GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE INDIAN MOUNTAIN, BORDEN SPRINGS, OAK LEVEL, CEDARTOWN WEST, BENEDICT, TALLAPOOSA NORTH, FELTON, AND BUCHANON 7.5-MINUTE QUADRANGLES, ALABAMA-GEORGIA

Many workers have studied the stratigraphic and structural framework of the Indian Mountain, Rock Run, Borden Springs, and Oak Level area in Georgia and Alabama. Detailed geologic mapping of twenty-two 7.5-minute quadrangles in the Valley and Ridge and Blue Ridge provinces, from Cartersville, GA to west of Borden Springs, AL resulted in development of consistent field criteria which allowed the systematic identification and correlation of similar lithologies that belong to different stratigraphic units. These criteria were used to develop a new stratigraphic framework and new structural paradigm for the region.

In this new structural framework, several previously unrecognized faults have been mapped including the Cave Spring, Oremont Station, Mountain Spring Church, and Camp Creek Church faults. Additionally, within the Indian Mountain tract, the Borden Springs, Beecham Lake, Augusta Mine, and Davis Mountain faults comprise the Indian Mountain imbricate fan. On the east side of Indian Mountain, the Borden Springs and Beecham Lake faults merge into the Tecumseh Furnace Lateral Ramp (TFLR). Regional faults include the Coosa Fault, Indian Mountain Fault, and Emerson-Talladega Fault. Major oblique-slip faults include the Providence Church Fault (Cloud, 1967), Mountain Spring Church and Oremont Station faults (Crawford and Kath, 2016) and Cave Spring fault (Watson, 1904; Cressler, 1970). The Mountain Spring Church and Oremont Station faults translate to the southwest and become dominantly dip-slip reverse faults. The Cave Spring fault dies out in a broad area underlain by the Knox Group (Watson, 1904).

Bedding and cleavage are well preserved in the Chilhowee on the Indian Mountain and Borden Springs quadrangles. Based on facing criteria, including cross bedding, channel structures, current ripples, flaser bedding, and Skolithus burrows, all bedding measurements are upright. Rocks of the Talladega Group southeast of the Emerson-Talladega Fault have a similar orientation to bedding measured in the Chilhowee Group rocks. The contact between the Chilhowee and Knox groups are related to the TFLR. Similar to the frontal Indian Mountain thrust, which ramps up section cutting across the lower Cambrian through Devonian stratigraphy, the TFLR juxtaposes lower Cambrian stratigraphy against the Knox Group.