Day 3 of our #EarthScienceWeek was great! The Utah Geological Survey hosts hands-on activities for school groups during October. Here, students learn a little gold panning history, and pan for some mineral treasures themselves! While no gold was included in the panning station, kids found pyrite, magnetite, fluorite, malachite (a copper bearing rock), and some azurite (a copper bearing rock)!
We had a great second day at our #EarthScienceWeek! The Utah Geological Survey hosts hands-on activities for school groups during October. Check out our Stream Station as students learn about soil erosion.
Mo
unt Nebo and the southern Wasatch Range, Juab County, Utah
Photographer: Adam McKean; © 2013
Tuesday, October 7, 2014, 6:00 PM
Utah Department of Natural Resources Auditorium,
1594 West North Temple (enter on south side)
Joint Evening Meeting with Association of Environmental Geologists (AEG), Utah Geological Association (UGA), Utah Geological Survey (UGS)
“Geologic Remapping of the Warm Springs Fault”
presented by Adam McKean, Mapping Geologist with the UGS
The Warm Springs fault of the Wasatch fault zone is a down-to-the-west normal fault, bounding the western portion of the Salt Lake salient. Recent geologic remapping of the Salt Lake City North 7.5-minute quadrangle has provided us an opportunity to revisit the Warm Springs fault and its place within Salt Lake and Davis Counties. A draft map of the quadrangle and evidences for the Warm Springs fault location will be presented at the meeting with opportunities for open discussion, questions, and feedback. We invite the geologic and geologic engineering community and interested parties to attend the event and take part in this public comment period.
Good morning, everyone! At the request of NASA, Tom Chidsey (geologist for the UGS) supplied a list of Utah-related names for use during the current operations of the Mars Curiosity rover mission. As the rover begins its journey up the slopes of Mt. Sharp, NASA scientists are starting to use names from the Utah list to reference specific Martian rock outcrops. Names like Upheaval Dome and Shinarump have already been used. Follow THIS LINK to see amazing photos and commentary. Out of this world!
San Rafael Swell, Emery County, Utah
Photographer: Robert Ressetar; © 2013
Window Blind Peak rises to an elevation of 7,030 feet in the interior of the San Rafael Swell. The resistant Triassic to Jurassic-age Wingate and Navajo Sandstones form, respectively, the massive lower cliffs and the upper pinnacle.
A small team of our geologists have been working in Snake Valley to determine future effects the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s proposal to tap Snake Valley aquifers could have on ranchers and fragile desert ecosystems. Check out this Salt Lake Tribune article for more information on the matter.
sltrib.com
For years, Snake Valley ranchers and environmentalists have complained Las Vegas’ designs on rural groundwater would wreck their livelihoods and dry up fragile desert ecosystems in Utah’s West Desert.
This video was taken by Don DeBlieux when the UGS paleontology team left the excavation site and headed home. Jim Kirkland and Scott Madsen were with him.
Don DeBlieux: “This was shot yesterday around 12:30 p.m. as we were trying to leave our Stike’s Dinosaur excavation. Our usual way out was blocked by a large mud hole from the previous day/night rain, so we tried the only other way through Yellow Cat flat. Things were looking nice and dry until we got to Yellow Cat Wash that drains a large area of the Book Cliffs. We figured this would subside and would be a better bet than the mud hole. We had to wait about 3 hours until we felt confident that we could get through safely!”
Fall is here! Utah is just stunning in the fall, and the colors compliment our geology so well! Where is your favorite Utah fall destination found?
White Rock Bay, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Photographer: Adam McKean; © 2013
The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) is a division of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Several specialized programs comprise the UGS: Data Management, Energy & Minerals, Geologic Hazards, Geologic Information & Outreach, Geologic Mapping, Groundwater & Wetlands, and Paleontology.
1594 West North Temple, Suite 3110
Salt Lake City, Utah 84116
801-537-3300 (phone)
801-537-3400 (fax)
Mailing Address:
PO BOX 146100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
Monday through Friday,
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
