The Gilbert Shale of Hennen

 

The Gilbert Shale of Hennen is a geologic formation in the New River Group of West Virginia. It is named after Wyoming County, where it was first described. The Gilbert Shale is a marine shale that is present in Pocahontas County and occurs between the Gilbert Coal and the overlying Lower Gilbert Sandstone, or Gilbert "A" Coal when present. At the head of Lost Run of Cranberry River, it occupies the interval between these two coals and has a thickness of 20 feet.

The Gilbert Shale is composed of dark gray to black shale with interbedded beds of siltstone and limestone. It contains a variety of marine fossils, including brachiopods, crinoids, bryozoans, and gastropods. These fossils indicate that the Gilbert Shale was deposited in a shallow sea during the Pennsylvanian Period, about 320 million years ago.

The Gilbert Shale is an important economic resource in West Virginia. It is mined for use as a road aggregate, railroad ballast, and fill material. It is also used in the manufacture of cement and brick.

Here is a summary of the key points about the Gilbert Shale of Hennen:

• It is a marine shale that is present in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
• It occurs between the Gilbert Coal and the overlying Lower Gilbert Sandstone, or Gilbert "A" Coal when present.
• It is composed of dark gray to black shale with interbedded beds of siltstone and limestone.
• It contains a variety of marine fossils, indicating that it was deposited in a shallow sea during the Pennsylvanian Period.
• It is an important economic resource in West Virginia, mined for use as a road aggregate, railroad ballast, and fill material.

• The term "Gilbert Shale of Hennen" refers to a geologic formation in the New River Group of West Virginia. It is a marine shale that is present in Pocahontas County and occurs between the Gilbert Coal and the overlying Lower Gilbert Sandstone, or Gilbert "A" Coal when present. The Gilbert Shale of Hennen was first described by Ray V. Hennen, a West Virginia state geologist, in 1914.

  The Gilbert Shale of Hennen is named after Wyoming County, West Virginia, where it was first described. It is a relatively thin formation, with a thickness of about 20 feet. The shale is typically dark gray to black in color and contains a variety of marine fossils, including brachiopods, crinoids, bryozoans, and gastropods. These fossils indicate that the Gilbert Shale of Hennen was deposited in a shallow sea during the Pennsylvanian Period, about 320 million years ago.

  The Gilbert Shale of Hennen is an important economic resource in West Virginia. It is mined for use as a road aggregate, railroad ballast, and fill material. It is also used in the manufacture of cement and brick.

  Here is a diagram of the stratigraphic column for the New River Group, showing the position of the Gilbert Shale of Hennen:

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  New River Group stratigraphic column

  The Gilbert Shale of Hennen is located between the Gilbert Coal and the Lower Gilbert Sandstone. It is overlain by the Gilbert "A" Coal when present.

  The Gilbert Shale of Hennen is a valuable geologic resource that provides insights into the environmental conditions of the Pennsylvanian Period in West Virginia. It is also an important economic resource that is used in a variety of industrial applications.