Laramie Formation

Laramie Formation
Stratigraphic range: Maastrichtian, 69–68 Ma
A typical outcrop of the Laramie Formation in northeastern Colorado.
TypeGeological formation
UnderliesArapahoe Formation
OverliesFox Hills Formation
Thickness200-400 ft (60-120 m)
Lithology
PrimarySandstone, mudstone, clay, coal[1]
Location
RegionColorado
CountryUnited States
Type section
Named byClarence King[2]

The Laramie Formation is a geologic formation of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) age, named by Clarence King in 1876 for exposures in northeastern Colorado, in the United States.[2] It was deposited on a coastal plain and in coastal swamps that flanked the Western Interior Seaway.[3] It contains coal, clay and uranium deposits, as well as plant and animal fossils, including dinosaur remains.[1]

  1. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey. "Geologic Unit: Laramie". Retrieved 2014-12-27.
  2. ^ a b King, C. 1876. Report of the Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel. U.S.Geographical and Geological Survey.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference SD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).