Paleozoic tectonic domains of Nevada: An interpretive discussion to accompany the geologic map of Nevada

A. Elizabeth Jones Crafford GeoLogic, 9501 Nettleton Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99507, USA

ABSTRACT contain rocks unlike those from the adjacent tectonic domains is to help characterize and dis- margin or other terranes and suggest they are tinguish groups of rocks by the distinct tectonic The Paleozoic geologic history of Nevada far traveled. A change in the plate boundary histories that have (or have not) impacted them. can be viewed in terms of tectonic domains confi guration in the Middle Pennsylvanian Traditional interpretations of Paleozoic tec- derived from the newly interpreted digi- led to the development of a new margin that tonic events in Nevada have primarily relied tal geologic map of Nevada. These domains refl ected the effects of a new plate boundary on pre-plate tectonic or early plate tectonic reveal that Paleozoic tectonic events were farther to the west. Accretion to the margin ideas of displacement of the Earth’s crust that shaped by complex interactions between the of upper Paleozoic oceanic terranes at the do not necessarily address the complexity of continental margin in Nevada and accreted close of the Paleozoic redefi ned the margin structural and stratigraphic evidence that has terranes outboard of the margin. once again as it changed from a transpres- been observed since they were fi rst proposed Ten domains are described. They include sive accretion regime to a true backarc plate (Brueckner and Snyder, 1985; Burchfi el and lower Paleozoic domains based on paleogeo- tectonic setting in the Mesozoic. East-vergent Davis, 1972, 1975; Burchfi el and Royden, 1991; graphic facies, the Carbonate Shelf, Slope and west-vergent, thick-skinned thrusting Miller et al., 1984; Roberts et al., 1958; Speed, and Basin domains; the Nolan Belt domain, and exhumation coupled with signifi cant 1979; Speed and Sleep, 1982). Specifi cally, a structurally complex domain that includes translation of components of Mesozoic and ideas of terrane accretion and displacement have Precambrian and lower Paleozoic slope and older terranes rearranged the Paleozoic only been applied either very generally to the basin facies rocks; the Dutch Flat domain, rocks of the shelf and earlier accreted ter- Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks within Nevada an Upper Devonian feldspathic sandstone of ranes during Jurassic and Cretaceous time. (Dickinson and Gehrels, 2000; Geissman et exotic origin; an Upper Devonian to Lower Viewing the geologic history of the region al., 1984; Silberling et al., 1987; Silberling et Pennsylvanian siliciclastic Foreland basin in the context of terrane accretion provides al., 1992), or to a few specifi c terranes (Blome domain resting conformably over the Shelf new insight into the complex processes that and Reed, 1995; Darby et al., 2000; Gehrels and domain; the Pennsylvanian and Permian shaped the continental margin of western Dickinson, 2000; Gehrels et al., 2000a; Gehrels siliciclastic and carbonate Antler Overlap North America. et al., 2000b; Gehrels et al., 1995; Harwood domain, which sits unconformably over all of and Murchey, 1990; Jones, 1990; Ketner et al., the older domains; the Golconda domain of Keywords: Nevada, Tectonic, Paleozoic, Ant- 2005; Madden-McGuire and Marsh, 1991a; deformed upper Paleozoic oceanic, carbon- ler, terrane Smith and Gehrels, 1994). The two primary ate and siliciclastic rocks, which is faulted tectonic events of the Paleozoic, the Antler and over the Antler Overlap domain; the upper INTRODUCTION Sonoma orogenies, are discussed in detail in this Paleozoic and Mesozoic volcaniclastic Black paper together with evidence for other less well Rock-Jackson domain; and numerous car- The purpose of this paper is to present a new known Paleozoic tectonic events. The “Antler bonate, siliciclastic, and volcaniclastic Meso- viewpoint of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic geo- Orogeny” (Roberts, 1951) refers to the folding zoic terranes and assemblages that were logic history in Nevada using tectonic domains and faulting of pre-Pennsylvanian rocks that is either accreted to the margin or deposited derived from the newly interpreted digital geo- observed throughout northern Nevada and is unconformably over previously accreted logic map of Nevada (Crafford, 2007). The new generally considered to be Late Devonian and Paleozoic terranes. map provides detailed descriptions of how each Mississippian in age. The “Sonoma Orogeny” Interpretations of these domains defi ne local rock unit or formation was grouped into (Silberling and Roberts, 1962) has been defi ned multiple, distinct, lower Paleozoic tectonic a regional geologic unit. This paper attempts to as a Late Permian to Early Triassic tectonic environments. They suggest that the “Antler group those regional geologic units into tectonic event that deformed Upper Paleozoic oceanic Orogeny” can be reinterpreted as a sequence domains and to discuss the signifi cance of those facies rocks and emplaced them over the Upper of tectonic events involving deformation of domains relative to the geodynamic evolution Paleozoic margin of northern Nevada. the margin and the accretion of multiple ter- of the region. The tectonic domains are each The observations derived from viewing the ranes to the margin over an extended period defi ned by a combination of stratigraphic, litho- Paleozoic and Mesozoic geology of Nevada as from the Late Devonian to the Early Penn- logic, facies, and structural characteristics of the regional tectonic domains pose more questions sylvanian in a complex transpressive tec- regional geologic units, and not generally by than they answer, but they also demonstrate tonic regime. Some of the accreted terranes any single feature. The purpose of creating the that early models of tectonic events affecting

Geosphere; Month 2008; v. 4; no. 1; p. 260–291; doi: 10.1130/GES00108.1; 13 fi gures; 1 table; supplementary ArcGIS fi les.

260 For permission to copy, contact [email protected] © 2008 Geological Society of America

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Paleozoic rocks in the region can benefi t from history, these assemblages can be recast in the Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain being analyzed in the context of terrane accre- form of domains that relate in specifi c ways to tion, and that important components of these the tectonic environment where they formed. This domain is defi ned by the sequence of events can be enhanced and updated. Defi ning Domains can be defi ned primarily by the paleo- passive margin carbonate shelf rocks exposed domains helps to provide a spatial context for geographic setting of the rocks (where that can in the eastern half of Nevada (Cook and Cor- the various rock units. How the natures of the be reasonably defi ned), or by groupings of ter- boy, 2004), sitting depositionally on Proterozoic boundaries of the domains are interpreted pro- ranes or assemblages that refl ect a combina- North American basement (Fig. 1). It is dis- vides important constraints on the timing and tion of tectonic setting and specifi c structural tinguished from other tectonic domains by its orientation of tectonic events affecting the dif- history. The pre-Tertiary rocks in Nevada can relative lack of Paleozoic deformation east of ferent domains and the margin. Understanding be grouped into a number of tectonic domains. its western boundary, its well-defi ned carbon- tectonic relations between the various terranes Each domain is defi ned in terms of the rocks ate platform paleogeographic setting, and its and the margin is necessary for the geology included, its spatial extent, the nature of its unequivocal stratigraphic link to the autochtho- to be an effective predictive tool for resource boundaries, and how it was impacted by vari- nous coeval rocks of the Colorado Plateau. exploration and regional tectonic synthesis. ous tectonic events. Ten domains are discussed The terminology “tectonic domain” is below. In this paper, Mesozoic terranes and Rocks explicitly intended to encompass the variety assemblages are grouped into a single domain This domain comprises Devonian through of geologic entities including stratigraphic and are not discussed in detail. Cambrian carbonate shelf facies rocks includ- sequences, assemblages, and terranes, delib- The geologic units described on the new map ing limestone, dolomite, sandstone, shale, and erately utilized and described in detail on (Crafford, 2007) utilize stratigraphic nomen- quartzite. It is very similar to the “eastern assem- the new geologic map (Crafford, 2007); but clature as well as informal assemblages and blage” of Roberts et al. (1958) and the “carbon- it is also meant to distinguish “domains” as terranes. In many cases, there is a one-to-one ate assemblage” of Stewart and Carlson (1978). interpretive groupings derived from the more correlation between an assemblage or terrane The rock units from the map (Crafford, 2007) explicit geologic groupings used on the map. described on the new geologic map, and a tec- that are included in the Lower Paleozoic Shelf On the map, traditional stratigraphic units are tonic “domain” described in this paper. In other domain are the Devonian through Cambrian grouped into sequences; “terrane” is used in cases, a tectonic domain represents a group of units of the Carbonate Shelf Sequence including the classic sense for fault-bounded geologic assemblages or stratigraphic units on the map. the undivided and metamorphosed equivalent entities of regional extent, each characterized The text that accompanies the map describes rocks (Table 1). by a geologic history that is different from the all of the geologic units and their groupings as histories of contiguous terranes (Jones et al., sequences, assemblages, or terranes in detail Extent and Boundaries 1983); and “assemblage” is used for a group (Crafford, 2007), and is not covered in this The extent of the Lower Paleozoic Shelf of related rock units within a terrane, or for paper. Table 1 lists each tectonic domain, the domain is shown in Figure 1. The northern a unit (or units) that has a known basement correlative units from Crafford (2007), and a boundary of the domain trends east-west across but is geographically isolated and lithologi- brief description of the nature of the boundar- central Elko County. The western boundary cally and (or) structurally distinct from other ies and extents of the tectonic domains. The trends northeasterly in north-central Nevada coeval rocks. “Assemblage” is also used for distribution of the tectonic domains displayed and then bends toward the southeast near the grouping rock units that have been historically in the fi gures with this paper represents a sim- Lander-Nye County boundary. To the south, it interpreted as geologically related to each plifi ed grouping of rock units from Crafford bends abruptly westward in southernmost Nye other, but the relationship is unclear based on (2007). The actual exposure of the rock units County and continues south and west from there existing geologic data. In many cases, a spe- from the map is shown within the extent of the into California. This domain extends eastward cifi c tectonic domain is synonymous with a domain. Since such a large area of Nevada is into Utah along most of Nevada’s eastern border particular terrane or assemblage, and in other covered by younger volcanic rocks and allu- and southward until Proterozoic basement crops circumstances, the domain represents a group- vium, the simplifi ed distribution of the domain out in southernmost Nevada. ing of these entities. is intended as a reasonable extrapolation of the extent of the occurrence of the actual units Tectonic Events DOMAIN DESCRIPTIONS included in the domain underneath Tertiary Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic age and Quaternary cover. thrusting and exhumation from both contrac- Roberts et al. (1958) chose to categorize An ArcGIS project that contains shape fi les tional and extensional tectonics have blurred lower Paleozoic rocks of Nevada into essen- of all the tectonic domains discussed here the original autochthonous stratigraphic western tially three domains, an “eastern” or “carbon- accompanies this paper.1 By viewing the proj- boundary of this domain (Coats and Riva, 1983; ate” assemblage, a “western” or “siliceous” ect while reading the paper, the reader can turn Johnson and Pendergast, 1981; Johnson and assemblage and a “transitional” assemblage. on and off various domains as desired to com- Visconti, 1992; Ketner and Smith, 1982; McFar- Debate centered on whether the “transitional” plement the printed fi gures. These shape fi les lane, 1997; McKee, 1976b; Riva, 1970). In the assemblage had more affi nity with the eastern can also be incorporated into the new digital southern parts of the state, the faulting of lower or the western assemblages. In the context of map (Crafford, 2007) and compared with the Paleozoic rocks generally involves Mesozoic a plate tectonic framework for the geologic actual geologic data in much greater detail. rocks, demonstrating a Mesozoic or younger age

1The fi le 00108_NevadaDomains.zip is a complete ArcGIS project with an .mxd fi le and all supporting data fi les. ArcView is needed to open the .mxd fi le. If you are viewing the PDF of this paper or reading it offl ine, please visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/GES00108.S1 or the full-text article on www.gsajournals.org to access NevadaDomains.zip.

