Pierre Shale

geology

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Article History

Pierre Shale, division of Upper Cretaceous rocks in the United States (the Cretaceous Period lasted from about 146 million to 65.5 million years ago). Named for exposures studied near old Fort Pierre, S.D., the Pierre Shale occurs in South Dakota, Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Nebraska. The Pierre consists of about 600 m (about 2,000 feet) of dark gray shale, some sandstone, and many layers of bentonite (altered volcanic-ash falls that look and feel much like soapy clays). In some regions the Pierre Shale may be as little as 200 m (about 650 feet) thick. Archelon, the Cretaceous sea turtle fossil and largest known turtle species, has been found in the Pierre Shale of South Dakota.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.