Pg. 33, 37, 207, and pl. XLA. Hance formation of Pottsville group. Mainly shale, some sandstone, and coal; 600 feet thick; underlying Mingo formation and overlying Lee sandstone in Cumberland Gap coal field. Top defined by base of Lower Hance coal; base defined by top of Lee sandstone. Correlated with lower part of Sewell formation. Age is Pennsylvanian.
[Named from Hance Ridge, Bell Co., southeastern KY. Extends into northeastern TN.]

Source: US geologic names lexicon (USGS Bull. 896, p. 905).

Pg. 55, 57, 65-68, 141. Hance formation of Pottsville group. Includes strata below Lower Hance coal (Mingo formation) and above Naese sandstone (Lee formation); approximately correlated with Briceville formation (Tennessee). [Age is Pennsylvanian.]

Source: US geologic names lexicon (USGS Bull. 1200, p. 1660-1661).

The USGS currently [ca. 1960] classifies the Hance as a formation in the Breathitt Group on the basis of a study now in progress. [See K.J. Englund and others, 1961, USGS Geol. Quad. Map GQ-172, 1 sheet, scale 1:24,000 (http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_620.htm); K.J. Englund and others, 1963, USGS Bull. 1142-B (http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_20876.htm).] The USGS does not use the term Pottsville Group in Kentucky. Age is Pennsylvanian.

Source: US geologic names lexicon (USGS Bull. 1200, p. 1660-1661).

Hance Formation of Breathitt Group reduced in rank to Hance Member of Breathitt Formation in eastern Kentucky and adjoining parts of Tennessee northwest of Pine Mountain fault. Age changed to Early and Middle Pennsylvanian in this area. Hance Formation of Middle Pennsylvanian age in good standing elsewhere.

Source: Changes in stratigraphic nomenclature, 1966 (USGS Bull. 1254-A, p. A10).

Hance Formation of Breathitt Group. Ivydell Sandstone Member adopted as member of Hance Formation in Tennessee. Age is Middle Pennsylvanian.

Source: Changes in stratigraphic nomenclature, 1968 (USGS Bull. 1294-A, p. A10).

[See p. A35-A37, A43 (fig. 9). †Hance Formation of Breathitt Group. The Hance, basal formation of Breathitt Group, along Pine Mountain Fault, in southeasternmost Kentucky, and bordering area of Tennessee and Virginia, is not formally abandoned herein but its use is clearly discontinued; it is not distinguishable on basis of lithic character and cannot be traced laterally with consistency. As originally defined, it extended from top of Lee Formation to bottom of the Lower Hance coal. Due to discontinuous nature of these bounding units, the base has been arbitrarily placed at various stratigraphic levels within a 250-foot interval between top of Naese Sandstone Member and top of Bee Rock Sandstone Member (both of Lee Formation); the top has been placed at base of the Hance, or correlative Bennett Fork coal bed, as well as much higher in section, at base of the Harlan, or correlative Jellico coal bed. Members of the †Hance are transferred to the Breathitt Formation (reduced in rank to conform with USGS usage elsewhere).
The Hance was formally abandoned by Rice and others in their glossary (1994, GSA Spec. Paper 294, p. 128, citing McDowell and others, 1985).]

Source: Publication.