Kittatinny Formation facts for kids

The Kittatinny Formation is a very old type of rock found mostly in New Jersey. It is made of a rock called dolomitic limestone. Geologists study these rocks to learn about Earth's past. This formation is named after the Kittatinny Valley where it is found.

What is the Kittatinny Formation?

The Kittatinny Formation is a large section of rock. It formed a very long time ago, during the Cambrian and Ordovician periods. These periods were part of the Paleozoic Era, which was hundreds of millions of years ago! You can find this rock mostly in the Appalachian Basin, especially in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

It is mainly made of limestone that contains a mineral called dolomite. This rock layer sits on top of an even older rock layer called the Hardyston Quartzite. Above the Kittatinny, you would find the Jacksonburg Limestone.

From Formation to Supergroup

Originally, scientists called this rock layer the "Kittatinny Formation." But in 1980, geologists Drake and Lyttle decided it was much bigger. They renamed it the "Kittatinny Supergroup."

A Supergroup is like a giant collection of different rock layers. It includes several smaller groups and formations. The Kittatinny Supergroup contains:

• The Leithsville Formation
• The Allentown Dolomite
• The Beekmantown Group (which itself includes the Stonehenge Limestone, Rickenbach Dolomite, Epler Formation, and Ontelaunee Formation)

Richard Dalton wrote a more recent study about how these rock layers are arranged.

Water and Minerals in the Kittatinny

The Kittatinny Limestone in New Jersey sometimes holds interesting things. It can contain small amounts of hydrocarbons, which are like natural oil and gas. It also has many different minerals. These include fluorite, sphalerite, arsenopyrite, galena, quartz, and albite.

Most old rocks in this area do not hold much water. But the Kittatinny is special! It is a good aquifer. This means that wells drilled into it can produce a lot of water.

Naming the Kittatinny

The Kittatinny Formation gets its name from the Kittatinny Valley where it is located. This valley runs from Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township southwest toward Chester Township.

It is important to know that the Kittatinny Formation is not connected to Kittatinny Mountain. Kittatinny Mountain is a different geological feature. It is the easternmost ridge of the Appalachian Mountains in New Jersey.

Kittatinny Mountain is made of different rocks. These include the Shawangunk Formation, which is a mix of quartz arenite and quartz-pebble conglomerate. It also contains the Bloomsburg Formation, which has red shale, siltstone, and sandstone.