Geosphere, February 2008 261

Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-pdf/4/1/260/3341460/i1553-040X-4-1-260.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 Crafford Nature of spatial and geologic boundaries structures Basin domain or Dutch Flat terrane. plateau. structural imbrications with other rocks, rare depositional sequences with Slope domain. truncated by the Nolan Belt. deformation in adjacent Mesozoic terranes. Distinct stratigraphy and structure from partly coeval Golconda terrane. Basin domain rocks. area. covered, generally a high-angle structure where exposed. Basin domain at Battle Mountain, refolded and faulted with Paleozoic and Triassic rocks in the Sonoma Range. Unconformably overlain by the Antler Overlap domain. major strike-slip displacement in Jurassic and Cretaceous tectonic events. with Shelf domain and fault imbrications Foreland Basin domain. Overlap domain on Golconda thrust. Unconformably overlain by Lower Triassic volcanic and carbonate rocks. Unconformably overlain by the Antler Overlap domain. Structural imbrication with Shelf, Slope, and Basin domain rocks at its western edge makes distinction difficult. Dutch Flat domains and Upper Paleozoic Carbonate Shelf rocks. Commonly is footwall to Golconda thrust. Western boundary is a high-angle shear zone or structurally overridden by Unconformably overlain by rocks of the Antler Overlap domain. Eastern and southern boundaries grade stratigraphically into Colorado Northern and northwestern boundaries are mostly Paleozoic Mesozoic Southwestern boundary may be a Mesozoic truncation. Eastern boundary is both a depositional sequence and fault imbrications Western boundary is imbricated with Shelf and Basin domain rocks, and Southwestern boundary is possibly a Mesozoic truncation. Outliers could be distinct terranes or displaced fragments. All boundaries structural or covered. Structurally emplaced over the Antler All boundaries structural and/or covered. Accretion happened after Eastern boundary is structural imbrication with Slope, Shelf, and Foreland Overlain unconformably by rocks of the Antler Overlap domain throughout Western boundary generally covered. Southwestern boundary may be Mesozoic truncation? Basement below quartzite is unknown. Eastern boundary usually Basement unknown. All boundaries structural or covered. Thrust over Overlies carbonate rocks of the lower Paleozoic Carbonate Shelf domain. Rests unconformably over Basin, Slope, Foreland Nolan Belt, and Generally structurally emplaced after Middle Jurassic time. Affected by TABLE 1. DOMAINS Formation names mentioned in text Quartz Mountain terrane—QM; Jungo terrane, JO; Gold Range assemblage—JTRgor; Humboldt assemblage—JTRs, TRc, TRkv; Metavolcanic rocks—JTRv Undivided CSS: DCc, DOcm, Ocqm, OCcm Vinini Formation Comus Formation Valmy Formation Preble Formation Synonymous with Harmony Formation Webb Formation Newark Valley sequence Battle Formation Candelaria Formation Walker Lake terrane—WPN, WPL, WLB; Sand Springs terrane—SAS; and assemblages Lower Paleozoic Shelf Carbonate Shelf Sequence (CSS)—Dc, Dcd, DSc, SOc, Ocq, OCc, Cc Slope Slope assemblage—MDst, DSt, DOts Basin Basin assemblage—DCs, Ss Tectonic domain assemblage—DCs, Units from Crafford (2007) Basin Nolan Belt Dutch Flat Nolan Belt—OCtd, Ctd, CZq Foreland Basin Dutch Flat terrane—DF Antler Overlap Foreland Basin assemblage—lPMcl, MDcl Golconda Siliciclastic Overlap assemblage—TRacl, Pacl, PlPacl Black Rock-Jackson Black Rock–Jackson terrane—BRJ Mesozoic terranes Golconda terrane and Home Ranch subterrane—GC, GChr

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Humboldt

Elko

Washoe

Pershing

Eureka Lander

Churchill Storey White Pine

Carson City Lyon Douglas

Mineral

Nye Esmeralda

Lincoln

Legend

Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain

Clark Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete descriptions.

5025 0 50 Miles

Figure 1. Extent of lower Paleozoic Shelf domain with outcrops shown. Refer to Crafford (2007) for detailed explanation of geologic units.

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for most faulting (Burchfi el and Davis, 1972; boy, 2004; Matti and McKee, 1977; Nichols siltstone, chert, quartzite, greenstone, platy lime- Burchfi el et al., 1974; Burchfi el et al., 1970; and Silberling, 1977). Thus, the overlap of the stone, dolomite, graywacke, conglomerate, and Carr, 1983) in that region. In central and east western third of the Shelf domain and the Slope limestone. The rock units from the geologic map central Nevada, a paucity of Mesozoic sedimen- and Basin domains is not exclusively indicative (Crafford, 2007) that are included in this domain tary rocks makes it diffi cult to distinguish the of Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectonic interlayer- are those that are grouped into the Slope assem- effects of Paleozoic tectonism versus younger ing of these three domains, but also of the varia- blage (Table 1) discussed in Crafford (2007). folding events on these rocks, but evidence sug- tion in the location of the shelf/slope boundary gests that they have been primarily affected by through time. The Cambrian rocks of the Shelf Extent and Boundaries multiple episodes of Mesozoic deformation domain in northern Nevada do not extend as Slope domain rocks (Fig. 3) are exposed in a (Armstrong, 1968; Camilleri and Chamberlain, far westward as the Ordovician and younger north-northeast–trending belt across the center 1997; Hudec, 1992; McKee, 1976b). rocks and thus there is very little overlap of the of the state that turns toward the east at its north- Cambrian shelf rocks and the Slope and Basin ern edge, and in a few localized outliers to the Discussion domain rocks. With these few exceptions, most northwest and south. Nearly all of the extent of Much of the present distribution and expo- of the exposures of Shelf, Slope and Basin facies the Slope domain overlaps exposures of Ordovi- sure of the rocks of the Lower Paleozoic Shelf rocks in the zone of overlap are now structurally cian and younger rocks of the Shelf domain. The domain (apart from Tertiary and Quaternary bounded and repeatedly imbricated with one southwestern edge of the primary exposures of cover) is the result of exhumation of the Paleo- another making it unlikely that any rocks in the the Slope domain coincides with the southwest- zoic shelf by Mesozoic and Tertiary age thrust- zone are truly autochthonous. ern edge of the Shelf domain, trending southeast ing and extension. Imbrication of the rocks of The northeast-trending western edge of expo- across the regional facies changes in the rocks. this Shelf domain with rocks of both the Slope sure of the Shelf domain (Fig. 1) in northern Four outliers of rocks that are generally litho- and Basin domains, discussed below, has been Nevada may be close to the actual depositional logically consistent with Slope domain rocks documented (Fig. 2) in the Snake Mountains boundary of this domain based on observed are shown as isolated areas west and south of (McFarlane, 1997), the Independence Mountains facies changes, although a truncation of the mar- the main area of exposure. Only the southern- (Kerr, 1962), the Tuscarora Mountains (Peters, gin subparallel to the facies changes would be most is depositional with Shelf domain rocks. 1997a, 1997c), the Shoshone Range (Gilluly diffi cult to detect and thus cannot be ruled out. In a number of cases, rocks are not well distin- and Gates, 1965), the Roberts Mountains (Mur- The regional change in orientation of the trend guished between the Slope and Basin domains, phy et al., 1978), the Toiyabe Range (Means, of the western edge of exposure of the Shelf and there is signifi cant uncertainty as to which 1962; Stewart and McKee, 1968; Stewart and domain, however, is signifi cant. The northern group to assign them. Palmer, 1967), and the Toquima Range (McKee, and northwestern boundaries are subparallel to 1976b). Some of this faulting is interpreted as facies changes within the shelf rocks (Stevens, Tectonic Events relating to Paleozoic (Antler) events between 1991, and other papers of that volume) which Late Devonian to pre-Middle Pennsylva- Upper Devonian and Middle Pennsylvanian is consistent with the idea that the trace of this nian generally east-vergent, large-scale folding time (McFarlane, 1997; Silberling et al., 1997), boundary today is a refl ection, more or less, of and thrusting is present throughout this domain and elsewhere it has been inferred to be younger the orientation of the trend of the carbonate shelf (Finney and Perry, 1991; Finney et al., 1993; (Coats and Riva, 1983; Ketner, 1984; Ketner et boundary during the lower Paleozoic, unless the Madden-McGuire and Marsh, 1991a; Noble and al., 1993; Murphy et al., 1978), although actual entire block has been rotated as one. In contrast, Finney, 1999; Thoreson et al., 2000). In the Tus- age constraints are notably rare. The Middle in southern Lander County, the western bound- carora Mountains, thrusting is interpreted to be Pennsylvanian unconformity that defi nes the ary of the domain turns and trends southeast. It late Paleozoic (Theodore et al., 1998). East-ver- deformation associated with the Antler Orogeny is oblique to the facies pattern in the rocks, sug- gent, post-Early Triassic folding, thrusting, and lies above Foreland Basin domain rocks that gesting that this boundary postdates the original exhumation have affected these rocks in the cen- depositionally overlie the Shelf domain (Craf- Paleozoic shelf boundary and formed as a trun- tral part of the state (Bartley, 1990; Bartley and ford, 2007; Trexler et al., 2004). It is therefore cation of the margin sometime after the Middle Gleason, 1987; Cameron and Chamberlain, 1988; reasonable to infer involvement of the western Devonian. The second abrupt change in trend of Carpenter et al., 1993; Coats and Riva, 1983). edge of the Shelf domain in Upper Devonian to the western boundary at its southern end could pre-Middle Pennsylvanian folding and thrust- suggest either a return to the original shelf mar- Discussion ing (Silberling et al., 1997), but it is also clear gin orientation or rotation of the whole region Most, but not all of the contacts between that Mesozoic thrusting has subsequently imbri- due to younger tectonic events. rocks of the Slope domain and the rocks of the cated rocks of these domains together as well Shelf domain are structural (Crafford, 2007), (Coats and Riva, 1983; Ketner and Smith, 1982; Slope Domain as discussed above. The few depositional con- Oversby, 1972; Riva, 1970). tacts help to defi ne an important link between In a few places in the area of overlap of the The Slope domain is defi ned by the specifi c these two domains. In a number of places, the Shelf and Slope domains, slope facies rocks of slope facies characteristics of its rocks, the fact Slope and Basin domain rocks have not been the Slope domain are part of Ordovician, Silu- that some of them are part of a continuous strati- adequately distinguished from each other due rian, and Devonian depositional sequences that graphic sequence that includes rocks of the Shelf primarily to the structural complexity of the include carbonate rocks of the Shelf domain domain (Crafford, 2007), and its generally east- rocks. Another diffi cult distinction is between (Crafford, 2007). This depositional link demon- vergent, large-scale Paleozoic folding (Fig. 3). the Upper Devonian and Lower Mississippian strates that some of these rocks were originally Slope domain rocks and the coeval rocks of deposited at the shelf-slope transition and their Rocks the Foreland Basin domain discussed below current juxtaposition is not solely the result of The Slope domain includes Lower Mississip- (Silberling et al., 1997). Regional mapping has Paleozoic or Mesozoic faulting (Cook and Cor- pian through Ordovician shale, calcareous shale, not distinguished them in a consistent way. The

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Snake Mountains

Independence Mountains Humboldt

Tuscarora Mountains Elko

Washoe

Shoshone Range Pershing

Roberts Mountains

Eureka Lander Toiyabe Range

Churchill Storey White Pine

Carson City Toquima Range Lyon Douglas

Mineral

Nye Esmeralda

Lincoln

Legend

Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain Slope Domain Basin Domain

Clark

Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete 5025 0 50 Miles descriptions.

Figure 2. Lower Paleozoic Shelf, Slope, and Basin domains. Outcrop of Lower Paleozoic Shelf domain shown. Locations mentioned in text.

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Figure 3. Extent of Slope domain and Lower Paleozoic Shelf domain. Outcrop of Slope domain shown. Locations mentioned in text.

