Geology of the Northern Franklin Mountains, Texas and New Mexico

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Geology of the Northern Franklin Mountains, Texas and New Mexico Geology of the Northern Franklin Mountains, Texas and New Mexico By R. L. HARBOUR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1298 The geology of a complex fault-block range with emphasis on stratigraphy of Paleozoic rocks UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1972 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ROGER~ C. B. MORT~N, Secretory GEOLOGICAL SURVEY V. E. McKelvey, Director Library of Congress catalog-card No. i0-187909 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government PrintinQ Office WashinQton, D.C. 20402 Stock Number 2401-2052 CONTENTS Page Abstract ________________________________ ------____ ---------__ ----- 1 Introduction ___________ ---__________ ------____ ------_______ -----__ 2 Geography _______ ---_________________ -"- ______ ------ ___ ---:..--- 2 Regional setting _______________________ -----------____ ----- 2 PhysiographY--------------------------------------------- 4 Climate, flora, and fauna·---------------'-------------- .. -~-- 6 Population------------------------------------------------ 6 Previous geologic accounts ______ -------- ___ ;. __ -"----------------- 7 Description of the rocks ______ -----"-_________________ -..,------------- 9 Precambrianrocks_____________________________________________ 11 Castner Limestone ______________ ---____________ ------------ 11 ~undyBreccia-------------------------------------------- 13 Lanoria Quartzite _________________________ ----_____________ 14 Granite porphyry-----______ ---__ ------_______ ----_________ 16 Rhyolite ____ --- ___ -- __ -------__________ -----____ ---------" 16 Granne-------------------------------------------------- 17 Diabase dikes-----------"---------------------------------- - 18 Cambrian and Ordovician rocks-Bliss Sandstone__ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 19 Ordovician rocks ______________________________ -----__ --------- 21 El Paso Limestone_________________________________________ 21 Montoya Dolomite._-------------------------------------- 26 lJpharn Member--------------------------------------- 28 Aleman Member ___ -------------"---------------------- 31 Cutter Member·-------------------------------------- 31 Silurian rocks-Fusselman Dolomite ____ ----___ :..:..________________ 32 Devonian rocks ____________________________ -~ __: __ .;. _____ --~_____ 34 ~iddle Devonian rocks------------------------------------- 35 Perclia Shale __________________________________ -----_______ 37 Mississippian rocks ________________________________ --------____ 38 Las Cruces Limestone of Laudon and Bowsher (1949)__________ 38 Rancheria Formation of Laudon and Bowsher ( 1949) ___ .... __ _ _ _ _ 39 Helms Formation as used by Laudon and Bowsher (1949)______ 42 Pennsylvanianrocks------------------------------------------- 43 Magdalena Formation _______ ----------------_____ --------__ 43 La Tuna Member------------------------------------- 46 Berino Member--------------------------------------- 47 Bishop Cap Member----------------------------------- 47 1Jpper member _____________ ..; _____________ -----__ ------ 48 Permianrocks------------------------------------------------- 50 Hueco Limestone---------------------------------~--~----- 50 Cretaceousrocks ______________________________________ ~-------- 57 m IV CONTENTS Description of the rocks-Continued Page Tertiary and Quaternary rocks__________________________________ 58 Tertiary(?)-felsite silL____________________________________ 59 Tertiary and Quaternary-basin deposits_____________________ 60 Quaternary-gravel and caliche rimrock _______ .______________ 62 Holocene alluvium _________________________ -----___________ 63 Structure--------------------------------------------------------- 64 Precambrian deformation ______ --------_________________________ 64 Granite intrusion__________________________________________ 65 Folding and faulting_______________________________________ 65 Paleozoic and Mesozoic deformation_____________________________ 66 Cenozoic deformation ___ -------- ____ -- __________ --- _____ ----___ 67 Folds and thrust faults_____________________________________ 69 High-angle normal faults __ ------______________________ ----- 70 A vispa fault system______ __ __ _ __ __ __ _ __ _ __ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ 71 Fusselman Canyon fault____________________________________ 74 Low-angle normal faults------------------------------------ 74 Quaternary faults ______ -----__________________________ ----- 75 Mineral deposits _________________ --------- __ -- _______________ ------ 76 Tin---------------------------------------------------------- 76 Iron--------------------------------------------------------- 77 Gypsum------------------------------------------------------ 77 Magnesium--------------------------------------------------- 78 Oil and gas------------------------------------------------------- 78 Previous exploration _________________________ -------___________ 78 Potential source and reservoir rocks------------------------------ 81 Groundwater----------------------------------------------------- 83 Measured sections __________________________________ - _- _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ 83 Fossils and localities_----- ________________________ -_---____________ 102 Castner Limestone (Precambrian) __________ ----_________________ 102 Bliss Sandstone (Upper Cambrian and Lower Ordovician)__________ 102 El Paso Limestone (Lower Ordovician)___________________________ 103 Montoya Dolomite (Upper Ordovician) ___ --- _______ -- __ --_______ 105 Middle Devonian rocks ________ ------______ ------ ____ ------_____ 109 Rancberia Formation of Laudon and Bowsher, 1949 (Mississippian)_ 110 Helms Formation as used by Laudon and Bowsher, 1949 (Upper Mississippian) _____________________________ -----_____________ 110 Magdalena Formation (Pennsylvanian) ________ -----______________ 111 Hueco Limestone (Permian) ____________________ -----___________ 112 References cited___________________________________________________ 119 IndeX------------------------------------------------------------ 125 ILLUSTRATIONS Page PLATE 1. Geologic map of the northern Franklin Mountains, Texas and ~ew Mexico _______________________________________ In pocket 2. Graphic sections of Precambrian and Paleozoic rocks, northern Franklin Mountains, Texas and ~ew Mexico __________ In pocket 3. Geologic sections of the northern Franklin Mountains, Texas and ~ew Mexico----------------------------------- In pocket CONTENTS V Page FIGURE 1. Index to area of geologic map_____________________________ 3 2. Longitudinal profile of the Franklin Mountains______________ 5 3. Graphic sections of lower Paleozoic rocks in the Franklin and Organ Mountains, Texas and New Mexico________________ 2.5 4. Diagrammatic section of the Franklin Mountains area at the beginning of El Paso (Ordovician) time__ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ __ _ __ _ _ 68 5. Map showing major Cenozoic structural features in the Frank- lin Mountains_________________________________________ 68 6. Map showing configuration of the Avispa fault surface_______ 72 TABLES Page TABLE 1. Layered rock units in the Franklin Mountains and vicinity___ 10 2. Magnesium content in the Castner Limestone_______________ 12 3. Thickness of members of the Lanoria Quartzite______________ 15 4. Distribution of conodonts collected in the El Paso and Montoya Formations in the northern Franklin Mountains___________ 29 5. Distribution of fossils collected in the Montoya Dolomite in the northern Franklin Mountains___________________________ 29 6. Classification of the Devonian rocks in the Franklin Mountains_ 35 7. Classification of the Mississippian rocks in the Franklin Moun- tains------------------------------------------------- 39 8. Fusulinid distribution in the Magdalena Formation of the Franklin Mountains__ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ __ __ _ __ _ _ _ __ __ __ _ _ __ __ _ 45 9. Lithologic correlation of the H ueco Limestone in the Franklin and Hueco Mountains_________________________________ 51 10. Fusulinid distribution in the Hueco Limestone, northern Franklin Mountains_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ __ __ __ _ __ _ __ _ 53 11. Wells drilled for oil and gas in the mapped area_____________ 79 12. Significant oil and gas test wells in the Franklin Mountains region------------------------------------------------ 80 GEOLOGY OF THE NORTHERN FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS, TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO By R. L. IlAimoUR ABSTRACT The area described, about 160 square miles, lies in El Paso Ootmty, Tex., and Dona Ana County, N. Mex. It consists of the northern part of the Franklin Mountains and adjacent detrital terraces. Rocks present in the area range in age from Precambrian to Holocene. Pre­ cambrian rocks exposed include nearly 5,000 feet of metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks rthat have been intruded by granite. The metamorphosed rocks are divided, in ascending