The Ancestral Rocky Mountains of Idaho

The Ancestral Rocky Mountains of Idaho was limited to miogeoclinal sedimentation during reactivation of the Antler uplift belt which controlled development of northwestern Ancestral Rocky Mountains uplifts and basins. Three distinct basins developed in Carboniferous and Permian time: The Early and Middle Mississippian Copper Basin in central Idaho, a regional Pennsylvanian to Early Permian Oquirrh-Wood River Basin in central and north central Utah, and Early to Late Permian Phosphoria Basin in eastern Idaho. During basin formation, ocean circulation was restricted by periodically reactivation of the Antler highland.Chapter 1 introduces the tectonic and geologic setting. Chapter 2 presents the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian contact discussion with the paleo-tectonic setting of the Humbolt uplift in Nevada and its relationship to the tectonic influences in Idaho. Underlying, overlying rocks are discussed before addressing the various Pennsylvanian formations present in Idaho. The chapter closes with the depositional history. Chapter 3 offers plate tectonic models for development of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains. Chapter 4 closes the presentation with the Pennsylvanian-Permian Oquirrh-Wood River Basin development and summarizes the Ancestral Rocky Mountain tectonic impacts in Idaho.