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overlap of the western third of the Shelf domain ponents of this domain. The rock units from the mid-ocean crust (Leslie et al., 1991; Watkins and the Slope domain (Fig. 3) is indicative of both geologic map (Crafford, 2007) that are included and Browne, 1989). This suggests that parts of the tectonic interlayering of these domains and in this domain are those of the Basin assemblage the Basin domain may consist of a number of the migration over time during the lower Paleo- (Table 1) discussed in Crafford (2007). distinct, possibly far-traveled accreted terranes zoic of the shelf-slope break (Cook and Corboy, (Wright and Wyld, 2006). 2004), as discussed above. The southeast-trend- Extent and Boundaries The Basin domain is clearly “allochthonous” ing, southwestern edge of the domain is sugges- The Basin domain (Fig. 5) overlaps exten- in a traditional sense, but to describe it solely as tive of a truncation or structural break similar to sively with and is poorly differentiated from the the “upper plate” of a regional thrust fault, the that observed in the Shelf domain rocks. Rocks Slope domain in some areas. The primary area Roberts Mountains thrust (Roberts et al., 1958), of the Slope domain are imbricated with rocks of of exposure forms a north- to northeast-trending is no longer a geologically defensible interpre- the Shelf, Basin, and the Foreland Basin domains belt in the center of the state that trends sharply tation of its tectonic history or the process by (Fig. 4) (Silberling et al., 1997, see references eastward in northern Elko County and ends which the rocks were emplaced in their pres- under Shelf domain discussion as well). abruptly at its southern edge at the Lander-Nye ent position. The rocks of the Basin domain are The outliers of rocks assigned to the Slope County boundary. Outliers of the Basin domain repeatedly imbricated with rocks of the Slope, domain in the Osgood Mountains and in Nye are exposed to the north, west, and southwest Shelf, and Foreland Basin domains (Noble and County (Fig. 3) may represent fragments of and are separated from other exposures of simi- Finney, 1999; Silberling et al., 1997; Theodore slope rocks that were displaced from the mar- lar rocks to the east by rocks of the Nolan Belt et al., 1998). Signifi cant lateral movement of gin during either Paleozoic or Mesozoic time. (see next section) and younger Paleozoic rocks. rocks was indeed a far-reaching geologic con- Alternatively, they may be slope facies rocks All of the boundaries of the Basin domain are cept of the 1950’s geosynclinal world. It was unrelated to the margin of Nevada and repre- structural. the foresight of the originators of the idea (Mer- sent fragments of similar facies from distinct riam and Anderson, 1942; Nolan et al., 1956) accreted terranes (Madden-McGuire and Marsh, Tectonic Events that helped lead to our understanding of plate 1991a, 1991b). At the type locality of the Antler Orogeny tectonics and the idea that pieces of the Earth’s The abundant gold resources of Nevada are at Battle Mountain, Devonian through Ordovi- crust have indeed moved enormous distances strongly concentrated in rocks of the Slope cian rocks of the Basin domain and the Dutch (not just tens of kilometers) around the planet in domain (Cook and Corboy, 2004; Crafford, Flat terrane (the Harmony Formation) are both the processes of formation and accretion (Coney 2005, 2007). A small number of these aurifer- unconformably overlain by a Middle Penn- et al., 1980). ous rocks are in depositional contact with Car- sylvanian conglomerate (Roberts, 1951). The The geologic evidence for the unconformity bonate Shelf sequence rocks (the Shelf domain), Basin domain is also structurally overlain by the between the rocks of the Basin domain and the but most are in imbricate fault slices between Upper Devonian Dutch Flat terrane (the Har- Antler Overlap domain that defi nes the Antler the rocks of Basin and Shelf domains (Peters, mony Formation) (Roberts, 1964). The folding Orogeny is robust (Doebrich, 1994, 1995; Rob- 1997a, 1997b, 1997c). in the Basin domain rocks is complex but gener- erts, 1951, 1964; Theodore, 1991, 1994; Theo- The current distribution of Slope domain ally suggests an east-directed Paleozoic transport dore et al., 1994)—the youngest deformed rocks rocks is the result of faulting and folding caused direction (Evans and Theodore, 1978; Peters, are Upper Devonian or possibly even Lower by more than one Paleozoic tectonic episode 1997a, 1997b, 1997c; Theodore et al., 2003). In Mississippian (Boundy-Sanders et al., 1999; (Silberling et al., 1997; Theodore et al., 1998; the Sonoma and East Ranges, the Basin domain Coles and Snyder, 1985). The oldest uncontro- Theodore et al., 2003) and at least one and more is additionally faulted over and folded with versial overlap is Middle Pennsylvanian (Rob- likely two distinct Mesozoic tectonic events Middle and Upper Triassic carbonates (Gilluly, erts, 1964), and this relationship can be observed (see references above) addressed further in the 1967; Silberling, 1975; Stahl, 1989) in generally regionally in many places across Nevada (Dott, discussion and regional synthesis section of this west-vergent structures. Detailed structural rela- 1955; Hotz and Willden, 1964; Larson and paper. These tectonic imbrications are superim- tions studied in the Roberts Mountains (Mur- Riva, 1963; McFarlane, 1997; McKee, 1972; posed on an original stratigraphic distribution of phy et al., 1978; Murphy et al., 1984; Noble Riva, 1970; Theodore et al., 2003; Trexler et al., slope facies rocks. and Finney, 1999) and elsewhere demonstrate 2004). that multiple phases of Paleozoic and Mesozoic Large regions of the Basin domain consist of Basin Domain deformation have affected rocks of the Basin basalt, tuffaceous rocks, and deep-water cherts domain, and that the oldest permissible age for and argillites. These rocks likely formed in an The Basin domain (Fig. 5) is defi ned by its the imbrication of the rocks within the domain ocean basin of unknown size and were subse- predominance of lithologic components derived is Late Devonian (Silberling et al., 1997) but is quently accreted to the western margin of North from a basin facies environment—the presence of not well constrained. America through a series of tectonic events. signifi cant lithology not derived from the Nevada Whether this was the result of arc-related tec- region of the continental margin; and a moder- Discussion tonism as suggested by early workers (Burch- ate to strongly deformed, generally east-vergent The Basin domain represents a subset of the fi el and Davis, 1972, 1975; Speed and Sleep, structural style. It is a composite domain consist- “western facies” rocks described by Roberts et 1982) or transpressional strike-slip plate move- ing of several poorly defi ned tectonic elements. al. (1958) or the “siliceous” grouping of Stew- ments as suggested by others (Eisbacher, 1983), art and Carlson (1978). The Basin domain con- or a combination of these events, remains to Rocks sists of a wide variety of lithologies including be determined. The scattered outliers of rocks Upper Devonian through Upper Cambrian Silurian feldspathic rocks that were not derived included in the Basin domain that are outboard shale, chert, argillite, quartzite, greenstone, basalt, from the now adjacent North American mar- (west) of younger accreted terranes like Dutch limestone, and Silurian feldspathic sandstone and gin (Gehrels et al., 2000b; Girty et al., 1985), Flat and Golconda demonstrate that the rocks of siltstone are the characteristic lithologic com- and basaltic rocks formed as seamounts and the Basin domain have been further disrupted

Geosphere, February 2008 267

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Humboldt

Elko

Washoe

Pershing

Eureka Lander

Churchill Storey White Pine

Carson City Lyon Douglas

Mineral

Nye Esmeralda

Lincoln

Legend

Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain Slope Domain Basin Domain Clark Foreland Basin Domain

Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete 5025 0 50 Miles descriptions.

Figure 4. Slope, Basin, Shelf, and Foreland Basin domains. Outcrop of Slope domain shown.

268 Geosphere, February 2008

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Humboldt Sonoma Range

Elko

Battle Mountain East Range Washoe

Pershing

Roberts Mountains Eureka Lander

Churchill Storey White Pine

Carson City Lyon Douglas

Mineral

Nye Esmeralda

Lincoln

Legend

Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain Slope Domain Basin Domain Clark

Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete 5025 0 50 Miles descriptions.

Figure 5. Extent of Basin domain with Slope and Lower Paleozoic Shelf domains. Outcrop of Basin domain shown.

Geosphere, February 2008 269

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and dislocated by younger Upper Paleozoic and Cambrian phyllite and shale have been sepa- marily east-vergent, the pervasive deformation Mesozoic tectonic events. rately recognized (Decker, 1962; Ehman, 1985; in the Nolan Belt domain is distinctly west-ver- Ferguson and Cathcart, 1954; Means, 1962), gent. Limited evidence suggests it has also been Nolan Belt Domain but in most places they are intimately deformed affected by east-vergent deformation that may together with Ordovician phyllite, schist, shale, be similar to that in the Basin domain (Means, Lower Paleozoic rocks that share affi nity to and chert and are not distinguished separately 1962; Oldow, 1984b). Additionally, in a few a continental margin but demonstrate unusual on regional maps. The age relations between the places these rocks have also been involved in structural characteristics form a discrete belt Ordovician rocks deformed within the Nolan west-vergent Mesozoic folding and thrusting west and northwest of displaced rocks of the belt and the Ordovician rocks of the Basin (Gilluly, 1967; Hotz and Willden, 1964; Sil- Slope and Basin domains (Fig. 6). Earlier maps domain are not well constrained, but they are berling, 1975; Stahl, 1989; Whitebread, 1994). and interpretations included these rocks in either inferred to be partly coeval based on limited data Importantly, rocks of the Antler Overlap domain “transitional” or “siliceous” groupings (Roberts (Churkin and Kay, 1967; Finney et al., 1993; unconformably overlie both the rocks of the et al., 1958; Stewart, 1980; Stewart and Carlson, Madden-McGuire, 1991; Madden-McGuire and Nolan Belt domain and those of the Basin 1978). They are different from the other lower Palmer, 1990; Ross and Berry, 1963). The rock and Slope domains (Ehman, 1985; Erickson Paleozoic rocks in a number of important ways units included in this domain are referred to as and Marsh, 1974b, 1974c; Hotz and Willden, that warrant distinction as a separate group the Nolan Belt (Table 1) on the geologic map 1964), indicating that deformation in the Nolan (Crafford, 2007; Crafford and Grauch, 2002). (Crafford, 2007). Belt and that in the combined Slope and Basin These rocks have structural characteristics of domains predates the Middle Pennsylvanian and an accreted terrane; that is, they exhibit com- Extent and Boundaries that these rocks were juxtaposed in their posi- plex polyphase deformation and metamorphism The Nolan Belt domain crops out in four dis- tions relative to each other by that time. distinct from adjacent, coeval rocks, but also tinct areas that together form a sinuous, north- appear to have stratigraphic ties to a craton that south belt through the center of the state (Fig. 6). Discussion suggest they have not traveled great distances The northern end of the belt located in northern The nature of the unusual complex polyphase laterally from a continental margin. This does Elko County trends northeastward through the deformation in the Nolan belt has been locally not preclude the idea that rocks of this domain Bull Run Mountains and the Copper Mountains observed for some time (Boskie and Schweick- may have traveled great distances longitudinally (the Mountain City block) (Bushnell, 1967; ert, 2001; Crafford and Grauch, 2002, and ref- along or around the continental margin. Coash and Hoare, 1967; Coats, 1964; Decker, erences therein); Ehman, 1985; Erickson and The origin of the name for this belt of rocks is 1962; Ehman, 1985). There is a signifi cant gap Marsh, 1974b, 1974c; Madden-McGuire and for T.B. Nolan, whose early paper defi ned many produced by cover rocks from there southwest Marsh, 1991a; Means, 1962) but not incor- of these rocks as part of an important “geanticline” to north-central Nevada, where it crops out in porated into a regional tectonic framework. during the later Paleozoic (Nolan, 1928). This the distinctive Osgood block in the Osgood Whether the youngest age of rocks deformed was long before such concepts had any ground- Mountains (Crafford, 2000a; Hotz and Willden, in this domain is Ordovician, Silurian, or ing in modern tectonic understanding, and prior 1964), Edna Mountain (Erickson and Marsh, Devonian also is not well constrained. These to recognition of the magnitude of displacement 1974a, 1974b), the Sonoma Range (Gilluly, are critical factors in understanding and more that has affected adjacent Paleozoic rocks and ter- 1967), and the East Range (Whitebread, 1994). clearly defi ning this domain. Northern portions ranes. Detailed discussions of the distinguishing Fragments of Cambrian phyllite are exposed in of the Nolan belt in the Osgood Mountains (the characteristics of the Nolan belt are provided in the Shoshone Range (Gilluly and Gates, 1965), Osgood block) and the Bull Run Mountains Crafford (2007, p. 33) and discussed in Crafford and more extensive exposures crop out to the (the Mountain City block) are outboard (west) and Grauch (2002). To summarize, the Nolan south in the Toiyabe Range (Ferguson and Cath- of large areas of exposure of the signifi cantly belt is characterized by (1) the presence of Pre- cart, 1954; McKee, 1976a; Means, 1962; Stew- younger Golconda terrane (Fig. 7). Additional cambrian quartzite conformably underlying the art and McKee, 1968; Washburn, 1970) and at exposures of the Basin domain and Golconda Cambrian and younger rocks (mapped as several the southern end of the Toquima Range near terrane crop out still farther west. These obser- different named units), (2) the unusual pre-Penn- Manhattan (Shawe, 1995). Metamorphosed and vations require relative tectonic displacements sylvanian, west-vergent polyphase deformation deformed lower Paleozoic rocks depositionally between these rocks that are likely related to affecting these rocks, distinct from the deforma- overlying Precambrian rocks are well exposed in Jurassic or younger west-vergent folding and tion in much of the Basin and Slope domains, Esmeralda County trending westward into Cali- thrusting (Stahl, 1989, 1992) or exhumation. (3) the regional metamorphic character of the fornia (Crafford, 2007). Whether they should be The origins of the Nolan Belt domain rocks—they are much higher grade than the other assigned to the Nolan Belt or another domain are unclear. The domain could represent an domains, and (4) the more slope facies character is uncertain. All of the boundaries of the Nolan exhumed part of the continental margin that was of the rocks relative to the rocks of the locally Belt domain are structural (Table 1). once deeply buried, or it could represent a dis- adjacent Basin domain. tinct accreted terrane, derived originally from Tectonic Events somewhere along the North American margin, Rocks The rocks of this domain have been affected deformed in tectonic events not necessarily Strongly deformed Precambrian to Cambrian by pre-Middle Pennsylvanian metamorphism, related to its present position, and subsequently quartzite and Cambrian and Ordovician (and deformation, and exhumation quite distinct from accreted to the margin in a transpressional tec- younger?) schist, phyllite, shale, chert, quartz- the deformation measured in rocks of the Basin tonic setting (Crafford, 2000b). Regardless of ite, and thin bedded limestone are the principal and Slope domains (Crafford and Grauch, 2002; which scenario is best supported by the geo- rock types found within the Nolan Belt domain. Erickson and Marsh, 1974c; Madden-McGuire logic data, the Nolan Belt has numerous charac- The Cambrian section lies conformably on Pre- and Marsh, 1991a). While the Paleozoic defor- teristics that defi ne it as a distinct tectonostrati- cambrian-Cambrian quartzite. In a few cases, mation in the Basin and Slope domains is pri- graphic block.

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Mountain City Block

Humboldt

Osgood Block Elko

Washoe

Pershing

Shoshone Range Eureka Lander

Churchill Storey White Pine Toiyabe Range Carson City Lyon Douglas

Toquima Range

Mineral

? Nye Esmeralda

Lincoln

Legend

Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain Slope Domain Basin Domain Clark Nolan Belt Domain

Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete 5025 0 50 Miles descriptions.

Figure 6. Extent of Nolan Belt with Basin, Slope, and Lower Paleozoic Shelf domains. Outcrop of Nolan Belt shown. Question mark means domain assignment is uncertain. Places mentioned in text.

