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Geology of Isla Mona Puerto Rico, and Notes on Age of Mona Passage

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Geology of Isla Mona Puerto Rico, and Notes on Age of Mona Passage Geology of Isla Mona Puerto Rico, and Notes on Age of Mona Passage GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 317-C Prepared in cooperation with the Puerto Rico Water Resources Authority', Puerto Rico Economic Development Administration, Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, and Puerto Rico Department of the Interior Geology of Isla Mona Puerto Rico, and Notes on Age of Mona Passage By CLIFFORD A. KAYE With a section on THE PETROGRAPHY OF THE PHOSPHORITES By ZALMAN S. ALTSCHULER COASTAL GEOLOGY OF PUERTO RICO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 317-C Prepared in cooperation with the Puerto Rico Water Resources Authority', Puerto Rico Economic Development Administration^ Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority^ and Puerto Rico Department of the Interior UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1959 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FRED A. SEATON, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price 65 cents (paper cover) CONTENTS Page Page Abstract ----_--__----_-______________ 141 Geology of Isla Mona Continued Geology of Isla Mona_________________ 142 Phosphorite deposits.____________________________ 156 Introduction _____________________ 142 History of mining________-_-_-__-_--.____- 156 Location and topographic description 142 Description of deposits._____________________ 156 Climate _________________________ 143 Petrography of the phosphorites, by Zalman S. Flora and fauna. _________________ 144 Altschuler_______________________________ 157 Faunal origin __ _________________ 145 Analytical data.__-_-----------_1------- 159 History. _ __-----__--__.________ 145 Petrography and origin-_____-___-_---__- 159 Rocks. __________________________ 146 Supplementary nptes on mineralogy of Isla Isla Mona limestone. _________ 146 Mona____________--_-_-_-__-__--________ 162 lirio limestone- -_---_-_--____ 147 Guano origin of the phosphorite deposits_____ 164 Reef limestone _______________ 148 Notes on History of Mona Passage and Isla Mona______ 167 Structure ________________________ 148 Topography of Mona Passage______-_---_____-___ 167 148 Insoluble residue of rocks of Isla Mona_ _-____,_-__ 169 Cemented red residuum. ________________________ 149 Geomorphology _ _._---______-___-___-_______ 150 Currents of Mona Passage.--,______.-_._____ 170 Plateau surface- __--___________--___.___-___ 150 Some historical notes on Isla Mona_______________ 172 Terraces, scarps, rims, and ramparts. _____ 150 Quaternary climatic changes_________________ 173 Reduction of limestone surfaces without Cemented red residuum.-___-_-_____-_-_ 173 dissection _ _________________________ 151 Cavern solution.__-_-__-_----__-_-_--.- 173 Caverns ___________________________________ 151 Guano accumulation.___________________ 173 Sea cliffs __ _---_-_--_----______.__..___-__- 153 Dripstone deposition.___________________ 174 Shoal-water features. _______________________ 155 Submarine terracing.. ___________________ 155 Historical climates.____.__-_-__-__-_.___ 174 Reefs. _.__ ______________________ 155 References cited..__________________________________ 175 Parallel grooves ________________________ 156 Index________________--__---_--__________.--__- 177 ILLUSTRATIONS Page PLATE 12. Geologic map of Isla Mona, Puerto Rico_______________-_--_,__________________-_---_------_---in pocfet 13. _4, Vertical sea cliffs, east coast of Isla Mona, showing angular unconformity between Lirio and Isla Mona liaa«- stones; B, Cemented red residuum in Lirio limestone, showing typical vermicular structure________.Facing 146 14. .4, Enlarged cavern mouths, Playa P&jaro; B, View to southwest from Punta Este, Isla Mona_-__-_______Faclng 147 FIGURE 1. Map of the Greater Antilles_-_---__--_____-___-___J_-_-__.------------------------------------------- IV 64. Chart of Isla Mona and Isla Monito.___________________-_____-_-----_------_--------------------_-_-._ 154 65. Diagrammatic sketch of phosphatic limestone._____-_________-__--_-_-_-_-.,---_-------------____------_- 158 66. Microscopic relations between calcite and hydroxylapatite in phosphatic limestone. ____----___________-_--__- 161 67. Microscopic relations between martinite and hydroxylapatite in nodular phosphorite.__-___-_-.________-_____ 162 68. Bathymetric map of Mona Passage.______________._____________-_____---_--__-___---_-_--______---_ 168 69. Prevailing surface currents of eastern Caribbean for month of August-_______-______________--_-_-___..--_-_ 171 TABLES Page TABLE 1. Analyses of samples of Isla Mona limestone--_-_______-_---__-_-_.