Table Of ContentMarble, Granite and Slate
Industries of Vennont
Isle LaMotte to Graniteville, Vermont
July 20-22, 1989
Field Trip Guidebook T362
Leaders:
Charles A. Ratte and Duncan G. Ogden
American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1989 American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009
ISBN: 0-87590-639-7
Printed in the United States of America
COVER Imperial Underground Quarry, Danby, Vermont.
Leaders:
Charles A. Ratte
State Geologist
Agency of Natural Resources
103 So. Main St. Center BUilding
Waterbury, VT 05676
Duncan G. Ogden
Chief Geologist
Vermont Marble Co. OMYA
61 Main St.
Proctor, VT 05765
IGC FIELDTRIPT362:
MARBLE, GRANITE AND SLATE
INDUSTRIESOFVERMONT
Charles A. Ratte
VermontStateGeologist, Waterbury, Vermont
Duncan G.,Ogden
ChiefGeologist, OMYA, Proctor, Vermont
INTRODUCTION
Five(5)physiographicprovincesarerecognizedinVermont.
Theyare(fromwesttoeast)theTaconicHighlands,theCham
plainandVermontValley,theGreenMountains,thePiedmont,
and the Northeast Highlands (Figure 1-1). Our travels will
include stops in all but the Piedmont. The geology and non
metallic mineral industries ofthese provinces will be briefly
described. Quarrying of"truemarbles" occurstoday onlyin
theChamplainandVermontValleyprovince, whereas "verde z
antiquemarble"isfoundandquarriedintheGreenMountains
province.Slate,althoughoncequarriedextensivelyintheeast
ernPiedmont,isproducedexclusivelyfromrocksoftheTaconic
Highlands.GraniticplutonsareprimarilyconfinedtotheNorth
eastHighlands andthusthegraniteindustryislocatedwithin
~
thisprovince.Sceneryalongthewaywillbeenjoyedasabonus
o
asthefield tripproceeds. c
Ourjourneyonthisfirstdaywillincludethree(3)scheduled Z
~
stopsto seethe oldFiskandGoodsellquarriesthatproduced
theVermont"black"marbles.Wewillalsovisitoneoftheoldest
limestonereefs(bioherm)intheworld.Stops4and5areoptional
andwillonlybevisitediftimepermits.Rocksexposedinhigh
wayroadcutsaredescribedinthefollowing roadlogandwill
bediscussedinmoredetailasweproceedonthefieldtrip. You
canfollow our routeonyour geologicmapofVermont.
CHAMPLAINVALLEYAND VERMONTVALLEY
TheChamplainValleyandVermontValleyarecomposedof
sedimentaryrocksofshallowmarineorigin.Theyrecordahis
toryofdepositionalanddeformationaleventsrangingfromCam
brianthro~ghOrdovicianage. TheCambrian/Ordovicianshelf
sequence (ChamplainValley Sequence) is made up ofcarbo
nateandsiliciclasticdeposits. Dorseyetal. (1983, Figure1-2)
showthisshelfsequencegradingeastwardintoshales,turbid
itesandslumpbrecciasofadeepermarineslope/basinenviron
FIGURE 1-1 Generalizedmapofphysiographicprovinces of
ment. This Cambrian/Ordovician sequence records a major
Vermont.
westward transgression ofmarine shelf/slope/basin environ
ments.Thesequencehasbeendeformedbyfoldsandthrustfaults
ofTaconian age. The Champlain thrust fault carried Lower
Cambrian sedimentary rocks over Middle Ordovician shales Much oftheVermontmarbleindustry islocatedwithinthe
(Figure1-3).Thisthrustfaultisthedominantandmostimpres ChamplainValleyandVermontValleyphysiographicprovince.
sivestructureintheChamplainValleyprovince.Mesozoicdikes Herecarbonatesedimentshavebeentransformedintolowgrade
ofmafic composition are common in the Champlain Valley metamorphicmarbles.Tightfoldinghasthickenedthelimbsof
province. folds adding significantdimensionto oregradedeposits.
T362:
T362: 2
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§
FIGURE1-3Correlationchart(fromDorseyetal., 1983)showingseveralstratigraphicinterpretationsoftheChamplainValley
Sequenceandeasternfacies. TherelativepositioningontheChamplainandHinesburgThrustsisillustrated.Thisinterpretation
applies only to northwestern Vermont. The Champlainthrustfault cuts upwardinto higher stratigraphicunits tothe south.
ROAD LOGFORDAY ONE 03.3 Winooski Formation (dolostone) inroadcut.