Geosphere, February 2008 271

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Mountain City Block

Humboldt

Osgood Block Elko

Washoe

Pershing

Shoshone Range Eureka Lander

Churchill Storey White Pine Toiyabe Range Carson City Lyon Douglas

Toquima Range

Mineral

? Nye Esmeralda

Lincoln

Legend

Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain Slope Domain Basin Domain Clark Nolan Belt Domain

Golconda terrane

Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete 5025 0 50 Miles descriptions.

Figure 7. Golconda terrane shown with Nolan Belt, Basin, Slope, and Lower Paleozoic Shelf domains. Outcrop of Nolan Belt shown. Ques- tion mark means domain assignment is uncertain. Places mentioned in text.

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Dutch Flat Domain debris for which the Harmony Formation is the Because of its unusual lithologic character- only plausible source turn up in places across a istics, the Harmony Formation is considered The Dutch Flat domain is distinguished by large area of northern Nevada from the Foreland an exotic accreted terrane that was emplaced its unusual coarse-grained feldspathic sandstone Basin domain to the Golconda terrane (Ketner against lower Paleozoic Basin domain (and/or lithology that is unknown elsewhere in the Great et al., 2005). All known boundaries of the Dutch Nolan Belt) rocks between Late Devonian and Basin (Fig. 8). Its Late Devonian age is con- Flat terrane are structural. Middle Pennsylvanian time. The Harmony For- strained by conodont fragments recovered from mation originally mapped in the Osgood Moun- turbiditic, quartzose, limestone horizons inter- Tectonic Events tains associated with Cambrian rocks (Hotz and bedded with the feldspathic sandstone found The Harmony Formation is unconformably Willden, 1964) consists of house-size blocks of in the Hot Springs Range in Humboldt County overlain by the Middle Pennsylvanian Battle feldspathic sandstone in a large mélange-like (Jones, 1997a). Formation of the Antler Overlap domain at the shear zone. Blocks of Cambrian limestone are type locality of the Antler Orogeny at Battle also present in the mélange (Jones, 1991b). The Rocks Mountain (Roberts, 1951). The folding in the matrix of the mélange contains Pennsylvanian Rocks of the Dutch Flat domain are composed Harmony Formation at Battle Mountain has radiolarians (McCollum and McCollum, 1991), of feldspathic sandstone, siltstone, shale and been reported to be similar to the folding in the suggesting additional upper Paleozoic disrup- turbiditic limestone. It is traditionally referred rocks of the Basin domain (Evans and Theodore, tion of the Dutch Flat terrane, possibly related to to as the Harmony Formation. The terrane and 1978). However, in the Hot Springs Range, the accretion of the Golconda terrane. The distinct domain are synonymous. The age of the Har- Harmony Formation has been involved in a structural characteristics of the Harmony For- mony Formation has been enigmatic since its folding event that has overturned many folds mation in different locales also indicate signifi - fi rst description. It was originally interpreted as westward (Jones, 1993, 1997a). In the Sonoma cant upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic disruption Mississippian (?) because of its position uncon- Range, the Harmony Formation is also thrust of various parts of the terrane since its original formably beneath Pennsylvanian conglomerate westward over Triassic rocks (Gilluly, 1967; Sil- emplacement. at Battle Mountain (Ferguson et al., 1952; Rob- berling, 1975; Stahl, 1987, 1989) suggesting that erts, 1951). Cambrian fossils were later found in the west-vergent folding in the Harmony in the Foreland Basin Domain the Osgood Mountains and in the Hot Springs Hot Springs Range is likely related to the Juras- Range in close proximity to the unusual feld- sic Winnemucca fold and thrust belt (Speed et The Foreland Basin domain is distinguished spathic sandstone and became the most com- al., 1982; Stahl, 1992) or an even younger defor- by the thick sequence of Lower Pennsylvanian monly assumed age (Hotz and Willden, 1964; mation event. through Upper Devonian hemipelagic, carbon- Stewart and Suczek, 1977). The Cambrian fos- ate, and clastic rocks deposited over rocks of sils have since been recognized to be part of a Discussion the Lower Paleozoic Shelf domain (Fig. 9). It structurally disrupted upper Paleozoic pack- While the unusual feldspathic characteristics is interpreted as a series of eastward-migrat- age (Jones, 1991b, 1997a; Jones et al., 1978; of this unit have been recognized for many years ing, fl exural-loading, foredeep and back bulge McCollum and McCollum, 1991), and may (Roberts, 1951), the source of the feldspar has deposits (Goebel, 1991). At its western edge, have been derived from the Nolan Belt. Verifi ca- remained elusive and subject to varying interpre- these rocks are involved in mid-Paleozoic fold- tion of Ordovician microfossils recovered from tations (Jones, 1997a; Ketner et al., 2005; Rob- ing and thrusting related to the Antler orogeny the Harmony Formation in the Sonoma Range erts et al., 1958; Rowell et al., 1979; Smith and (Silberling et al., 1997). (Madden-McGuire et al., 1991) revealed they Gehrels, 1994; Stewart and Suczek, 1977; Wal- were unfounded (Madden-McGuire, 1993, per- lin, 1990). Early workers included the Harmony Rocks sonal commun.). In 1994, a single Late Devo- Formation in the “transitional” assemblage A sequence of Lower Pennsylvanian nian Palmatolepis sp. conodont was recovered (Roberts et al., 1958), a group of rocks that did through Upper Devonian siltstone, limestone, from a calcareous turbidite interbedded with the not fi t well into either the “eastern carbonate” shale, sandstone, and conglomerate rests con- feldspathic sandstone in the Hot Springs Range or “western siliceous” assemblages. Zircon data cordantly on Upper Devonian carbonate of the (Jones, 1997a). Subsequently, post-Ordovician indicate that some of the Harmony Formation Lower Paleozoic Shelf domain and is included conodont fragments also recovered from the was derived from an exotic source not near its in this study in the Foreland Basin domain Hot Springs Range have confi rmed that the unit present location (Dickinson and Gehrels, 2000; (Brew, 1971; Poole and Sandberg, 1991). These is clearly post-Ordovician in age (Ketner et al., Gehrels et al., 2000b; Smith and Gehrels, 1994; rocks are unconformably overlain by rocks of 2005). This domain is referred to as the Dutch Wallin, 1990). Its age and lithology require that the Antler Overlap domain (Dott, 1955; Trex- Flat terrane on the geologic map (Crafford, its impact (literally and fi guratively) on the con- ler et al., 2004). On the geologic map (Craf- 2007) (Table 1). tinental margin did not begin until the end of ford, 2007), the rocks that are included in this the Devonian at the earliest. It is interpreted to domain are referred to as the Foreland Basin Extent and Boundaries be faulted over rocks of the Basin domain (the assemblage (Table 1). The Dutch Flat terrane (Fig. 8), more com- Valmy Formation) at Battle Mountain, and both monly known as the Harmony Formation, is only it and the Valmy Formation at Battle Moun- Extent and Boundaries exposed in north-central Nevada at Battle Moun- tain are unconformably overlain by the Middle The western boundary of the Foreland Basin tain (Roberts, 1964), in the Hot Springs Range Pennsylvanian Battle Formation of the Antler domain is very abrupt (Fig. 9) and closely fol- north of Winnemucca (Jones, 1997a, 1997b), Overlap domain (Roberts, 1964). This relation- lows the eastern edge of the Slope domain along the Sonoma Range (Gilluly, 1967; Silberling, ship at Battle Mountain is the “type locality” of a small area of overlap. The distribution of Fore- 1975), and in a small area in the East Range in the Antler Orogeny (Roberts, 1951), thus defi n- land Basin domain rocks extends far to the east Pershing County (Ferguson et al., 1951; White- ing the accretion of the Dutch Flat terrane as an all the way to the Nevada-Utah border (Poole bread, 1994). However, fragments of feldspathic integral component of this tectonic event. and Sandberg, 1977, 1991) and beyond. On

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Hot Springs Range Humboldt

Sonoma Range Elko Battle Mountain

East Range Washoe

Pershing

Eureka Lander

Churchill Storey White Pine

Carson City Lyon Douglas

Mineral

? Nye Esmeralda

Lincoln

Legend

Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain Slope Domain

Basin Domain Clark Nolan Belt Domain Dutch Flat Domain

Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete 5025 0 50 Miles descriptions.

Figure 8. Extent of Dutch Flat domain shown with Nolan Belt, Basin, Slope, and Lower Paleozoic Shelf domains. Outcrop of Dutch Flat terrane shown. Places mentioned in text.

274 Geosphere, February 2008

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Humboldt

Elko

Washoe

Pershing

Eureka Lander

Churchill Storey White Pine

Carson City Lyon Douglas

Mineral

Nye Esmeralda

Cactus Range Lincoln

Legend

Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain

Slope Domain

Foreland Basin Domain Clark

Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete 5025 0 50 Miles descriptions.

Figure 9. Extent of Foreland Basin domain shown with Slope and Lower Paleozoic Shelf domains. Outcrop of Foreland Basin domain shown.

Geosphere, February 2008 275

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its northern edge, the boundary veers sharply plausible explanation for the important changes land Basin domain, the Slope domain, the Basin eastward in northern Elko County, mimicking in lithology at this time, the association with domain, the Nolan belt, and the Dutch Flat ter- the other Paleozoic domain boundaries in that the Antler Orogeny as it was originally defi ned rane. These rocks were not deposited directly area (Crafford, 2007). To the south, the Foreland at Battle Mountain is not as straightforward as on the lower Paleozoic Shelf domain but are Basin domain narrows to a northeast-trending it is often assumed to be. Early workers attrib- unconformably overlying the Pennsylvanian belt across western Lincoln County. Similar to uted creation of the “Antler Foreland Basin” to Ely Limestone in White Pine County, part of the Lower Paleozoic Shelf domain rocks, its trend the shedding of debris off the “Antler Highland” Upper Paleozoic Shelf domain. On the geologic takes a sharp turn to the west in southern Nye (Poole, 1974) into an “exogeosynclinal trough.” map (Crafford, 2007), these rocks are referred to County. Foreland Basin domain rocks are only The general principle of a foreland basin form- as the siliciclastic overlap assemblage (Table 1). present in the far northwestern corner of Clark ing as a result of tectonism to the west (Goebel, County in southernmost Nevada. An outlier of 1991; Speed and Sleep, 1982) has withstood Extent and Boundaries these rocks is also mapped in the Cactus Range geologic cross-examination (Silberling and Exposures of the Antler Overlap domain are of southern Nye County (Cornwall, 1972; Ekren Nichols, 1991; Silberling et al., 1995; Silberling widely scattered across central Nevada (Fig. 10) et al., 1971). et al., 1997), but the details of the nature and tim- and are discontinuous, but its stratigraphic rela- ing of the tectonic event(s) and the components tions across the area are surprisingly consistent. Tectonic Events that were accreted are still not well constrained. It crops out as far northeast as the Snake Moun- Foreland Basin domain rocks have been The regional tectonic relations that support the tains and the HD Range, as far northwest as the involved in Paleozoic and Mesozoic folding and idea that the Foreland Basin domain formed as a Osgood Mountains, and south into northern thrusting. The dramatic change in facies from response to the multiple tectonic events defi ning Nye County (Crafford, 2007). Only the south- the lower Paleozoic Shelf domain to the deposits the Antler Orogeny are: (1) The narrow overlap western-most exposure in the Candelaria Hills of the Foreland Basin domain beginning in Late and subparallel association of the western bound- includes Lower Triassic rocks in Mineral and Devonian time is strong stratigraphic evidence ary of the Foreland Basin domain and the eastern Esmeralda Counties. for initiation of a Late Devonian tectonic event boundary of the Slope domain; (2) the greatest affecting the margin at this time (Goebel, 1991; thickness of Foreland Basin domain rocks is near Tectonic Events Poole and Sandberg, 1977; Silberling et al., its western edge (Poole and Sandberg, 1977); (3) The extent of deformation within the Antler 1995; Silberling et al., 1997; Speed and Sleep, the source rocks of the Foreland Basin domain Overlap domain appears to be quite variable. It 1982). Studies of the structural characteristics of primarily include rocks of the Basin and Slope has been involved in important localized Meso- these Upper Devonian and Mississippian rocks (and other?) domains to the west (Harbaugh and zoic folding and thrusting in a number of places have demonstrated that they are imbricated with Dickinson, 1981; Poole, 1974); (4) rocks of the (Hotz and Willden, 1964; Ketner and Alpha, older shelf, slope, and basin facies rocks near Basin, Slope, Shelf, and Foreland Basin domains 1992; Ketner and Ross, 1990; Riva, 1970). the western boundary of exposure of the Fore- are all imbricated together along the Slope/Fore- Deformation within the Antler Overlap domain land Basin domain (Johnson and Visconti, 1992; land Basin boundary (Jansma and Speed, 1993; has placed Permian rocks directly on underly- McFarlane, 1997; Murphy et al., 1978; Murphy Silberling et al., 1997); and (5) the rocks of the ing folded Basin domain and Nolan belt rocks et al., 1984; Silberling et al., 1997; Smith and Foreland Basin domain are unconformably over- or unconformably on older Pennsylvanian and Ketner, 1977; Trexler and Cashman, 1991). lain by the Antler Overlap domain rocks (Dott, Lower Permian Antler Overlap domain rocks The age of this faulting and the interpretation 1955; Trexler et al., 2004). The time represented (Erickson and Marsh, 1974a, 1974b, 1974c; of which rocks belong in which domain have from the Late Devonian to the Middle Pennsyl- Trexler et al., 2004; Trexler et al., 1991; Villa changed signifi cantly over time (Ketner and vanian is more than 50 million years, suggesting et al., 2007), indicating that these rocks record Smith, 1982; Silberling et al., 1997; Smith and the formation of a long-lived and complex basin changes within an active upper Paleozoic tec- Ketner, 1968, 1978) and remain confusing. The in response to an extended period of episodic tonic regime. impact of Mesozoic and younger structures on tectonism (Silberling et al., 1997; Trexler and these rocks has not commonly been recognized Cashman, 1991; Trexler et al., 2004; Trexler and Discussion but may be signifi cant (Cameron and Cham- Nitchman, 1990). The Antler Overlap domain constrains many berlain, 1988; Gilbert and Taylor, 2001; Nutt, components of Paleozoic tectonic events in 1997; Smith, 1984). Unconformities are inter- Antler Overlap Domain north-central Nevada. The basal unconformity at preted within the Upper Devonian slope and Battle Mountain of the Battle Formation of the basin facies rocks (Murphy et al., 1984), but the The Permian and Pennsylvanian Antler Over- Antler Overlap domain over the Basin domain domain association of those rocks is unclear, lap domain is characterized by the irregular dis- and the Dutch Flat terrane is the type locality of and they are structurally bounded (Silberling et tribution of siliciclastic and carbonate rocks that the Antler Orogeny (Roberts, 1951). The uncon- al., 1997). Interpretations of most boundaries as refl ect local source areas across a large region formity between the Antler Overlap domain faulted or not can only be constrained by bio- (Fig. 10). Five distinct lower Paleozoic domains and the Nolan Belt in the Edna Mountains and stratigraphic evidence. are overlain unconformably or disconformably Osgood Mountains may be as old as Pennsyl- by rocks of this domain. Important unconformi- vanian but clearly predates the Upper Permian Discussion ties also exist within the rocks of the domain. (Erickson and Marsh, 1974a, 1974b; Hotz and The abrupt change in the stratigraphy of the Willden, 1964; Villa et al., 2007). The rocks Upper Devonian continental margin has long Rocks of the Antler Overlap domain unconformably been interpreted as the initiation of a tectonic The Antler Overlap domain consists of Lower overlie the Foreland Basin domain rocks near event that has been attributed to the Antler Triassic through Middle Pennsylvanian con- Carlin (Dott, 1955; Trexler et al., 2004). They Orogeny (Goebel, 1991; Poole, 1974; Speed glomerate, sandstone, siltstone, and limestone. also unconformably overlie the Lower Pennsyl- and Sleep, 1982). While tectonism is the most It unconformably overlies rocks of the Fore- vanian Ely Limestone of the upper Paleozoic

