A Structural

Synthesis of the
Bree Creek
Quadrangle

Name : ----------
Course: Structural Geology
Date: ------------
 Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to examine the Bree Creek Quadrangle in greater depth

and to help me analyze various aspects of structural geology. In the Bree Creek

Quadrangle there were three main faults which included the Mirkwood fault, Bree Creek

fault and Gollum Ridge fault. The Rock layers a part of this report had different geologic

time scales which were Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Mississippian, Cretaceous and

the tertiary which was made up of the Paleocene, Eocene,Miocene and Pliocene. It was

seen that there were a few unconformities. Additionally it could also be concluded that

their was faulting and faulting and folding which caused deformation.

Table of Contents
Introduction

Stratigraphy

Folds

Synoptic Diagram

Faults

Orientation of principal stresses

Discussion

Summary

References

Introduction
The Bree Creek quadrangle had many geologic events from oldest to youngest. It all

started with the deposition of Paleozoic rocks. There was the folding of the paleozoic

rocks about the east- west axes and folding of the paleozoic rocks about the north south

axes. Their was intrusion of the cretaceous granodiorite. Additionally the exposing of the

granodiorite was due to uplift and erosion and folded paleozoic rocks. Next their was the

deposition of paleocene to eocene rocks. The eocene rocks had folding about the north

and south axes which was probably contemporaneous with thrusting along the

Mirkwood fault. There was then uplift and erosion of the rocks followed by deposition of

Miocene rocks. There was normal faulting on the bree creek fault and gollum ridge fault

whereas on the mirkwood fault had a reverse fault and regional northward tilting over

the faulting areas. Moreover there was the complete removal of miocene rocks in

vicinity of Gandalf’s Knob. Lastly deposition of Pliocene unit and tilting to the north.

Stratigraphy
The Faulting and folding causes deformation in rock layers and therefore causes

stratigraphy. At the Bree Creek Quadrangle I realised that there were a few

unconformities (Refer to Problem 3.5). There was one between Tg and Tdd, Thd and

Tr and Te and kdt. Kdt is also and intrusive feature on the map. Te had the largest area

on the northern and southwestern area on the map and Kdt which intruded had the

largest area on the southeastern section. In the stratigraphic column it can be seen that

Te is 4430 ft whereas Tts is 2530 ft. Thd is 376 ft followed by an unconformity which

means their is missing time on the map and then comes Tr 410 ft. Tg follows with 100

ft, Tdd 187 ft, Tmm 460 and Tm 441 ft. Tb which is located between the two largest

areas is 630 ft. Lastly their is Kdt which is 1056 and joined onto kdt are the irregular

plutonic units such as Mr, Dlm, Omt and Omd.

Folds(Problem 7.2)
There are two folds on the NE fault block, a syncline and the corresponding anticline as

seen by the removal of the other rocks and looking at Tb. The plunge and trend of the Pi

axis is 23°NE, 016°. The attitude of the axial surface is 30°NE, 009°. °. Both folds are

asymmetrical and non cylindrical and are class 2 parallel. The age of the folding is late

Eocene, early Miocene.

Central Fault Block:

The central fault block has a syncline and the plunge and trend of the Pi axis is 09°NE,

010°. The attitude of the axial surface is 55°NE, 029°. The symmetry is asymmetrical

and non cylindrical with a class 2 parallel fold. The age of the folding is late Eocene,

early Miocene.

The Nw fault block has a syncline and a corresponding anticline. The plunge and trend

of the Pi axis is 12°NE, 011°. The attitude of the axial surface is 25°NE, 160°. Both folds

are asymmetrical and cylindrical and the isogons are convergent. The age of the folding

is late Eocene, early Miocene.

There are two distinct generations of folding in the Southeast fault block. The first

folding event has an attitude of 080°, 10° SW on the fold axis, and an attitude of 220°,

35° NW on the axial surface. It is symmetrical, and has isogons that are class 1A. The

age of the folding is between the Mississippian and the Cretaceous. The interference

pattern is type 3. The second folding event has an attitude of 245°, 30°SE on the fold

axis, and an attitude of 220°, 50° SE on the axial surface. It is symmetrical and is class
as 1C. The age of the folding is between the Mississippian and the Cretaceous. The

interference pattern is Type 3.

The rocks in the Bree Creek Quadrangle were folded twice. After the Mississippian, and

before the Cretaceous they were folded in a general East-West direction. There are F1

fold axes plunge gently to the west–southwest and north–northeast; axial surfaces are

inclined to subhorizontal (recumbent folds). Folds are symmetric. Fold class is type 2 .

Folding is post-Mississippian but pre-Cretaceous. The Mr cuts the folds. F2fold axes

plunge gently to the south; axial surfaces are moderately inclined to the west. Folds are

asymmetric. Fold class is type 1B . Folding is post-Eocene but pre-Miocene.