03.8 Dark red-maroon quartzite ofthe Monkton For
*
Mileage
mation (Gm). The Monkton Formation is com
00.0 StartattheentrancetotheEconoLodge,Williston posedofinterbeddedquartzitesandsandydolom
Road, South Burlington, Vermont. Turn right ites.LowerCambrianfossilshavebeenfoundinthe
(west) onWillistonRoad (U.S. Route 2). Monkton Formation. The Monkton Formation is
00.3 Turn right (north) at entrance ramp to Interstate partofthe shelfsequence.
highway, 1-89North (Interchange 14). 05.3
01.6 Highway passes over the Winooski River Gorge to MonktonFormation.
(looktoyourright). Thewallsofthegorgearecom 06.6
posedofgraydolostoneoftheWinooskiFormation 06.9 ArrowheadMountain(lookofftothenortheast)was
(Gw)**.TheWinooskiFormationhereisrelatively interpretedbyStoneandDennis(1964)asanout
flat-lyingandispartofacontinentalshelfsequence lier (klippe) ofLower CambrianCheshirequart
ofclasticandcarbonatestratathatgradenortheast zite(Gc)lyingabovetheyoungerDunhamdolomite
erlyintoshalesandconglomeratesthataccumulated (Gd) and Middle Cambrian Skeels Corner shale
in adeeperbasinal sequence (Figure 1-2). (Gssm) along the Hinesburg thrust fault. More
recentworkersinthearea(Dorseyetal., 1983)after
*Mileageis givenincumulativemiles. largescale,detailedmappingrecognizeArrowhead
**AbbreviationsarefromtheCentennialBedrockMapofVer Mountain geology as a shear zone (Arrowhead
mont (Doll etal., 1961) andentered only atthe first intro thrustfault) locatedwithintherecumbentlimbof
ductionofa formation name. an anticline overturnedto the west. Thus a com-
T362: 3
binationoffolding andshearing ofthe Cambrian Trilobiteandgraptolitefossils havebeenfoundin
sequenceisthepreferredexplanationfortheposi the StonyPoint shales.
tionofolderstratalyingaboveyoungerunitsofthe 16.8
Cambrian sequence. to Outcroppingsandroadcuts inStonyPointshale.
0.74 Monkton Formation. These upper beds of the 17.3
Monkton Formation are massive; the uppermost 18.0 TownofSouthHero, Vermont.
bedsincludetwoorthreeinchlayersofyellowish 18.9
weatheringarenaceousshale. Thesetopbedsdis
to Stony Pointshale, withthrustfaults.
playmudcracks andmarkingsthatsuggesttrails
19.1
ofcrawlingorganisms.TheMonktonisinterpreted
19.3 TownofKeelerBay, Vermont.
asrepresentingsupra-tidal,inter-tidalandsub-tidal
24.2 TownofGrandIsle, Vermont.
deposition. Otherprimarysedimentarystructures
26.6 Outcroppings ofStony Pointshale.
such as ripple marks, cross-bedding, and swash
marks are commonthroughouttheformation. 27.2 DrawbridgeconnectingSouthHeroandNorthHero
08.0 LakeChamplain(Ma1lettsBayEstuary)tothewest. Islands.
30.8 TownofNorth Hero, Vermont.
08.5 MonktonFormation.
09.4 Interstate 1-89, take the Exit at Interchange 17; 31.7 Outcroppings ofStony Pointshale.
Winooski Formationgently east-dipping. 32.5 Cary Baytotheleft (west).
09.7 Turn rightonto U.S. Route2West. 36.2 BridgeoverAlburg Passage.
10.4 MonktonFormation. Noteyellowishcolorationin 36.5 AtTown ofSouth Alburg turn left (west) on VT
quartzite. Route 129to IsleLaMotte.
12.9 Road parallels the Champlain thrust fault. High 37.6 Stony Pointshaleoutcroppings.
bluffstotheeastarecomposedofdolostoneofthe 39.2 Turnleft(stillonVTRoute 129)toIsleLaMotte.
DunhamFormation. HeretheDunhamFormation 39.4 BridgetoIsleLaMotteandTownofIsleLaMotte.
has been thrust westward and now overlies the
41.8 VTRoute129ends;gostraightthroughthisinter
shalesoftheStonyPoint(Osp) andIberville(Oi)
section.
Formations.
