Virgin Anticline and Quail Creek State Park, Utah

The Virgin Anticline is a spectacular geological feature in Utah, between St George, Washington and Hurricane.

The whole areas is a crazy assortment of Geological features and minerals. The The Geology of Quail Creek State Park (pdf) and simlar but more detailed Geological Road Guide To Quail Creek State Park, Washington County, Utah (pdf) explains the Geology of the area and gives instructions on how to visit the Saint George area.

Features:
• Silver Sandstone
• Mollies Nipples
• Pine Valley Mountains and Devils Tower - Laccoliths
• My precious...Red Beryl




The Domes, Mesas, Buttes and Qollas

Some of the domes and hillocks & knolls & the odd Nipple (Qollas?) include Washington Dome, Harrisburg Dome, Bloomington dome, Punchbowl Dome, Beehive Dome, White Dome, Shinob Kibe and Mollies Nipple


Shinob Kibe



Shinob Kibe Butte is a spectacular outcrop that has the markings of a Qolla. Shinob Kibe as well as the name for an Indian God is part of the Geocaching.com scene with the Shinob Kibe Mesa Geocache hidden on its top by Astounding (great site and photos).


Mollie has 5 or 7 Nipples?



"There are five separate geographic landmarks in the state of Utah sharing the name Mollie's Nipple, and two with the name Molly's Nipple, according to a quick search of the U.S. Geological Survey database" geocaching.com (Mollie's Nipple Cache in Hurricane)

Article and photos from the person who stashed the Mollie's Nipple Geocache




Silver Sandstone, Red Emeralds and Purgatory Sandstone

Silver Reef - Silver Sandstone - and old time Jerkies



Yes, Silver Sandstone, lots of silver - over 8 million ounces - as well as copper, gold, and uranium in the area but especially found at Silver Reef.

In 1866, while traveling through the Harrisburg area, an itinerant prospector discovered high-grade silver ore in sandstone. The mineral occurrence - oregrade silver in sandstone - was so unusual that he doubted his own findings and moved on to the silver boom town of White Pine, Nevada. The Geology of Quail Creek State Park pdf

This remarkable and well-known district lies about 320 miles south of Salt Lake City, in Washington County, near the Arizona border of the territory. It is now reached by the Utah Southern Railroad and its extension, and the last 100 miles are run by stages. These vehicles are called "jerkies" in the West, which name conveys a good idea of the comfort they afford, and the relief experienced when you alight. Arriving at Silver Reef, the main amp of the district, one sees at once that he stands where once a surging sen had its domain, marked now by heavy sandstone deposits of a red and white color. The town itself, a neat, clean, and orderly mining town, is encircled on the north by trachyte and granite mountains, skirting to the west. They are cut through in places by deep gorges... The Silver Sandstone District of Utah - Rolker, Charles M.

Silver Reef near St. George--an unusual place to find silver since it does not ordinarily occur in sandstone. - Silver in the Beehive State

The finding or a mixture of precious metals and Uranium, combined with an amazing assortment of Geological topography is an EU marker. How do all these minerals and physical variance appear in the same area? How come some things are eroded away but others are not? Those that are left look like they were actually created where they stand. Although outstanding they still fit into the landscape.

Purgatory Flats and Purgatory Sandstone

The story behind the great sounding names tells of harsh but restrained Mormon Pioneer times. Ranger Bart Anderson imparts a bit of local history.

Mormon pioneers in the 1860s, Bart told me, had a really bad time at what became known as Purgatory Flats. The topography forced pioneers to bring their wagons across this hot, hot flat. It didn't have good water. "They didn't want to face it,' Bart says. 'It was dreaded by the pioneers. It was hellish."
Those Mormon pioneers were upstanding folk who didn't believe in using swear words. "They would've named it 'Hell Flats,'" Bart surmises, "but they couldn't swear." Purgatory was the next worst thing. National Public Radio . org




My Precious...Red Beryl (Bixbite or Red Emerald)

Red Beryl (red emerald or bixbite) is one of the rarest of precious Gemstones both in numbers and locations. It is found (so far) only in Utah and New Mexico. Like most Gemstones they are found near the surface.

Why are Gemstones found on the surface or just below, why do they have inclusions and why are certain types found in small cavities and can be covered in a black coating?
Further Discussion article on Red Beryl




Pine Valley Mountains - Laccolith



Pine Valley Mountains are a Laccolith, one of the largest. Utah has other large Laccolith including the Henry Mountains. Laccolith are extremely interesting but a real puzzle to Geologists. They are supposedly formed by an intrusion of one type of rock into another.

Devils Tower, Wyoming - Laccolith



Another example of a Laccolith is Devils Tower in Wyoming.
Further Discussion article on Laccoliths




Lightning never strikes twice?



The Grand Canyon is an EDM event on a Grand scale. It looks like a lightning strike because it was caused in the same way. What Don't You See?

How was all this incredible Geology formed? Erosion the removal of everything is touted as the likely candidate. Is it normal tht something that slowly washes and wears away stuff is responsible for all of this? How were all the mineral found mixed together formed. Geology says that they were formed at many different times (millions of years) and locations. Created on different types of the same world. gEUlogy says that most of these were created at around the same time as whatever forces created the amazing landscape.