Missouri’s Geology
Missouri is home to a wide variety of geological history as well as treasure which can be found throughout the state. From its wonderful variety of caves to the rock columns in the state parks of the south as well as the mines. The soil is as rich in diversity as the plant and animal life, from the north to the south as well as the east to the west. It can be dated back as far as before there was life on this planet and at one time even had an ocean over it. It is truly amazing what one can find as they begin to dig in the dirt.
Missouri’s geological columns are more prevalent in the Southern area of the state where we find more of the igneous rocks left from volcanic activity during the pre-crustaceous period. They create a …show more content…
They are remarkably unaltered and were formed by some of the most violent volcanic eruptions known on the earth. Igneous rocks are the basis of all rocks formed from magma deep in the earth and cooled close to the earth’s surface. They have created some of the most unique scenery in the Missouri State Parks; such as Johnson’s Shut-In’s, Elephant Rock or the Mountains around St. Francois. About 1.4 Billion years ago Missouri was a landscape dominated by volcanic calderas some of those measured 15 miles in diameter. They closely resemble the caldera of Yellowstone which is dormant today and do not erupt from one main vent but instead erupts lava from multiple vents in a series of smaller eruptions. Sometimes the pressure can build up forming a crater, miles in diameter. The higher the silica content the more viscous or thick the lava. Rhyolite calderas produce the most violent eruptions of any type of volcano on earth. This is evident in the mountain area of St. Francois with the rhyolite and igneous rock layers. This area is today still a major producer of iron and
Missouri is home to a wide variety of geological history as well as treasure which can be found throughout the state. From its wonderful variety of caves to the rock columns in the state parks of the south as well as the mines. The soil is as rich in diversity as the plant and animal life, from the north to the south as well as the east to the west. It can be dated back as far as before there was life on this planet and at one time even had an ocean over it. It is truly amazing what one can find as they begin to dig in the dirt.
Missouri’s geological columns are more prevalent in the Southern area of the state where we find more of the igneous rocks left from volcanic activity during the pre-crustaceous period. They create a …show more content…
They are remarkably unaltered and were formed by some of the most violent volcanic eruptions known on the earth. Igneous rocks are the basis of all rocks formed from magma deep in the earth and cooled close to the earth’s surface. They have created some of the most unique scenery in the Missouri State Parks; such as Johnson’s Shut-In’s, Elephant Rock or the Mountains around St. Francois. About 1.4 Billion years ago Missouri was a landscape dominated by volcanic calderas some of those measured 15 miles in diameter. They closely resemble the caldera of Yellowstone which is dormant today and do not erupt from one main vent but instead erupts lava from multiple vents in a series of smaller eruptions. Sometimes the pressure can build up forming a crater, miles in diameter. The higher the silica content the more viscous or thick the lava. Rhyolite calderas produce the most violent eruptions of any type of volcano on earth. This is evident in the mountain area of St. Francois with the rhyolite and igneous rock layers. This area is today still a major producer of iron and