276 Geosphere, February 2008

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Snake Mountains HD Range

Osgood Mountains

Humboldt

Edna Mountain Elko Carlin

Washoe

Pershing Battle Mountain

Eureka Lander Diamond Mountains

Churchill Storey White Pine

Carson City Lyon Douglas

Mineral

Candelaria Hills

Nye Esmeralda ? Lincoln Legend

Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain Slope Domain Basin Domain

Nolan Belt Domain Clark Dutch Flat terrane Foreland Basin Domain Antler Overlap Domain Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete 5025 0 50 Miles descriptions.

Figure 10. Extent of Antler Overlap domain shown with Dutch Flat domain, Nolan Belt, Basin, Slope, Lower Paleozoic Shelf, and Foreland Basin domains. Outcrop of Antler Overlap domain shown with places mentioned in text.

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Shelf domain in the Diamond Mountains along been identifi ed within the Golconda terrane where motorists cross it on Interstate 80. It was the Eureka-White Pine County boundary (Dott, (Erickson and Marsh, 1974a; Jones, 1991a; originally interpreted as a Jurassic structure 1955; Nolan et al., 1956). The basal unconfor- Miller et al., 1984; Murchey, 1990), but they are (Ferguson et al., 1952), but later work suggested mity of this domain provides the only true upper diffi cult to correlate on a regional scale. that it could be as old as Late Permian to Early age limit for the “end” of the Antler Orogeny, Triassic (Lupe and Silberling, 1985; Silberling, demonstrating that the complex sequence of Extent and Boundaries 1975; Silberling and Roberts, 1962). Uncer- events that involved the emplacement of the North and west of Ordovician through Lower tainty remains as to the age of the thrust and the Nolan Belt, the accretion of the Dutch Flat ter- Mississippian rocks of the Basin and Slope relationship between the fault and the deforma- rane, folding and thrusting in the Slope, Basin, domains, rocks of the Golconda terrane and tion within the terrane (Ketner, 1984; Northrup Shelf, and Foreland Basin domains, and the Home Ranch subterrane are distributed in three and Snyder, 1999). Regionally, however, there development of the foreland basin itself had distinct areas (Crafford, 2007) (Figs. 7 and 11): is a very consistent pattern of emplacement of ceased by the Middle Pennsylvanian. (1) in northern Elko County at the northern end the terrane on a low-angle structure over rocks Was the initiation of deposition of the rocks of the Independence Mountains and eastward; of the Antler Overlap domain. Rocks of the of the Antler Overlap domain indicative of a (2) in a large area in north-central Nevada Golconda terrane have also been involved in return to a passive margin or the initiation of a near Golconda in the Sonoma, Tobin, and East additional younger Mesozoic east-vergent and different kind of tectonic regime? It is consis- Ranges, at Battle Mountain and Edna Mountain, west-vergent thrusting (Jones, 1991b; Ketner et tent with existing geologic data (Theodore et and in the Shoshone Range, with outliers to the al., 1993). al., 1998; Trexler et al., 2004) to argue that the north in the Hot Springs Range and the Osgood rocks of the Antler Overlap domain represent Mountains; and (3) in west-central Nevada in the Discussion the tectonic response of the new continental Toiyabe Range, the Pilot and Excelsior Moun- The variety of lithologies and the large age margin to the plate boundary events occurring tains, and areas in between. The lithology and span of these rocks intimately imbricated offshore to the west in the upper Paleozoic oce- structural characteristics of each of these areas together suggest that the Golconda terrane is anic basin that is now represented by rocks of have similarities that warrant grouping them made up of rocks formed in many depositional the Golconda terrane. The places where Antler overall in the same terrane, although at a more settings in and around an upper Paleozoic paleo- Overlap domain rocks themselves have been localized level there may be signifi cant distinc- Pacifi c ocean of unknown size. With the excep- folded and faulted (Erickson and Marsh, 1974a, tions. The Home Ranch subterrane is found in tion of the Home Ranch subterrane, lithologic 1974b, 1974c; Hotz and Willden, 1964; Ketner the northernmost Independence Mountains, the and biostratigraphic data from the Golconda and Alpha, 1992; Riva, 1970; Villa et al., 2007) Hot Springs Range, the Osgood Mountains, and terrane have not been regionally analyzed to are important constraints on the nature of the the northernmost East Range, where its outcrops distinguish other age-specifi c lithologic group- subsequent late Paleozoic and Mesozoic tec- are shown in a distinct color. ings that have been locally identifi ed (Murchey, tonic events of the region. 1982; Murchey, 1990). Parts of the Golconda Tectonic Events terrane are likely far traveled, while others Golconda Domain Pervasive deformation of rocks unconform- clearly formed in proximity to a continental ably overlain by relatively undeformed Lower margin evidenced by deposition of siliciclastic The Golconda domain is characterized by Triassic rocks is a defi ning characteristic of the material (Moore et al., 2000; Speed, 1979). thick, deformed sequences of upper Paleozoic Golconda terrane, and was described long ago A number of structural and biostratigraphic basin facies rocks (Fig. 11). These rocks are as the Sonoma Orogeny (Silberling and Roberts, studies have demonstrated the structural com- commonly bounded below by a regional thrust 1962). The deformation has regional variabil- plexity of this terrane (Babaie, 1987; Brueckner fault that emplaces them over coeval carbonate ity, but it is generally characterized by steeply and Snyder, 1985; Fagan, 1962; Jones, 1991a; and clastic rocks of the Antler Overlap domain. west-dipping foliations that range in strike from Jones and Jones, 1991; Little, 1987; Miller et Lower Triassic volcanic and carbonate rocks north-south in the north central region of the al., 1981; Miller et al., 1984; Murchey, 1990; unconformably overlie the rocks of the Gol- state (Stewart et al., 1977; Stewart et al., 1986) Riley et al., 2000; Schweickert and Lahren, conda domain. to more northeasterly in the northeastern part of 1987; Silberling and Roberts, 1962; Speed, the state (Miller et al., 1984). In the north-central 1979; Stewart et al., 1977; Stewart et al., 1986). Rocks region of the State, the age of this deformation The pervasive deformation characterized by The Golconda domain includes rocks ranging is constrained to Late Permian to Early Triassic steeply dipping structures and large belts of from Late Permian through Latest Devonian in (Silberling and Roberts, 1962) by unconform- mélange (Jones, 1991a, 1997b) within the ter- age. Rock types include a wide range of litholo- ably overlying Lower Triassic rocks. In the rane suggests proximity to a long-lived tectonic gies from basalt and andesite to shale, argillite, Candelaria Hills area in Esmeralda and Min- boundary that involved signifi cant relative dis- and radiolarian chert, and even siliciclastic and eral Counties in west-central Nevada, Lower placement of its components. Explanations for carbonate facies as well. On the geologic map Triassic rocks of the Candelaria Formation lay the origins of the deformation in the Golconda (Crafford, 2007), the rock units that are included beneath the major structure bounding the Gol- terrane have included microplate collisions, in this domain are referred to as the Golconda conda terrane, suggesting that either faulting subsiding arcs, and translational plate bound- terrane and the Home Ranch subterrane of the may have continued into the Early Triassic, or aries (Brueckner and Snyder, 1985; Burchfi el Golconda terrane (Table 1). The Home Ranch the rocks in this area were moved on a younger and Davis, 1975; Jones, 1991a, 1991b; Miller subterrane is restricted to Mississippian in age, structure after initial accretion at the end of the et al., 1982; Speed, 1977, 1979). The bounding and is characterized by basalt, limestone and Permian. In north-central Nevada, the structure structure of the terrane as it is observed today, olistostromal debris fl ows suggestive of deposi- bounding the Golconda terrane is the Golconda however, has minimal deformation in the lower tion in a seamount setting (Jones, 1991a, 1997b). thrust (Ferguson et al., 1952), especially well plate and is a regionally characteristic thrust Many other distinct lithologic sequences have exposed at its type locality at Edna Mountain, fault, suggesting it may relate to only the fi nal

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Pine Forest Range

Hot Springs Range Osgood Mountains Humboldt Independence Jackson Mountains Mountains

Granite Elko Range Edna Mountain

Sonoma Range Washoe Battle Mountain

Pershing Tobin Range East Range

Eureka Lander

Shoshone Range Churchill Storey White Pine

Carson City Lyon Douglas Toiyabe Range

Pilot Excelsior Mountains MountainsMineral

Candelaria Hills Nye Esmeralda ? Lincoln Legend

Nolan Belt Domain

Antler Overlap Domain

Golconda Domain and Home Ranch subterrane Clark

Black Rock-Jackson Domain

Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete 5025 0 50 Miles descriptions.

Figure 11. Extent of Golconda and Black Rock-Jackson domains shown with Antler Overlap and Nolan Belt domains. Outcrops of Gol- conda and Black Rock-Jackson terranes shown with places mentioned in text. The outcrops of the Home Ranch subterrane are those shown in gray in the far northern Independence Mountains, the Hot Springs Range, the Osgood Mountains, and the northwesternmost outcrops in the East Range.