order, into the Castner Limestone, about 1,100 feet thick ; the Mundy Breccia, as much as 250 feet thick; and the Lanoria Quartzite, about 2,600 feet thick. A red rhyolite, about 1,400 feet thick, overlies the meta­ morphosed sequence and is also intruded by granite. The intruded granite is about 1,000 million years old. The granite is intruded by diabase that is provisionally assigned to the Precambrian. Paleozoic rocks form the major part of the Franklin Mountains and range in age from Late Cambrian to Permian. They include the Bliss Sandstone at the base of Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician age; it ranges in thickness from 0 to about 250 feet. The Bliss is overlain by the El Paso Limestone of Early Ordovician age, about 1,500 feet thick, and the Montoya Dolomite
Recommended publications
  • An Interpretation of the Structural Geology of the Franklin Mountains, Texas Earl M
    New Mexico Geological Society Downloaded from: http://nmgs.nmt.edu/publications/guidebooks/26 An interpretation of the structural geology of the Franklin Mountains, Texas Earl M. P. Lovejoy, 1975, pp. 261-268 in: Las Cruces Country, Seager, W. R.; Clemons, R. E.; Callender, J. F.; [eds.], New Mexico Geological Society 26th Annual Fall Field Conference Guidebook, 376 p. This is one of many related papers that were included in the 1975 NMGS Fall Field Conference Guidebook. Annual NMGS Fall Field Conference Guidebooks Every fall since 1950, the New Mexico Geological Society (NMGS) has held an annual Fall Field Conference that explores some region of New Mexico (or surrounding states). Always well attended, these conferences provide a guidebook to participants. Besides detailed road logs, the guidebooks contain many well written, edited, and peer-reviewed geoscience papers. These books have set the national standard for geologic guidebooks and are an essential geologic reference for anyone working in or around New Mexico. Free Downloads NMGS has decided to make peer-reviewed papers from our Fall Field Conference guidebooks available for free download. Non-members will have access to guidebook papers two years after publication. Members have access to all papers. This is in keeping with our mission of promoting interest, research, and cooperation regarding geology in New Mexico. However, guidebook sales represent a significant proportion of our operating budget. Therefore, only research papers are available for download. Road logs, mini-papers, maps, stratigraphic charts, and other selected content are available only in the printed guidebooks. Copyright Information Publications of the New Mexico Geological Society, printed and electronic, are protected by the copyright laws of the United States.
    [Show full text]
  • An Environmental History of the Middle Rio Grande Basin
    United States Department of From the Rio to the Sierra: Agriculture Forest Service An Environmental History of Rocky Mountain Research Station the Middle Rio Grande Basin Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-5 Dan Scurlock i Scurlock, Dan. 1998. From the rio to the sierra: An environmental history of the Middle Rio Grande Basin. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-5. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 440 p. Abstract Various human groups have greatly affected the processes and evolution of Middle Rio Grande Basin ecosystems, especially riparian zones, from A.D. 1540 to the present. Overgrazing, clear-cutting, irrigation farming, fire suppression, intensive hunting, and introduction of exotic plants have combined with droughts and floods to bring about environmental and associated cultural changes in the Basin. As a result of these changes, public laws were passed and agencies created to rectify or mitigate various environmental problems in the region. Although restoration and remedial programs have improved the overall “health” of Basin ecosystems, most old and new environmental problems persist. Keywords: environmental impact, environmental history, historic climate, historic fauna, historic flora, Rio Grande Publisher’s Note The opinions and recommendations expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USDA Forest Service. Mention of trade names does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the Federal Government. The author withheld diacritical marks from the Spanish words in text for consistency with English punctuation. Publisher Rocky Mountain Research Station Fort Collins, Colorado May 1998 You may order additional copies of this publication by sending your mailing information in label form through one of the following media.
