Are there any basalt formations in or near Rhode Island?

Question

I tried googling, but I can't find a list of generally known formations of basalt. And I would like to find one locally. Thanks ahead :)

Answer 1

Well, maybe a little, but if they have it, it is really old and altered. Below is a link to the geologic map.

Answer 2

10/26/15

I don t know how old this question is, but the answer is, "yes". There is Basalt in Rhode Island. The $6 million dollar question is (really), where is it?
Back in the mid 1970 s a brilliant man named, Alonzo W. Quinn (now deceased) wrote a book entitled, RI Geology for the Non-Geologist. on the front cover of that book was a hand drawn picture which shows a basaltic dike in sandstone.
On page 14 of that book is the actual picture that the hand rendering was made from. It is entitled "Figure 3." and states that it is located "south of Woonsocket".
I don t know where it is located (exactly), but I have been trying to figure it out; and the picture itself shows a very distinguishing clue spray painted on the sandstone of the rock.
I (highly) suspect that the referenced is not the only site of basalt in the state. I think that there may be some in road cut rocks on Route 295 South before exit 3. There are most likely others as well. Basalt is volcanic rock and a when a volcano is spewing magma, it is not very precise about where it lands or goes. So I would suspect that if there is one site of Basalt in RI, there are others as well.

Rhode Islanders know (better than any others) that RI is a "funny" place. If you are looking for something, many will say that they don t know, but some that do know will tell you they don t know simply to protect the item which the know about but don t want many others to know about.

Did you know that there are sites of soapstone (steatite) in RI, as well? Native Indians used to mine it to make bowls from. Most of the sources of soapstone are still around, but surrounded by a fence or buried 10 feet underground in a place that the locality will never let anyone build anything on. Wonder why? That is my point.

Good luck in searching for Basalt. I m looking too......

Answer 3

Basalt, Idaho ID, city profile (Bingham County) - hotels, festivals, genealogy, newspapers - ePodunk
The community was named for Basalt rock formations along the Snake River ...
Basalt – Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock. Extrusive means that it solidified after flowing onto the surface of the earth. Basalt is used in many of the same ways as granite. It is suitable for railroad ballast, for asphalt and road aggregate in highway construction.

Answer 4

I'd love to help...I grew up in RI, but I have no idea what basalt is...