Geology
The bedrock of Broad Top consists of relatively flat-lying Paleozoic sedimentary rocks that are stratigraphically higher, and thus younger than the rocks immediately surrounding the plateau. Mapped formations on the plateau include the Mississippian-Devonian Rockwell Formation, the Mississippian Pocono Formation and Mauch Chunk Formation, and the Pennsylvanian Pottsville Group, Allegheny Formation, and Conemaugh Group.
Although Broad Top lies within the Ridge and Valley Physiographic Province, it is actually more similar to the Allegheny Plateau due to its flat-lying rocks and stratigraphic similarity to rocks there.
Bituminous coal has been mined in the Broad Top area, and the coal field is known as the Broad Top Field. Nearly all of the coal lies within the Allegheny Formation.(PA Geologic Survey Map 11). Abandoned mines exist in the area and acid mine drainage is an environmental problem, where several fishless streams exist as a result of the discharge from the abandoned mines. .
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