    [Show full text]
  • Bryozoan Studies 2019
    BRYOZOAN STUDIES 2019 Edited by Patrick Wyse Jackson & Kamil Zágoršek Czech Geological Survey 1 BRYOZOAN STUDIES 2019 2 Dedication This volume is dedicated with deep gratitude to Paul Taylor. Throughout his career Paul has worked at the Natural History Museum, London which he joined soon after completing post-doctoral studies in Swansea which in turn followed his completion of a PhD in Durham. Paul’s research interests are polymatic within the sphere of bryozoology – he has studied fossil bryozoans from all of the geological periods, and modern bryozoans from all oceanic basins. His interests include taxonomy, biodiversity, skeletal structure, ecology, evolution, history to name a few subject areas; in fact there are probably none in bryozoology that have not been the subject of his many publications. His office in the Natural History Museum quickly became a magnet for visiting bryozoological colleagues whom he always welcomed: he has always been highly encouraging of the research efforts of others, quick to collaborate, and generous with advice and information. A long-standing member of the International Bryozoology Association, Paul presided over the conference held in Boone in 2007. 3 BRYOZOAN STUDIES 2019 Contents Kamil Zágoršek and Patrick N. Wyse Jackson Foreword ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Caroline J. Buttler and Paul D. Taylor Review of symbioses between bryozoans and primary and secondary occupants of gastropod
    [Show full text]
  • Microfossils of the Early Archean Apex Chert: New Evidence of the Antiquity of Life Author(S): J
    Microfossils of the Early Archean Apex Chert: New Evidence of the Antiquity of Life Author(s): J. William Schopf Reviewed work(s): Source: Science, New Series, Vol. 260, No. 5108 (Apr. 30, 1993), pp. 640-646 Published by: American Association for the Advancement of Science Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2881249 . Accessed: 07/04/2012 21:09 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. American Association for the Advancement of Science is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Science. http://www.jstor.org REFERENCESAND NOTES 9. Y. Hiwatari,in Molecular Dynamics Simulations, F. (World Scientific, Singapore, 1988), vol. 1, p. Yonezawa, Ed., vol. 113 of Springer Series in 247. 1. H. Takayama, News Letter No. 1 (Research Group Solid State Sciences (Springer-Verlag, Heidel- 23. F. Yonezawa, S. Sakamoto, M. Hori, J. Non-Ctyst. on a new project, "Computational Physics as a berg, 1992), p. 32. Solids 137, 135 (1991). New Frontier in Condensed Matter Research" 10. S. Fujiwara and F. Yonezawa, in preparation. 24. F. Yonezawa and S. Sakamoto, Optoelectronics- under the support of the Grant-in-Aidfor Scientific 11.
