The Pottsville Formation consists of a gray
conglomerate, fine to coarse grained
sandstone, and is known to contain
limestone,
siltstone and
shale, as well as
anthracite and
bituminous coal. It is considered a classic orogenic
molasse. The formation was first described from a railroad cut south of
Pottsville, Pennsylvania. As a group, the Pottsville may encompass the following formations depending on the state in which it occurs: Connoquenessing Formation, Curwensville Formation, Elliott Park Formation, Gurnee Formation, Hance Formation, Homewood Formation or Homewood Sandstone, Mercer Formation, New River Formation, Olean Conglomerate or Olean Formation, Pocahontas Formation, Schuylkill Formation, Sharon Formation or Sharon Sandstone, Sharp Mountain Formation, Tumbling Run Formation.
Fossils A 1.3-m interval at the base of the Pottsville in the
Broad Top basin in Pennsylvania contains both marine invertebrates and plant fossils of middle Morrowan age. ==Age==