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emplacement of the terrane. This reinforces the the margin until Jurassic or Cretaceous time identifying distinct terranes that have differing idea that signifi cant displacement within the ter- (Wyld et al., 1996). structural and stratigraphic histories, the over- rane occurred when parts of it may have been all picture of when these terranes arrived, and far from the margin, and that the margin was Discussion the nature of their total displacement relative not directly involved until a fi nal emplacement The Black Rock-Jackson terrane contains an to each other and the autochthonous part of the event that may have occurred signifi cantly later important sequence of Permian carbonate rocks Mesozoic margin is variably constrained (Wyld, than the deformation within the terrane. that have distinct non-North American faunal 2000; Wyld et al., 1996; Wyld et al., 2006). assemblages and a stratigraphic sequence that Clearly the initiation of the arc complex in the Black Rock-Jackson Domain ties them to coeval rocks in the Klamath Moun- Sierra Nevada at the end of the Triassic had a tains in California (Blome and Reed, 1995; defi ning impact on reshaping the Mesozoic mar- The Black Rock-Jackson domain (Silberling Darby et al., 2000; Jones, 1990; Russell, 1984; gin in Nevada and infl uenced how these terranes et al., 1992) is distinguished from coeval upper Skinner and Wilde, 1966; Wyld, 1990). Geologic were subsequently deformed and displaced in Paleozoic and lower Mesozoic rocks in Nevada evidence supports the paleogeographic interpre- a backarc setting (Burchfi el and Davis, 1981; by its lithologic correlation to terranes to the tation that during the Permian these rocks were Busby-Spera et al., 1990; Dickinson, 1981; Sch- west in California, and its distinct Mesozoic far from rocks of the Golconda terrane and North weickert, 1978). deformation history (Fig. 11). America and that their subsequent accretion did not occur until the Jurassic or later (Darby et Discussion Rocks al., 2000; Wyld, 2000). Exposures of the Black The details of the Jurassic and Cretaceous This composite terrane consists of two Rock terrane at the southern end of the Bilk accretion of the Mesozoic terranes are outside sequences. Mid-Triassic to upper Paleozoic Creek Mountains are deemed to represent one the scope of this paper, but the impact of these chert, siltstone, shale, sandstone, and tuffaceous of the world’s few, deep-water, Permian-Trias- events on older rocks needs to be carefully con- and volcaniclastic rocks that formed in an oce- sic boundaries (Sperling and Ingle, 2006). sidered when interpreting Paleozoic tectonic anic-basin and island-arc setting were originally events. The role of Mesozoic tectonism in rear- assigned to the Black Rock terrane. A mid-Juras- Mesozoic Terranes and Assemblages ranging the older rocks is signifi cant, regionally sic to Upper Triassic sequence of volcanogenic Domain heterogeneous, and generally overlooked in the and volcanic rocks was originally assigned to interpretation of the history of the Paleozoic the Jackson terrane (Blome and Reed, 1995; The Mesozoic terranes and assemblages dis- rocks. Three distinct structural components of Jones, 1990; Quinn et al., 1997; Russell, 1984; cussed in Crafford (2007) are grouped in this Mesozoic tectonism have affected Paleozoic Silberling et al., 1992; Wyld, 1990). Rocks of paper as a single domain and are not described rocks across Nevada—east-vergent folding and this domain have affi nities to correlative rocks in detail. Their presence outboard of the Paleo- thrusting (of multiple orientations; for example, in the Eastern Klamath and northern Sierra ter- zoic rocks discussed above precludes a direct Armstrong, 1968; Camilleri and Chamberlain, ranes, and not to the North American margin or genetic relationship (Jones, 1990; Wyld et al., 1997; Ketner and Alpha, 1992; Zamudio and the Golconda terrane (Jones, 1990; Skinner and 2006) between Paleozoic rocks of northern and Atkinson, 1995), west-vergent folding and Wilde, 1966). On the geologic map (Crafford, central Nevada and Paleozoic rocks now located thrusting (Gilluly, 1967; Stahl, 1989, 1992), 2007), the rocks of this domain are referred to as outboard of these terranes in the Sierra Nevada and strike-slip displacement (Oldow and Gel- the Black Rock-Jackson terrane (Table 1). of California. ber, 1987; Oldow et al., 1993; Schweickert and Lahren, 1990; Wyld et al., 2006). In particular, Extent and Boundaries Rocks the idea that major strike-slip faults or shear These rocks are exposed in far northwestern Lower Jurassic to Middle Triassic carbonate, zones have rearranged and displaced signifi - Nevada in southern Washoe, Humboldt, and volcaniclastic, siliciclastic, and volcanic rocks cant portions of the Paleozoic margin since late Pershing Counties (Fig. 11) primarily in the of numerous accreted terranes, assemblages, Paleozoic time needs to be carefully considered. Pine Forest Range, the Jackson Mountains, and and volcanic rocks are included in this domain Evidence for such events has been demonstrated the Granite Range. (Crafford, 2007). All of the Mesozoic rocks on and/or postulated (Burchfi el and Davis, 1972; the geologic map (Crafford, 2007) except for the Lahren and Schweickert, 1989; McCollum, Tectonic Events Cratonal Sequence (Triassic and Jurassic rocks 1985; Schweickert and Lahren, 1990; Stevens Parts of the Black Rock terrane can be in eastern Nevada, see map) are considered et al., 1991; Stewart et al., 1986; Walker, 1988; interpreted as the base of the Jackson terrane, together (Table 1). Wyld et al., 2006; Wyld and Wright, 2001) in a but they are generally structurally juxtaposed number of places in the eastern Sierra and west- throughout the region (Silberling et al., 1987). Extent and Boundaries ern Nevada. Incorporation of the effects of the The Permian rocks of the Black Rock terrane Most of the pre-Tertiary rocks exposed in the Mesozoic accretion and displacement events on are coeval with Permian rocks of the Golconda western third of northern Nevada are included in the Paleozoic domains is necessary to establish terrane but do not exhibit the characteristic this domain (Fig. 12). the overall tectonic evolution of the region (dis- deformation assigned to the Sonoma Orog- cussed below). eny (Jones, 1990). This implies that they were Tectonic Events located far from rocks of the Golconda terrane Jurassic and Cretaceous tectonic events were DISCUSSION AND REGIONAL during this time (Jones, 1990). The deforma- responsible for the deformation and accretion of SYNTHESIS tion of the rocks of the Black Rock-Jackson Mesozoic terranes (Oldow, 1983, 1984a; Oldow terrane has been shown to be Mesozoic (Rus- and Bartel, 1987; Oldow et al., 1993; Wyld, The geologic problem of the close juxtaposi- sell, 1984; Wyld, 1990; Wyld et al., 1996). The 2002) in northwestern and west-central Nevada. tion of distinct basin and shelf facies Ordovician Black Rock-Jackson terrane did not accrete to While signifi cant progress has been made in rocks was recognized many years ago in the

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Humboldt

Elko

Washoe

Pershing

Eureka Lander

Churchill Storey White Pine

Carson City Lyon Douglas

Mineral

Legend Nye Esmeralda Black Rock-Jackson terrane Lincoln Humboldt assemblage Jungo terrane Gold Range assemblage Metavolcanic rocks Jurassic felsic volcanic rocks Quartz Mountain terrane Clark Sand Springs terrane Walker Lake terrane, Luning-Berlin assemblage Walker Lake terrane, Pamlico-Lodi assemblage Walker Lake terrane, Pine Nut assemblage

Colored areas show actual outcrop. See Crafford (2007) for list of units and complete 5025 0 50 Miles descriptions.

Figure 12. Extent of Mesozoic terranes and assemblages shown with outcrop.

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Roberts Mountains and near Eureka (Merriam of a Devonian arc as the tectonic mechanism 1972; Hamilton, 1969). Burchfi el and Royden and Anderson, 1942; Nolan et al., 1956) (Fig. to either close a backarc basin and emplace the (1991) proposed a model attempting to address 2). Long before plate tectonics, these authors basin and slope facies rocks onto the margin the lack of age-appropriate, arc-derived mate- ascribed the close juxtaposition of these rocks (Burchfi el and Davis, 1972) or to emplace an rial in Nevada, and while some components of of distinct facies to movement along a thrust accretionary prism in front of a subsiding arc their model, especially the ideas of extension fault they named the Roberts Mountains thrust. (Speed and Sleep, 1982). The arc-related rocks in a basin offshore of the margin, are valid, it This concept was subsequently attributed to in the Paleozoic terranes in the Sierra Nevada overlooks important relations among Paleozoic the Antler Orogeny, an event defi ned by folded of California (Hanson et al. 1988; Harwood, rocks in northern Nevada (Jones, 1991b, p. lower Paleozoic rocks beneath a Middle Penn- 1992) were inferred to be the remnants of the 217–219). An interpretation that is more con- sylvanian unconformity from Antler Peak at Devonian arc. Obstacles exist to these interpre- sistent with the geologic data as presented on Battle Mountain (Roberts, 1951), ~75 miles to tations. The western third of Nevada consists the new map (Crafford, 2007) is that both the the northwest of the Roberts Mountains (Fig. of upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic terranes (Fig. Antler and Sonoma Orogenies and other Paleo- 5). The idea of the Roberts Mountains thrust 12) that were not emplaced until Mesozoic time zoic tectonic events that resulted in the defor- was later expanded to explain the facies juxta- (Oldow, 1983, 1984a; Silberling, 1973; Sil- mation and emplacement of Paleozoic rocks in position along the entire length of exposure of berling and Roberts, 1962; Speed, 1979), thus Nevada were caused by the accretion of distinct these rocks in Nevada (Roberts et al., 1958). An their pre-Mesozoic locations, and the locations terranes (Madden-McGuire and Marsh, 1991a) explanation for a second problem, of why there of any terranes now west of them, are largely along one or more transpressive plate boundar- were two distinct facies of the same age in the unconstrained. The Early Triassic margin of ies (Eisbacher, 1983; Jones, 1991b) prior to the fi rst place, was left to future geologists (Nolan North America in northern Nevada was west of initiation of subduction and arc-volcanism in the et al., 1956, p. 23). Indeed, the advent of plate Winnemucca just outboard of the Golconda ter- Mesozoic. tectonics in the subsequent decade provided rane (Fig. 11). The location of Paleozoic terranes needed insight into the second problem as per- that are now in northwestern Nevada (the Black Pre-Late Devonian Tectonism ceived by Nolan and others of why there were Rock-Jackson terrane) is considered by some to different facies, but it also complicated the sim- have been thousands of kilometers from west- Pre-Late Devonian tectonism is not recorded plistic explanation that a single thrust fault was ern North America during the Permian (Jones, in rocks of the Lower Paleozoic Shelf domain. the mechanism that brought them together. 1990; Stevens et al., 1991; Stevens et al., 1990) Constraints are poor for the location of rocks Over the years, the idea of a single, regional based on distinct faunal provinces (Skinner and of the Basin and Slope domains relative to the thrust fault as a defi ning feature of mid-Paleo- Wilde, 1966) and the lack of correlation of the margin of western North America during their zoic tectonism in Nevada has become embed- geology. While this is disputed by others (Darby time of formation from the Late Cambrian ded in the geologic consciousness of many et al., 2000; Gehrels et al., 2000a; Wyld, 2000), through the Middle Devonian, but these rocks Nevada geoscientists. The age(s) of the regional there is no compelling body of geologic data do show evidence for pre-Late Devonian tecto- faulting that imbricated together different facies that uniquely links Paleozoic rocks of the Sierra nism. Some rocks of the Slope domain received of rocks has been debated since it was fi rst pro- Nevada to the continental margin of Nevada, infl uxes of quartzose sediment derived from a posed (Ketner and Smith, 1982; Merriam and in spite of general similarities of basin-derived continental margin that correlate with quartzose Anderson, 1942; Roberts et al., 1958; Silber- rocks (Harwood and Murchey, 1990). Frag- sediment deposition in the Shelf domain during ling et al., 1997; Smith and Ketner, 1968) and ments of arc-related rocks that are present in the this time (Finney and Perry, 1991; Miller and is still diffi cult to constrain. While the contrast Golconda and Dutch Flat terranes could have Larue, 1983). This fact has been used to sug- in facies of similar age rocks over a large region been derived from several accreted terranes gest that the “Roberts Mountains allochthon” is of Nevada is real, the circumstances of that jux- that are now dispersed along the western North not an exotic terrane (Finney and Perry, 1991), taposition are not adequately explained by a American margin from Mexico to Alaska. and was located close to the Nevada continen- single regional thrust fault. Contributing factors Another obstacle to the early tectonic mod- tal margin in Ordovician time. However, rec- to the present distribution of rocks include the els for the Antler Orogeny is that structural data ognition of the structural complexity within interplay of an original continental slope envi- suggest upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks in rocks assigned to the Slope and Basin domains ronment and multiple tectonic episodes, dur- western Nevada and California were displaced (Noble and Finney, 1999) as well as the pres- ing both the Paleozoic and the Mesozoic that tens or hundreds of kilometers (or more) along ence of other sediment derived from multiple brought these rocks together. These tectonic strike-slip faults at various times ranging from sources (Gehrels and Dickinson, 2000; Wal- events involved multidirectional folding and the late Paleozoic to the Cretaceous (Lahren lin, 1990) within the Basin domain, supports thrusting in a zone of structural weakness cre- and Schweickert, 1989; Oldow et al., 1993; the idea that the rocks with potentially locally ated by rapid changes in facies across a small Schweickert and Lahren, 1990; Walker, 1988; derived quartzose sediment may be structurally area along the margin. The driving mechanism Wyld et al., 2006; Wyld and Wright, 2001). Until imbricated with rocks that have traveled great that created this tectonic setting was the accre- the recognition of the feldspathic Harmony For- distances before their accretion to the margin. tion of terranes along plate boundaries farther mation as Upper Devonian (Jones, 1997a), no Additionally, quartzose sediment was deposited to the west. It is the fi rst problem that Nolan arc-related rocks of appropriate age in Nevada along a great length of the western North Amer- and others deemed solved—the juxtaposition of could be assigned to the subsided arc of Speed ican continental margin during the Ordovician different facies rocks—not the second, of why and Sleep (1982). Direct evidence is still lacking (Gehrels et al., 1995; Ketner, 1986), and thus its they exist in the fi rst place, which, in fact, still for an arc as the accretionary force behind the presence in the Basin and Slope domain rocks challenges our geologic understanding of this tectonics of the Antler Orogeny in the same way does not rule out signifi cant movement of ter- complex region. that large Jurassic and Cretaceous plutons in the ranes subparallel to the margin. Early tectonic models that were invoked to Sierra Nevada and Nevada defi ne the Mesozoic Lower Paleozoic igneous rocks diagnostic explain the Antler Orogeny used the accretion arc setting of the region (Burchfi el and Davis, of several different tectonic environments are

