Conglomerate Bluffs EarthCache
Hidden : 12/20/2010
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:


Conglomerate Bluffs

Nestled within the confines of Fulton, you’ll find a neat walkway. On this walkway you’ll encounter bluffs of a most unusual kind, perhaps constructed in a way you have never seen before. Slow down and take the time to examine this most uncommon geological feature.

These bluffs, which border Stinson Creek, are not your standard bluffs. They are composed of chert conglomerate (cemented gravel) and sandstone cemented with iron oxide. The material is of the Graydon Formation of the Pennsylvanian age, a time period that ended about 286 million years ago.

Conglomerates are sedimentary rocks that consist of smaller, rounded fragments of varying sizes that are cemented together with a much finer-grained material. It is similar to another rock called breccia. It is, however, unlike breccia in that the pebbles are round, as opposed to breccia's fragmented, sharp pebbles.

How do conglomerates form? Conglomerates form where a sediment of rounded stones at least two millimeters in diameter accumulates. It takes a strong water current to transport particles this large. As a result, the environment of deposition might be along a swiftly flowing stream or a beach with strong waves. There must also be a source of large-size sediment particles somewhere up current from the deposition area. The rounded shape of the stones reveal that they were tumbled by running water or moving waves.

Conglomerate has very few commercial uses. Its inability to break cleanly makes it a poor candidate for dimension stone and its variable composition makes it a rock of unreliable physical strength and durability. Conglomerate can be crushed to make a fine aggregate that can be used where a low-performance material is suitable. Many conglomerates are colorful and attractive rocks that are often used as an ornamental stone for interior use.

SOURCE: Geologic Wonders and Curiosities by Thomas R. Beveridge,
Second Edition, revised by Jerry D. Vineyard, 392 p., 163 figs., app., 1991.




To get credit for this EarthCache, go to the posted coordinates and answer the following questions. Please email them to me through my profile.

Any logs that do not follow these requirements will be deleted.


1. Approximately how tall do you think the bluff in front of you is? How wide do you think it is at its narrowest point?

2. Of what materials is conglomerate composed?

3. Directly across from this bluff there is a bench. In memory of whom is the bench dedicated?

4. What is the elevation at the posted coordinates?

5. While completely optional and not required, it would be nice to post a photo of yourself with the bluffs behind you.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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