-----------------_--------------------- 146 2. Percent IT, PjOs, N, and F in cave phosphorites and associated rocks from Isla Mona_________________________ 159 3. Percent concentration of minor elements in cave phosphorites and associated rocks from Isla Mona.______-_--__ 159 4. Threshold values of sensitivity to elements analyzed by semiquantitative spectrographic method __________ 159 5. Weight percent of insoluble residues from some limestones of Puerto Rico and Islft Mona_.__-._ __________--_-_ 169 in 65° '^mm?**^ :-.:-. - :.|p. MAP OF THE GREATER ANTILLES IV COASTAL GEOLOGY OF PUERTO RICO GEOLOGY OF ISLA MONA AND NOTES ON AGE OF MONA PASSAGE By CLEETOBD A. KATE common throughout the white limestones and probably rep­ resent soil washed into solution openings and later cemented by calcium carbonate. The cemented red residuum, as it is ABSTRACT called, contains tests of land snails that point to a probable* Isla Mona and the nearby rock of Monito are situated in Pleistocene age for the deposit. The plateau surface is e^ery- Mona Passage, about midway between Puerto Rico and the where etched into a microrelief of about 1 foot of sharj ser­ Dominican Republic. Isla Mona has an area of about 21 square rations, pits, and enlarged joints. The plateau surface is very miles and Monito less than a quarter of a square mile. Isla gently domed and is broken by several outward-facing low Mona is a limestone tableland, bounded by steep to vertical scarps, a few areas of large sinkholes, and low marginal lime­ cliffs and fringed about its southern perimeter by a narrow stone rims and ramparts. Both the residual s©U (cemented low-lying coastal terrace. The climate of the island is semi- and uncemented) and the rims and ramparts indicate tint a arid; its mean annual rainfall is 88.1 inches. The flora is considerable thickness (roughly estimated to have been f bout zerophytic and consists mostly of cactus, leguminous plants, 85 feet) of limestone has been dissolved from the surface of shrubs, and dwarfed trees. The density of the brush is surpris­ the plateau without having formed a pronounced relief. This ing considering the sparse nature of the soil, and most of the points to the importance of surface reduction without dissec­ larger plants seem to be rooted in narrow, soil-filled crevices in tion in at least the earlier stages of the geomorphic cycle in the limestone. The island was discovered by Columbus in 1494 horizontally bedded pure limestones. The plateau is bounded during his second voyage. In early colonial times the island by steep cliffs on the south and by vertical sea cliffs or the was a watering and provisioning station. At the present time north coast. These sea cliffs plunge to depths estimated to its only inhabitants are the lighthouse crew. In the late 19th be 16 to 22 fathoms. In the face of evidence of active cliff century the caverns with which the island abounds were exten­ recession, the plunging nature of these cliffs provides an in­ sively worked for their deposits of leached guano. teresting geomorphic problem. The hypothesis that seems most Except for the thin soil of the tableland, Isla Mona consists consistent is that the Isla Mona limestone Is actually very entirely of limestone and dolomite. The Isla Mona limestone friable, although It has a deceptive, casehardened shell where forms most of the mass of both islands and is probably early or exposed subaerially. Turbulent surf working on the fr*able middle Miocene in age. One sample of rock when tested in the rock below sea level is deeply undermining the sea cliffs to a laboratory proved to be dolomite. Unfortunately, it is not considerable depth, in consequence of which, cliff failure has known how much of the rock exposed in the vertical sea cliffs of not produced a platform at or close to present sea level. Hrdro- the north coast is dolomite nor whether the dolomite is con­ graphic charts suggest that submarine levels and terraces r>ark fined to specific beds or represents irregular-shaped alterations the bank surrounding Isla Mona. There is probably a level of the limestone. The Isla Mona limestone is essentially flat of 22 fathoms close to the island on the east side, and a ter-ace lying, although apparent dips up to 3%° are visible in the at 7 fathoms is indicated just outside the small barrier reef cliffs. No faults were noted. In places a relatively thin cav­ off the south coast. Behind the reef the lagoon is about 2 ernous limestone, the Lirio limestone, overlies the Isla Mona fathoms deep. The narrow barrier reef, which for the most limestone. At Punta Este the two formations are separated by part lies only a few hundred yards offshore, merges wi^h a a slight angular unconformity. Only one fossil, a coral was fringing reef along part of the shore. found in the Lirio limestone, and from it the formation appears Both the Isla Mona and the Lirio limestones are caverrous, to be either
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