43.3 Chazy(Ordovician)limestones, Valcourmember
TheDunhamFormationdocumentsatransgressive
(Omiv),CrownPointmember(Omic),andtheDay
sequenceinthisarea. Dorseyetal. (1983)present
Pointmember(Omid).Portionsoftheselimestones
thefollowingdescription.Alowermemberconsists
arehighlyfossiliferousandareconsideredtoberep
ofastromatoliticdolomicrosparwiththinshalepar
resentativeofsomeoftheoldestlimestonebioher
tings and intermittent sandy dolospar beds. This
mal reefsinthe world.
lowermemberrepresentsperitidalflatdeposition.
43.6 HistoricalSocietymarker; gostraightatthisroad
A middle memberconsists ofmassivelybedded,
intersection.
highlybioturbateddolospar.Horizontalandverti
44.2 Bearright ontodirtroad (pavementends).
calburrowsarepresentasareoccasionalintrafor
mational (rip-up) clasts. This middle member 44.7 SmalloutcropsofCrownPointlimestone(Omic).
represents subtidal shelf deposition. The upper 45.1 Fiskquarryonright(approximatelyone(1)hour
Dunhamisadolomicrosparcontainingchannelled traveltimetothispoint).Gotothesecondentrance
dolomiticquartzites,polymiciticdolomiticbreccias, road ontheright.
shaley dolomites, shales and sporadicallygraded 45.2 SecondentranceroadtoFiskquarryontheright.
bedsofgrayandblackdolomitic siltstone. These Fisk Point on left where old loading docks once
upper beds have been interpreted as representing existed.
depositioninashelf-shelfedge-slopeenvironment.
13.9 Freshwaterwetlands andbirdsanctuary.
STOP1. THEFISK QUARRY, ISLELAMOTTE,
14.5 SandBarStatePark-Causewayconnectingmain
VERMONT
landto SouthHeroIslandinLakeChamplain.
14.6 Onthecauseway,viewtotheleft(south)Adiron HistoryandProduction
dackMountains(inNewYorkState), alargePre
PerhapstheoldestquarryinVermontistheFiskquarry.Itwas
cambrianmassif. firstoperatedin1664forproductionoflime(CaO)byburning
15.9 Quarry (onleft) inStonyPointshale. (Dale, 1914). In 1788 the quarry began producing building
TheStonyPointFormationisthedominantbedrock stone.QuarryblockswereshippedbyboattotheBarneyMarble
intheChamplainIslands.Itconsistsofblack,cal CompanyinSwanton,Vermont.Thefinishedproductwasmar
careousshale.Theshalesarecharacteristicallythin ketedas "Fiskblack"and"Fiskgray".Severalotherquarries
bedded,slickensidedandhighlyfissile. Thin,white haveoperatedoffandonsincethemiddleofthe 19thcentury.
calciteveinsarecommonthroughouttheformation. ThebestknownaretheGoodsell,FleuryandHillquarries.Ver-
T362: 4
montMarbleCompanypurchasedtheFiskandGoodsellquar MacluritesmagnusLesueurisdistinguishedfromothersubspe
ries in 1901. cies by the subtriangular cross-sectional shape of the outer
Production today (1988) comes only from the Goodsell whorl, andthecharacteristic flat baseas seenwhenthe aper
quarry. Currentproductionfiguresindicateanaverage34,000 ture is held facing the observer.
cubicfeetwerequarriedannuallyfrom 1962to 1973 (exclud
ingthenoproductionyearsof1965and1966,andthenorecord STOP2. THE CROWNPOINTREEF (BIOHERM)
yearof1971). Typically about50% ofthetotalvolumequar DEPOSIT, ISLE LAMOTTE, VERMONT,
(fromErwin, 1957).
riedisofmarketablequality.TheGoodsellquarrywaslastactive
in 1987. Quarried blocks in reserve are expected to meet Thedepositformsalowridge,ellipsoidalinoutcropandhas
demands until 1990. anortheast-southwesttrend.Itisabout2300feetlongand1100
Blackmarblefromthesequarriesisusedprimarilyasaninte feetmaximumwidth. Rocksofthebiohermallseemtoplunge
riordecorativestone.IthasbeenusedinbuildingssuchasRadio beneaththe surface.
