The Texas Panhandle traditionally has been an important source of mineral resources, especially petroleum, and resources will continue to contribute heavily to the economy of the area. The seven cross sections of this report synthesize the subsurface geology of the region.

Regional cross sections of Middle and Upper Permian rocks in the Texas Panhandle illustrate the lithology, depositional systems, and structure of these salt-bearing strata.

Geologic map that depicts the surface geology of Cochran and Hockley Counties and parts of Bailey, Lamb, Yoakum, Terry, Hale, Lubbock, and Lynn Counties.

Geologic map that depicts surface geology of Swisher, Briscoe, Hall, and Childress Counties and parts of Randall, Armstrong, Donley, Collingsworth, Hale, Floyd, Motley, and Cottle Counties.

Integrated, detailed, and comprehensive study of the physical stratigraphy, tectonic history, hydrogeology, geomorphology, and resource potential of the Palo Duro and Dalhart Basins, Texas Panhandle, is part of a national evaluation of ancient salt basins as potential sites for isolation and mana

Since early 1977, the Bureau of Economic Geology has been evaluating several salt-bearing basins within the State of Texas as part of the national nuclear repository program.

Pennsylvanian clastic and carbonate strata were deposited in a variety of environments within the Palo Duro Basin. Maximum accumulation (totaling 750 m or 2,400 ft) occurred along a northwest-southeast axis.

The Red Cave Formation (Permian, Leonard Series) in the Texas Panhandle consists of cyclic, red-bed clastic and carbonate-evaporite members that reflect deposition in extensive coastal sabkhas.

Samples collected from 20 geographically widespread wells in the sparsely drilled Palo Duro Basin were analyzed for total organic carbon content (TOC). Highest values of TOC, up to 6.9 percent, occur in Upper Permian San Andres dolomite in the southern part of the basin.