Traylor, M. L., 1981, Illinois' efforts to eliminate D-cracking:
Department of Transportation,
file report, 27 p.
Springfield, IL,
unpublished open
Willman, H.
in
Illinois
of preliminary mineral production data for 1979:
Illinois
Illinois:
State Geological Survey
Masters,
Samson, Irma, 1981,
J.
B., E.
C. Frye,
Atherton, T. C. Buschbach, C. Collinson,
M. E. Hopkins,
1975, Handbook of
J.
A. Lineback, and
Illinois stratigraphy:
J.
A. Simon,
Illinois State
Geological Survey, Bulletin 95, 261 p.
Willman, H.
of
B.,
and
J.
C. Frye, 1970, Pleistocene stratigraphy
Illinois: Illinois
204
State Geological Survey, Bulletin 94,
p.
ISGS/ILLINOIS
MINERAL NOTES
88