CityMusicHallinNewYorkCity,TheNationalGalleryofArt Thesurfaceofthebiohermisgenerallyaflat, pavement-like
in Washington, DC, and the Vermont State Capital in Mont surfacewiththestromatoporidsandchanneldepositswelldis
pelier, Vermont. playedinplanview. StromatoceriumlamottenseandStromat
ocerium eatoni are abundant. Nautiloids, gastropods
GeologicSetting (RaphistomaandMaclurites) andafew brachiopodsareother
ThequarryproducesrockfromtheFisk/Goodsellbeds(Bain, common fauna. Fauna ofthe bioherm are also found in the
1934) withinthe Middle Ordovician (Chazyan) CrownPoint Fisk/Goodsellbedsandareconsideredtobecontemporaneous.
limestone. TheFisk/Goodsellhorizonrangesinthicknessfrom
0-40feet. Bedsaremassive, darkblue-blacklimestoneschar STOP3. THE GOODSELL QUARRY, ISLELA
acterizedbymassesofStromatoceriumlamottense. Theweath MOTTE, VERMONT.
ered surface ofthis massive limestone is typically a light to This is abriefstopto seethemostrecently activequarry.
dark-gray color. Rock quarried from these beds produces a ReturntoBurlington,VTbyreturningviaVTRoute129,U.S.
"marble"whichhasabrilliantdark-graytoblacklusterwhen Route2andInterstate1-89.AtInterchange13takeexittoSouth
polished. It is now sold commercially as "French Gray", or Burlingtonand1-189tou.S.Route7SouthtoMiddlebury,VT.
"ChamplainBlack" marble.
Destination: Rutland, VT (70 miles) HowardJohnson Motor
InadditiontoStromatoceriumlamottensethefollowing fos Lodge.
silshavebeenidentifiedasbeingcommonintheFisk/Goodsell
beds (Erwin, 1957): ROAD LOGFORDAYONE.... continued
Orthoceras vagum
Mileage (resetmileage)
Maclurites magnus
Rafinesquinaincrassata 00.0 JunctionofInterstateconnectorhighway,1-189,and
Zygospire acutirostra u.S. Route 7. Turnleft (south) on U.S. Route 7
toward Shelburne, VT.
Abriefdescriptionoftwofossilseasilyfoundandrecognized
inthe Fiskquarry arepresentedbelow (fromWelby, 1962): 04.0 Outcroppingsinroadcutonbothsidesofthehigh
way areWinooskidolomite.
COELENTERATA 04.2 Roadcutonleft(east)exposesMonktonquartzite.
Notethe reddish color.
Stromatoporoidea
04.7 TownofShelburne, VT. ContinuesouthonU.S.
Route 7.
Stromatocerium lamottense Seely
05.4 Famous Shelburnemuseumonthe right (west).
Chazyan (L. Ordovician) rocks ofIsleLaMotte
06.6 Viewtotheleft(east)oftheGreenMountainrange.
CalcareousAlgaeColonies:Consistoflayersofcalciumcar
to The prominent mountain in the centerground is
bonate laminae separatedby short (less than 1mm), vertical
07.8 Camel'sHump,elevation4,083feet. Lookingtothe
(pillar-like)structures.Thecoloniesaremassiveorencrusting,
right(west)acrossLakeChamplainyouwillseethe
ranging from a few inches up to several feet in diameter. In
Adirondack Mountains in New York State. The
cross-section the light-colored laminae stand out, the darker
highestelevationintheAdirondacksisMt. Marcy,
materialbeing alimemudfilling betweenlaminae.
elevation5,344feet.
MOLLUSCA 08.2 DirectlyaheadisJonesHillwithPeaseMtn.beyond
andtotheleft(east). Bothmountains areoutliers
Gastropoda (klippen)ontheupperplateoftheChamplainthrust
fault. Thesefeatures willbediscussed atStop4.
Maclurites magnus Lesueur 08.8 Ontheleft(east)isMonktonFormationthrustover
ThislargegastropodiseasilyrecognizedinChazyanrocks. to shalesoftheIbervilleFormation. Notethehighly
ItoccursdominantlyintheCrownPointlimestone,butisfound 09.4 contortedshales(Iberville)inthelowerplateofthe
occasionally in both the Day Point and Valcour limestones. Champlainthrustfault.
T362: 5
LEGEND
_ ..-!-
high-angle cross-faults
I' U
low-angle thrust faults
, (sawteeth on upper plate)
cm~
Monkton Formation
(upper plate)
Stony Point Formation
Osp
(lower plate)
Iberville Formation
Oib
(lower plate)
Glens Falls Formation
Ogf
(lower plate)
Crown Point Formation
Ocp
(lower plate)
;;r-...
_.~-
(
\
\
FIGURE 1-4Portionofgeologic map (modified from Welby, 1961) showing Mt. Philo and vicinity.
T362: 6