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present in the Basin and Slope domains. The Late Devonian to Middle Pennsylvanian range for the deformation within the belt Ordo- Slope domain rocks of the Comus Formation “Antler” Tectonism vician to Middle Pennsylvanian. The west-ver- in the Megapit of the Twin Creeks Mine, near gent, pre-Middle Pennsylvanian deformation the Osgood Mountains (Fig. 3), have mafi c The dramatic paleogeographic change on the and exhumation of the Nolan Belt may predate and ultramafi c sills and fl ows interlayered with continental margin from carbonate-dominated the east-vergent, pre-Middle Pennsylvanian Lower Ordovician slope facies carbonate rocks stratigraphy to siliciclastic-dominated stratigra- deformation in the Basin and Slope domains. (Ten Brink, 2002; Thoreson et al., 2000). These phy during the Late Devonian marked the tran- Evidence for this is found in the Osgood and rocks have geochemical signatures compatible sition from the Lower Paleozoic Shelf domain Mountain City blocks of the Nolan Belt (Fig. with both mid-ocean ridge basalts and ocean to the Foreland Basin domain and signaled the 6) and the Candelaria region of Mineral and island basalts (Ten Brink, 2002). Ordovician beginning of a tectonic infl uence on the continen- Esmeralda Counties, where Basin domain rocks pillow basalts and volcaniclastic rocks from the tal margin. While fl exural warping from tectonic are faulted directly over deformed and meta- Basin domain in the Independence Mountains loading is a viable model for foreland basin for- morphosed Cambrian and Ordovician Nolan of northeastern Nevada are interpreted to repre- mation (Goebel, 1991; Silberling et al., 1997), belt phyllite and shale (Crafford and Grauch, sent seamounts and extensional mid-ocean ridge several types of tectonic events—extensional, 2002). In the northern Osgood Mountains, this environments in a setting proximal to a conti- compressional, or translational—could generate structure is unconformably overlain by Penn- nental margin (Leslie et al., 1991; Watkins and the topographic relief required for the erosion sylvanian rocks of the Antler Overlap domain Browne, 1989). Rifting and subsidence are also of siliciclastic material into a foreland basin. (Jones, 1991b). Means (1962), however, argued interpreted in Ordovician rocks of the Basin and According to Johnson and Visconti (1992) and that the polyphase deformation in the rocks in Slope domains in the Roberts Mountains (Finney Murphy et al. (1984), evidence for post–Early the Toiyabe Range, included in this study in the et al., 1993) (Fig. 5). The presence of mafi c vol- Mississippian faulting in the Roberts Mountains Nolan Belt, could be as young as Jurassic, and canic rocks in the Basin and Slope domains is well constrained. Upper Devonian rocks also therefore possibly post-dated the east-vergent implies active rifting and seamount formation show evidence of stratigraphic disruption (Mur- structures in the rocks. in an ocean basin during the lower Paleozoic. phy et al., 1984), and can be interpreted to be The presence of the structurally bounded Some of this tectonism must have occurred far part of a pre-Early Mississippian faulting event Dutch Flat terrane in Humboldt, Pershing, and enough from the margin to be undetected in (Silberling et al., 1997, p. 177–179). Smith and Lander Counties (Fig. 8) requires displace- the rocks of the Lower Paleozoic Carbonate Ketner (1968) interpreted the Lower Mississip- ment of this terrane from its point of origin Shelf domain, but some of the rocks were also pian Webb Formation as a unit that postdated and accretion of it to the rocks of the Basin close enough to receive quartzose detritus shed thrusting, while Johnson and Visconti (1992) and domain between Late Devonian and Middle from a margin (Leslie et al., 1991). Silurian Ketner and Smith (1982) show that Mississip- Pennsylvanian time. At Battle Mountain, the feldspathic siltstones and shales derived from pian rocks mapped as the Webb (included in this Harmony Formation is interpreted as thrust a granitic source have been well documented study in the Foreland Basin domain) are actually over the Valmy Formation of the Basin domain as part of the Basin assemblage rocks (Gil- involved in the faulting. Thus, rocks as young along the DeWitt Thrust (Roberts, 1964), sug- luly and Gates, 1965; Girty et al., 1985; Noble as Mississippian are involved in faulting. In the gesting this event postdates the folding and and Finney, 1999; Riva, 1970; Wrucke, 1974) Piñon Range, the Late Mississippian Newark thrusting within the Basin domain. Both units included in this paper in the Basin domain. Arc- Valley sequence (Trexler and Cashman, 1991; are then unconformably overlain by the rocks related rocks that could have provided a granitic Trexler and Nitchman, 1990) of the Foreland of the Antler Overlap domain. How close the source have not been recognized in the Lower Basin domain unconformably overlies Upper Harmony Formation and the Valmy Formation Paleozoic Shelf domain or in adjacent terranes Devonian rocks assigned to the Slope Domain at Battle Mountain were to the continental mar- in Nevada. Sources elsewhere along the west- and Lower Mississippian rocks assigned to the gin when they were juxtaposed is constrained ern North American margin have been proposed Foreland Basin domain (Silberling et al., 1997, only by the regional distribution of the uncon- (Gehrels et al., 2000b). The feldspathic Silurian p. 177–179, Fig. 12). formably overlying Antler Overlap domain siltstones and shales in the Basin domain could The regional Middle Pennsylvanian uncon- (Fig. 10). have formed far from the Nevada continental formity at the base of the Antler Overlap domain Numerous scenarios could explain the margin, near a source of feldspathic debris, and defi nes a signifi cant change in the tectonic setting sequence of events affecting these rocks as they subsequently been displaced and accreted to the of the region, and demonstrates that the rocks relate to the “Antler Orogeny.” The deformation margin, or, conversely, the source for the feld- of the Basin, Slope, Nolan belt, Dutch Flat, and in the Nolan Belt could be either an unrelated spathic Silurian rocks was located near the mar- Foreland Basin domains were in some sort of preexisting deformation that was already part gin and has since been tectonically removed to relative juxtaposition by that time. Beneath that of the rocks, or could have formed during the an unknown location. unconformity, rocks of these domains exhibit at accretion and/or uplift of the Nolan Belt. The The deformation in the Nolan Belt could pos- least three different tectonic histories. age is constrained only from post-Ordovician to sibly be as old as Late Ordovician. If this were The youngest age of rocks deformed in the pre-Middle Pennsylvanian. The Dutch Flat ter- the case, it is unlikely that the Nolan Belt was Nolan Belt is not well constrained. There are rane structurally overlies the Basin domain at located near the continental margin in Nevada at rocks younger than Ordovician in the regions Battle Mountain (Roberts, 1964). The accretion that time, where no record of such deformation mapped as part of the Nolan Belt (Crafford, of the Dutch Flat terrane may therefore have is present in the Lower Paleozoic Shelf domain. 2007), but whether their relation to the older been a partial mechanism for the deformation To summarize, there is recorded pre-Late Devo- rocks is structural or stratigraphic is not clear in the underlying Basin and Slope domains, but nian tectonism in lower Paleozoic rocks in sev- (Stewart and Palmer, 1967). The youngest rocks the Dutch Flat terrane is not big enough to have eral domains in Nevada, but the location of those involved in the Nolan belt deformation could be caused the deformation known throughout the rocks relative to the now adjacent continental as old as Ordovician, or they could be as young Basin and Slope domains, unless it was once margin during that time is not well constrained. as Devonian. This would make the broadest age much larger and much of it has been removed

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by subsequent faulting. A transpressive plate The lack of an apparent foreland basin associ- Mesozoic Tectonism boundary that accreted both the Dutch Flat ter- ated with the Golconda terrane in the same way rane and parts of the Nolan Belt against rocks that the Foreland Basin domain is interpreted Mesozoic tectonism resulting from plate con- of the Basin and Slope domains accounts for to correlate with the accretion of rocks of the vergence to the west (Oldow et al., 1984) led to much of the present spatial arrangement of Basin and Slope domains has puzzled geologists the accretion of Paleozoic and Mesozoic ter- domains and their deformation without invok- for many years (Burchfi el and Davis, 1975). Its ranes in western Nevada and California (Oldow, ing a missing subsided arc (Speed and Sleep, absence was based in part on the assumption 1984a; Wyld, 2002). However, the impact of this 1982) or other components. This, in turn, may that the “orogeny” did not happen until after tectonism on the older rocks to the east has long have caused the rocks of the Basin and Slope the Permian. If one considers the ongoing tec- been diffi cult to constrain in spite of its impor- domains to be folded and thrusted together tonism that affected the margin from Middle tance. The biggest obstacle to understanding the eastward over rocks of the Foreland Basin and Pennsylvanian through the Permian as related affect of the Mesozoic tectonism on the Paleo- Carbonate Shelf domains. This would have to the deformation and accretion in the Gol- zoic rocks is the lack of Mesozoic sedimentary resulted in episodic folding and thrusting such conda terrane then, in essence, the Antler Over- rocks in the north-central and eastern regions of as has been postulated for the complex mid- lap domain is the “foreland basin,” albeit much Nevada. Nonetheless, certain geometric con- Paleozoic deformation in the Piñon Range and smaller, for the Golconda terrane. The rocks straints of different domains imply substantial elsewhere (Johnson and Visconti, 1992; Mur- overlap in age, as they do for the older domains. movement during the Mesozoic of important phy et al., 1984; Silberling et al., 1997). There are Upper Devonian and Mississippian components of Paleozoic domains. rocks in the Foreland Basin and Slope domains; East-vergent and southeast-vergent Mesozoic Middle Pennsylvanian to Early Triassic there are Pennsylvanian and Permian rocks in thrusting is well documented in southern Nevada Tectonism both the Antler Overlap domain and the Gol- in the major thrust belts attributed to the Sevier conda terrane. In each case, the age range of Orogeny exposed in Clark County (Armstrong, Substantial evidence now supports the con- the accreting rocks is greater than that of the 1968; Burchfi el and Davis, 1988; Burchfi el et cept that continued tectonism affected the “foreland basin” rocks. The Basin and Slope al., 1970; Carr, 1983; Walker et al., 1990). Far- continental margin in northern Nevada from domains include rocks as old as Late Cambrian; ther to the north in the central part of the state, the Middle Pennsylvanian through the Perm- the Golconda terrane includes rocks as old as east-vergent Mesozoic thrusting has also been ian (Theodore et al., 1998; Trexler et al., 2004; Late Devonian. This suggests these rocks were demonstrated in spite of a paucity of exposure Villa et al., 2007). The root causes of the tec- present in an oceanic basin setting prior to and of Mesozoic rocks (Allmendinger et al., 1984; tonism are likely the manifestation of the plate independent of their interaction with the mar- Bartley, 1990; Bartley et al., 1987; Cameron boundary that must have existed to the west and gin in any way. The formation of the siliciclas- and Chamberlain, 1988; Camilleri and Cham- northwest of the margin, but the details of the tic and carbonate units and disconformities in berlain, 1997; Ketner and Smith, 1974, 1982; nature of the boundary remain unconstrained. the Antler Overlap domain may well correlate Lush et al., 1988; McGrew et al., 2000; Nolan et The rocks of the Golconda terrane represent with tectonic episodes that affected the rocks al., 1971; Thorman et al., 1991; Thorman et al., remnants of the upper Paleozoic ocean basin in the adjacent Golconda terrane in the same 1990). Even farther to the north in northern Elko now accreted to the margin through a com- way that variations throughout the stratigraphic County, the effects of east-vergent Mesozoic plex series of tectonic events including strike- section of the Foreland Basin domain rocks thrusting can still be documented (Coats and slip and thrust faulting (Jones, 1991a, 1991b; (Brew, 1971; Goebel, 1991; Silberling et al., Riva, 1983; Ketner, 1984; Ketner et al., 1993). Speed, 1979). The rocks of the Golconda ter- 1997) refl ect changes in the nature of the tecto- In many places, these thrust sheets have imbri- rane are in many ways analogous to rocks of nism affecting the rocks of the Basin and Slope cated together previously thrusted sequences of the Basin domain in that they both formed in domains. While the details of the lithologic Shelf, Slope, Basin, and Foreland Basin domain ocean basin and slope settings and received components of the Antler Overlap domain and rocks (Murphy et al., 1978). Palinspastic various contributions of cratonal material. Final the Foreland Basin domain are understandably reconstructions across the region (Saleeby and emplacement of the terrane is inferred to be distinct, they can be considered to represent a Busby-Spera, 1992) support the idea that these during the Late Permian to Early Triassic. The similar type of tectonic environment in a gen- large thrust sheets have displacements on the evidence of ongoing tectonism affecting the eral sense—they each represent the margin’s order of a few to a few tens of kilometers of both continental margin during the Upper Paleozoic, response to the ongoing tectonism caused by horizontal and vertical displacement through the however, supports the idea that the deforma- movement and accretion along plate boundar- crust (Elison, 1991). Over the region, the thrust- tion within the Golconda terrane and its accre- ies located offshore. ing occurred during various episodes from the tion to the margin was a long-lived tectonic The Golconda thrust (Ferguson et al., 1952) Jurassic through the Cretaceous, although older process. While the unconformity that defi nes emplaces the rocks of the Golconda terrane over thrusting cannot be ruled out. the Sonoma Orogeny (Silberling and Roberts, rocks of the Antler Overlap domain. This spatial An important feature of Mesozoic deforma- 1962) is between folded and thrusted Permian relationship is observed from northeastern Elko tion in north-central Nevada that is often over- through Mississippian deep-water chert and County all the way south and west to Esmeralda looked is the evidence for west-vergent thrust- argillite and unconformably overlying Early County, demonstrating the regional signifi cance ing (Coats, 1964; Gilluly, 1967; Speed et al., Triassic and younger volcanic and carbonate of this event. While the age of thrusting is not 1988; Stahl, 1987, 1989, 1992; Wallace and Sil- rocks (Stewart et al., 1986), this does not limit explicitly constrained, the nature of the rocks berling, 1964; Willden, 1961). While a number the deformation within the terrane to a time deposited on the upper and lower plates of the of studies have demonstrated the importance of frame only after the Permian. The deformation fault, and the geometric relations to other simi- this deformation in reconfi guring the Paleozoic within the terrane ceased by the Early Triassic lar thrust faults suggest an Early Triassic age for domains of the area (Elison et al., 1986; Eli- but could have been ongoing throughout the the structure (Burke and Silberling, 1973; Sil- son and Speed, 1989; Heck et al., 1986; Jones, upper Paleozoic. berling, 1975). 1993; Speed et al., 1982; Stahl and Speed, 1983;