Faults

Mirkwood fault

The mirkwood fault can be be described as a reverse fault. The north has a normal fault

whilst the south is a reverse fault with minor normal reactivation post Tr. The southern
region altitude is N 20 E, 35 W while the Northern region has an altitude of N16 E, 45

W. The strike and dip separation is 1000 ft and 200 ft respectively. The age is post-

miocene and pre- pliocene.

Bree Creek Fault

The Bree Creek Fault has a normal slip fault with an altitude of N 3 E, 90 S and the

northeastern region has an altitude of N 41 E, 80 NW. Their is preservation of tertiary

strata in hanging walls which suggests a component of normal slip. The intersection of

Bree Creek Fault and Gollum Ridge Fault has an attitude of N 26 E, 80NW. The strike

and dip were measured to be 400 ft and 17 200 ft respectively. The age of this fault is

post cretaceous.

Gollum Ridge Fault

The Gollum Ridge Fault can be described as a normal fault because of the hanging

wall. The southern area has an attitude of 0, 75 W while the northern area has an

attitude of N 5 W, 75 W. The strike and dip separation is 2200 ft and 14 475 ft

respectively. The age of movement on the fault is post miocene.

North Bree creek fault

The north Bree creek has a normal separation, true normal slip because tertiary section

preserved in hanging wall rocks therefore has a normal slip fault. The altitude is N 21 E

to N 45 E , 80 NW. The strike and dip separation is 5800 m. The age of the fault is post

miocene.

The post Rohan, pre helm’s deep tilting the northeast fault block is 002, 08 SE.

(Problem 5.11)
 Orientation and Principal Stress

In the southeastern portion of the Bree Creek Fault there was compression in the north

and south direction then compression in the east and west in the same area. This

formed parasitic folds in the southeastern block of the Bree Creek Quadrangle. The

movement occured in the Cretaceous (post kdt) and it is a normal fault. The ϑ 1 runs up
and down, ϑ2 runs north to south and ϑ3 runs east to west. The compressional east to

west movement of the Mirkwood Fault occurred next. The movement occured in the

Miocene. This movement is older than the Gollum Ridge Fault movement because Tdd

is the youngest rock affected by faulting. The principal stresses of the fault are ϑ1 which

runs up and down which runs from north to south and ϑ3 which east to west. The

Gollum Ridge fault extensional movement is Miocene and it is the youngest because

the youngest rock found affected by faulting was Tg. the principal stresses of this fault

are ϑ1 which runs up and down, ϑ2 which runs from north to south and ϑ3 which runs east

to west.

Discussion

The maps illustrates the Bree Creek Quadrangle and various formation and the events

which led to the faults and folds that are evidently seen across the map region. The

area in the Northeastern Section of the Bree Creek Quadrangle and the formation

involved is the Bree Conglomerate. The Paleogene units of the Bree Creek

Quadrangle were examined seen to be folded and then eroded nearly Horizontal.
Faulting can occur before folding and folding can occur before folding. This can be

seen the Bree Creek Quadrangle. where faulting occurred before folding in the

Northeast and folding occurred before faulting in the Southeast.

The folded section had not been rotated by faulting.

Sedimentation, erosion, intrusion and metamorphism can all be related to structural

events. The erosion feature Fenster was noted on the map. This enables us to see the

younger rock formations with the older rock formations. Additionally, erosion was also

seen as stated by Dr. Price. Kdt (Granodiorite) intrude various layers of rocks. More

over, Cataclastic metamorphism occurs when the grinding of rocks shift pass one

another along a fault zone.

The stress orientation changed in the Bree Creek due to normal fault movement in the

Northeastern area and strike-slip movement in the South which results in the different

fault orientations.
 Summary

In conclusion the Bree Creek quadrangle had many geologic events examined from

oldest to youngest. It all started with the deposition of Paleozoic rocks. There was the

folding of the paleozoic rocks about the east- west axes and folding of the paleozoic

rocks about the north south axes. Their was intrusion of the cretaceous granodiorite.

Additionally the exposing of the granodiorite was due to uplift and erosion and folded

paleozoic rocks. Next their was the deposition of paleocene to eocene rocks. The

eocene rocks had folding about the north and south axes which was probably

contemporaneous with thrusting along the Mirkwood fault. There was then uplift and

erosion of the rocks followed by deposition of Miocene rocks. There was normal faulting
on all faults and regional northward tilting. Moreover there was the complete removal of

miocene rocks in vicinity of Gandalf’s Knob. Lastly deposition of Pliocene unit and tilting

to the north. Over the map there were different folds which included anticline and

syncline. It could be said that faulting and folding causes deformation.

References

Cockett Rowan. “Visible Geology.” Online stereonet program-

http://app.visiblegeology.com/stereonet.html

“1-11.” Structural Analysis and Synthesis: a Laboratory Course in

Structural Geology, by Stehen M. Rowland et al., 3rd ed., Blackwell,

2007, pp. 1–98.

Dr. Price, Professor at Midwestern State University