Geology of Minnesota: A Centennial Volume

Abstract

It seems appropriate on the 100th anniversary of the Minnesota Geological Survey and the Department of Geology and Geophysics of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, to summarize our current knowledge of the geology of the State of Minnesota. Summations of the geology of the Precambrian rocks, which have been the object of the greater part of geologic research in the state over the years, were made in 1951 by F. F. Grout, G. M. Schwartz, J. W. Gruner, and G. A. Thiel and later, in 1961, by S. S. Goldich and colleagues. Not since 1901, however, when the Final Report of the Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota was published by N. H. Winchell, has a review been undertaken of all aspects of the geology. The text of this report was written by persons actively engaged in the geologic and geochronologic studies in the state during the past decade. The specific individuals who had done the work were asked to write sections for which they had firsthand knowledge. The task of filling in the gaps was assumed by the editors. The text is organized in the format of a historical geology text. In this way. the geology can be described with respect to units that have comparable age and geologic history. Although an attempt is made to cover all significant aspects of the geology of the state, the coverage is unequal as will be evident upon perusal of the text. The progress that has been made in recent years in the knowledge of the geology of Minnesota largely was made possible by steadily increasing levels of funding by the Minnesota State Legislature.