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Stahl and Speed, 1984), no synthesis has looked terrane of Crafford [2007]) is interpreted as a tic, and volcaniclastic Mesozoic terranes and at the regional effect of this deformation. The fault, with signifi cant strike-slip motion (Oldow, assemblages that were either accreted to the area where it is best documented is around 1984a). Its location is constrained by the bound- margin or deposited unconformably over previ- Winnemucca in the East and Sonoma Ranges and aries of the Pine Nut assemblage and the Sand ously accreted Paleozoic terranes. in the Osgood Mountains (Jones, 1991b; Stahl, Springs terrane (Fig. 13), and it also separates Mafi c volcanism associated with seamounts 1989). Both the Osgood block and the Moun- regions with signifi cantly different structural and rifting is evidenced in the lower Paleozoic tain City block of the Nolan belt have signifi cant histories (Oldow, 1984a). A major, brittle shear rocks of the Basin and Slope domains. Feld- exposures of the Golconda terrane on both sides zone exposed along the east fl ank of the Wassuk spathic sedimentary rocks indicating proximity of the blocks (Figs. 7 and 11). Regional relations Range is interpreted to be an exhumed part of the to unknown arc-related sources are an impor- indicate that the Golconda terrane overrode the fault system (Oldow et al., 1993). It is inferred tant component of the Basin domain, indicating Antler Overlap rocks eastward by Early Triassic to be part of the Mojave-Snow Lake fault by its relative mobility with respect to the lower time (Crafford, 2007). Thrust faulting of Cam- others (Schweickert and Lahren, 1990). It seems Paleozoic Shelf domain. Exotic, coarse-grained, brian phyllite of the Nolan belt in the Osgood reasonable to propose that the truncation bound- Upper Devonian feldspathic rocks of the Dutch Mountains places these rocks westward over ary of the Shelf and Slope domains southeast Flat terrane now accreted to the Basin domain Permian rocks of the Antler Overlap domain of the Pine Nut fault system could represent require a post-early Late Devonian and pre- (Hotz and Willden, 1964; Jones, 1991b). While the southeastern edge of the zone of deforma- Middle Pennsylvanian accretion event. Distinc- the actual age constraints of this thrusting are tion and displacement found in the Mesozoic tive pre-Middle Pennsylvanian deformation in post-Permian to Tertiary, it is most consistent accreted terranes of the Luning fold and thrust Cambrian and Ordovician slope and basin facies with the regional data that the Jurassic and/or belt (Oldow, 1984a) system. A kinematic model rocks defi nes the Nolan belt. It has a structural younger west-vergent deformation documented with simultaneous transcurrent and thrust dis- history different from the history recorded in the in the Sonoma and East Ranges is part of a placements during transpressional deformation, Basin and Slope domains. It may be an accreted larger regional system that moved thick crustal as suggested by Oldow et al. (1993) for the Pine terrane or a displaced section of the continen- sequences tens of kilometers westward. Nut fault could be applied equally well to this tal margin. The Antler Overlap domain ties the Strike-slip displacement in the western Cor- proposed structure. The amount of displace- accretion and deformation of the Basin and dillera during Mesozoic deformation behind ment is unconstrained but could be on the order Slope domains and the Dutch Flat terrane to the the Sierran arc has been suggested by others of 100 km. Nolan belt and the continental margin by the (McCollum, 1985) and documented in several Middle Pennsylvanian. places. Evidence for Jurassic sinistral displace- SUMMARY Deformation recorded in the rocks of the ment of tens of kilometers (Oldow, 1983; Sil- Golconda terrane suggests involvement of these berling and John, 1989) and Early Cretaceous Assigning rocks from the new geologic map oceanic rocks in a long-lived plate boundary. dextral displacement of even greater magnitude of Nevada (Crafford, 2007) to tectonic domains Signatures of the tectonism associated with this have been proposed (Busby-Spera and Saleeby, that refl ect their paleogeographic setting and boundary may be recorded in the rocks of the 1990; Lahren and Schweickert, 1989; Schweick- their structural history provides new insight into coeval Antler Overlap domain. The fi nal accre- ert and Lahren, 1990; Wyld et al., 2006; Wyld specifi c tectonic events and how these events tion of the Golconda terrane to the margin took and Wright, 2001). The domain analysis in this relate to the accretion of terranes and the defor- place at the close of the Paleozoic or early in the paper brings to light an interesting discontinu- mation of the margin through time. Predictive Mesozoic. Tectonism in the Mesozoic refl ected ity that may be related to Jurassic or younger models of the geologic framework useful for the change of the margin from one of transpres- displacement (Fig. 13). The lower Paleozoic resource exploration require an understanding sional accretion of ocean basin terranes to a true Shelf domain, the Basin domain, and the Slope of this tectonic history that can best be achieved backarc setting. This involved thick-skinned, domain all have a truncation at the southwestern by iterative modeling of local geologic data into east- and west-vergent folding and thrusting edge of the main area of exposure that trends a regional geologic framework. of Mesozoic and older rocks and signifi cant southeast across northern Nye County across Important tectonic domains discussed in this displacement along transcurrent faults, all as a the depositional facies recorded in the Shelf paper include lower Paleozoic domains based refl ection of the kinematics of the plate bound- domain (Figs. 2, 4, and 5). To the south and west on paleogeographic facies, the Carbonate Shelf, aries located to the west. of this boundary, there are no exposures of Shelf Slope, and Basin domains; the Nolan belt, a The Paleozoic geologic history of Nevada can domain rocks, only isolated exposures of Slope structurally complex domain that includes Pre- be viewed in terms of tectonic domains derived and Basin domain rocks, and rocks of the Nolan cambrian and lower Paleozoic slope and basin from the newly interpreted geologic map of belt (Fig. 6). A possible explanation for this facies rocks; the Dutch Flat terrane, an Upper Nevada (Crafford, 2007). These domains reveal abrupt boundary is a truncation along a Meso- Devonian feldspathic sandstone of exotic origin; that Paleozoic tectonic events in Nevada were zoic (Jurassic?) strike-slip fault. The isolated an Upper Devonian to Lower Pennsylvanian shaped by complex interactions between the exposures of Basin and Slope domain rocks siliciclastic Foreland Basin domain concor- continental margin and accreted terranes out- southwest of the structure can be explained as dantly overlying the Shelf domain; the Pennsyl- board of the margin. The Paleozoic margin has displaced fragments that were remobilized dur- vanian and Permian siliciclastic and carbonate also been modifi ed by Mesozoic tectonic events ing a Mesozoic strike-slip event. Antler Overlap domain unconformably overly- in important, under-recognized ways. Better This boundary is parallel to the Pine Nut ing the older domains; the Golconda terrane of constraining our understanding of the complex fault system (Oldow, 1983; Oldow and Gelber, deformed upper Paleozoic oceanic, carbonate, relations of ancient orogenic belts provides a 1987; Oldow et al., 1993) located 150 km to and siliciclastic rocks, which is faulted over the more refi ned picture of the geodynamic history the northwest (Fig. 13). The eastern boundary Antler Overlap domain; the upper Paleozoic of the Earth’s crust. It also serves to enhance of the Pine Nut assemblage of Oldow (1984a) and Mesozoic volcaniclastic Black Rock-Jack- and update our ever-evolving understanding of (the Pine Nut assemblage of the Walker Lake son terrane; and numerous carbonate, siliciclas- the rich geologic history of Nevada. This can

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Humboldt

Elko

Washoe

Pershing

Eureka Lander

Churchill Storey White Pine Pine Nut Fault

Carson City Lyon Douglas Mesozoic truncation?

Mineral

? Nye Esmeralda

Lincoln Mesozoic Domain Legend Black Rock-Jackson terrane Humboldt assemblage

Jungo terrane Paleozoic Domains Gold Range assemblage Lower Paleozoic Shelf Domain Metavolcanic rocks Slope Domain Clark Jurassic felsic volcanic rocks Basin Domain Quartz Mountain terrane Nolan Belt Domain Sand Springs terrane Dutch Flat terrane Walker Lake terrane, Luning-Berlin assemblage Foreland Basin Domain Walker Lake terrane, Pamlico-Lodi assemblage Antler Overlap Domain Walker Lake terrane, Pine Nut assemblage Golconda terrane

5025 0 50 Miles

Figure 13. All domains shown with Mesozoic strike-slip faulting and proposed truncation.

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Nevada geologic terrane, in Ernst, W.G., ed., The geo- Coles, K.S., and Snyder, W.S., 1985, Signifi cance of guide us to more effective discovery and use of tectonic development of California: Englewood Cliffs, lower and middle Paleozoic phosphatic chert in the its resources and provide insight into the fun- New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, p. 50–70. Toquima Range, central Nevada: Geology, v. 13, no. 8, damental workings of geologic processes that Burchfi el, B.C., and Davis, G.A., 1988, Mesozoic thrust faults p. 573–576, doi: 10.1130/0091-7613(1985)13<573: and Cenozoic low-angle normal faults, eastern Spring SOLAMP>2.0.CO;2. apply around the world. Mountains, Nevada, and Clark Mountains thrust complex, Coney, P.J., Jones, D.L., and Monger, J.W.H., 1980, Cordil- California, in Weide, D.L., and Faber, M.L., eds., This leran suspect terranes: Nature, v. 288, p. 329–333, doi: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS extended land, geological journeys in the southern Basin 10.1038/288329a0. and Range: Geological Society of America, Cordilleran Cook, H.E., and Corboy, J.J., 2004, Great Basin Paleozoic Section Field Trip Guidebook, p. 87–106. carbonate platform: Facies, facies transitions, deposi- This work would not be possible without the geo- Burchfi el, B.C., and Royden, L.H., 1991, Antler orogeny: tional models, platform architecture, sequence stratig- logic infl uence of many Nevada geologists, among A Mediterranean-type orogeny: Geology, v. 19, no. 1, raphy, and predictive mineral host models: U.S. Geo- them David L. Jones, Norm Silberling, John Oldow, p. 66–69, doi: 10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<0066: logical Survey Open-File Report 2004-1078, 129 p. and many more. Also necessary for completion has AOAMTO>2.3.CO;2. Cornwall, H.R., 1972, Geology and mineral deposits of been the fi nancial support of the U.S. Geological Burchfi el, B.C., Pelton, P.J., and Sutter, J., 1970, An early southern Nye County, Nevada: Nevada Bureau of Survey and Newmont Mining Company. The author Mesozoic deformation belt in south-central Nevada- Mines and Geology Bulletin 77, 49 p. is grateful for their support and assistance. 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Paleozoic and early Mesozoic paleogeographic rela- Theodore, T.G., Murchey, B.L., Hanger, R.A., Strong, E.E., tions; Sierra Nevada, Klamath Mountains, and related and Ashinhurst, R.T., 1994, Preliminary geologic map terranes: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of of the Snow Gulch quadrangle, Humboldt and Lander America Special Paper 255, p. 17–32. Counties, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Washburn, R.H., 1970, Paleozoic stratigraphy of the Toiyabe Report 94-436, scale 1:24,000. Range, southern Lander County, Nevada: American MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED 20 MARCH 2007 Theodore, T.G., Armstrong, A.K., Harris, A.G., Stevens, C.H., Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 54, REVISED MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED 12 OCTOBER 2007 and Tosdal, R.M., 1998, Geology of the northern terminus no. 2, p. 275–284. MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED 16 OCTOBER 2007

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