1. SALINA GROUP LITHOFACIES IN THE MICHIGAN BASIN: A REVIEW FROM A TO G
W.B. Harrison III, P.J. Voice and A. Caruthers
Michigan Geological Survey
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

2. Introduction
The Salina Group of the Michigan Basin is a complex mix of evaporites (Halite, Sylvite and Anhydrite) interbedded with restricted and evaporitic carbonates and shales.
Newly archived cores at the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education (MGRRE) allow the first detailed observations of the entirety of the Salina Group in Southeastern Michigan.
Salina Group maximum thickness is 3000 feet
Nearly 15,000 feet of core from Salina Group

3. Michigan Salina Group Isopach Map

4. Salina Stratigraphy and Lithology Michigan Basin
Catacosinos et al. (2000)

5. Lower Salina A-1 and A-2 Evaporite Isopach Maps

6. Salina A-0 Carbonate and A-1 Salt – Chapman Drilling-Blair Brydges #1 Newaygo Co. 5060-5070 ft.

7. Upper Salina B-Salt and F-Salt Isopach Maps
B-Salt Isopach
F-Salt Isopach

8. Salina E-Unit Top of Salina E-Unit Detroit River International Bridge
Crossing Well TB-7
Fractured Shaley-
Carbonate filled
with salt. Bedded/
nodular Anhydrite
And minor gray-
green shale

9. Salina F-Salt Coarser crystalline,fluid inclusion-poor
Thick carbonate/anhydrite laminae
Finer crystalline,fluid inclusion-rich
Very thin carbonate/anhydrite laminae
F2-Salt Core
F1-Salt Core

10. Salina Group Type well in Depocenter of the Michigan Basin
Shell-Kielpinski #1-20, P#41133, Bay Co. (1988)
Top of top of
Total Salina Thickness 3010 feet, 800 feet non-salt
G-Shale – 65 feet – all shale, carbonate, minor anhydrite
F-Salt – 1041 feet – 831 feet salt, 210 feet non-salt
E-Unit – 164 feet – 20 feet salt, 144 feet non-salt
D-Salt – 70 feet – 65 feet salt, 5 feet non-salt
C-Shale – 135 feet – all shale, carbonate, minor anhydrite
B-Salt – 517 feet – 475 feet salt, 42 feet non-salt
A-2 Carbonate – 109 feet – carbonate and anhydrite
A-2 Salt – 432 feet – all salt
A-1 Carbonate – 54 feet – carbonate and anhydrite
A-1 Salt – 423 feet – 193 feet salt, 230 feet sylvinite

11. Lower Salina Temporal Assignment
In general, critters don’t like hanging around in the harsh (extreme!) conditions of an evaporite basin

12. Our Approach to Salina Group Stratigraphy and Age Determination
Depositional environments, lithostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy determined from cores and wireline logs
Chronostratigraphy determined by correlation to global curve (Cramer, et al., 2011) by sampling cores for inorganic δC13 and organic δC13

13. Silurian Chronostratigraphy – Cramer, et al., 2011
seven events:

14. Michigan Basin Niagaran/Salina Biostratigraphy-Chronostratigraphy
Carbon Isotope
Conodont from Kuglitsch, 2015
unpublished data
Salina A-1 Carb and
A-2 Salt
Salina A-0 Carb and
A-2 Salt
Conodont data at base of Brown Niag
Brown Niagaran and
Gray Niagaran
K.walliseri
Conodont data at base of Gray Niag
O. sagitta rhenana
Wenlock-Ludlow and
Niagaran-Cayugan
Boundary
Base of Salina coincides with base of Lower Mulde Event
Base of Gray Niagaran is in the
of Ireviken Event

15. Carbon Isotope Curve for Michigan Basin Niagaran and Lower Salina
Onset of the Mulde Event is closely tied to changes in eustatic sea level
Sea level curves from Ross and Ross (1996) and Rine (2015);
Inorganic carbon isotope data is from Cercone (1984)

16. Conclusions
The Salina Group of the Michigan Basin contains up to 3000 feet of mixed evaporites, carbonates and minor shale
Lack of fossils for biostratigraphy has prevented accurate age determination of interval
Application of Carbon Isotope chronostratigraphy has shown promise in both carbonates (inorganic C12/13) and evaporites (organic C12/13)