    [Show full text]
  • By Douglas P. Klein with Plates by G.A. Abrams and P.L. Hill U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado
    U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY STRUCTURE OF THE BASINS AND RANGES, SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO, AN INTERPRETATION OF SEISMIC VELOCITY SECTIONS by Douglas P. Klein with plates by G.A. Abrams and P.L. Hill U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado Open-file Report 95-506 1995 This report is preliminary and has not been edited or reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards. The use of trade, product, or firm names in this papers is for descriptive purposes only, and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. STRUCTURE OF THE BASINS AND RANGES, SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO, AN INTERPRETATION OF SEISMIC VELOCITY SECTIONS by Douglas P. Klein CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .................................................. 1 DEEP SEISMIC CRUSTAL STUDIES .................................. 4 SEISMIC REFRACTION DATA ....................................... 7 RELIABILITY OF VELOCITY STRUCTURE ............................. 9 CHARACTER OF THE SEISMIC VELOCITY SECTION ..................... 13 DRILL HOLE DATA ............................................... 16 BASIN DEPOSITS AND BEDROCK STRUCTURE .......................... 20 Line 1 - Playas Valley ................................... 21 Cowboy Rim caldera .................................. 23 Valley floor ........................................ 24 Line 2 - San Luis Valley through the Alamo Hueco Mountains ....................................... 25 San Luis Valley ..................................... 26 San Luis and Whitewater Mountains ................... 26 Southern
    [Show full text]
  • University of Michigan University Library
    CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN VOL.XIX, No. 3, pp. 23-36 (7 pls.) JULY 17, 1964 CORALS OF THE TRAVERSE GROUP OF MICHIGAN PART XII, THE SMALL-CELLED SPECIES OF FAVOSITES AND EMMONSIA BY ERWIN C. STUMM and JOHN H. TYLER MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY Director: LEWIS B. KELLUM The series of contributions from the Museum of Paleontology is a medium for the publication of papers based chiefly upon the collections in the Museum. When the number of pages issued is sufficient to make a volume, a title page and a table of contents will be sent to libraries on the mailing list, and to individuals upon request. A list of the separate papers may also be obtained. Correspondence should be directed to the Museum of Paleontology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. VOLS.11-XVIII. Parts of volumes may be obtained if available. VOLUMEXIX 1. Silicified Trilobites from the Devonian Jeffersonville Limestone at the Falls of the Ohio, by Erwin C. Stumm. Pages 1-14, with 3 plates. 2. Two Gastropods from the Lower Cretaceous (Albian) of Coahuila, Mexico, by Lewis B. Kellum and Kenneth E. Appelt. Pages 14-22. 3. Corals of the Traverse Group of Michigan, Part XII, The Small-celled Species of Favosites and Emmonsia, by Erwin C. Stumm and John H. Tyler. Pages 23-36, with 7 plates. VOL. XIX, NO.3, pp. 23-36 (7 pls.) JULY 17, 1964 CORALS OF THE TRAVERSE GROUP OF MICHIGAN PART XII, THE SMALL-CELLED SPECIES OF FAVOSZTES AND EMMONSIA1 BY ERWIN C.
    [Show full text]
  • A Proposed Low Distortion Projection for the City of Las Cruces and Dona Ana County Scott Farnham, PE, PS City Surveyor, City of Las Cruces NM October 2020
    A Proposed Low Distortion Projection for the City of Las Cruces and Dona Ana County Scott Farnham, PE, PS City Surveyor, City of Las Cruces NM October 2020 Introduction As part of the ongoing modernization of the U.S. National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) will replace our horizontal and vertical datums (NAD83 and NAVD88) with new geometric datums assigned in the North American Terrestrial Reference Frame of 2022 (NATRF2022). The City of Las Cruces / Dona Ana County and the City of Albuquerque / Bernalillo County submitted proposals to NGS to incorporate Low Distortion Projections (LDP) as part of the New Mexico State Plane Coordinate Systems. Approval by NGS was obtained on June 17, 2019 for the proposed systems (see approval notice). Design of the LDP is the responsibility of the submitting agencies and must be submitted to NGS on or prior to March 31, 2021. Mark Marrujo1 with NMDOT is submitting final LDP design forms to NGS for the State of New Mexico. The City of Las Cruces (City) is designing a new Low Distortion Projection for Public Works Department, Engineering and Architecture projects to NGS criteria. To meet NGS LDP minimum size and shape criterion, the LDP area extends to Dona Ana County (County) boundary lines. This report presents design analysis and conclusions of the proposed City / County local NGS LDP system for stakeholders’ review prior to NGS final design submittal. NGS NM SPCS2022 Zones and Stakeholder Organizations NGS is designing new State Plane Coordinate Systems (SPCS2022) for New Mexico. The default SPCS2022 designs for the State are a statewide single zone and the three State Plane Zones: West, Central, and East.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lower Permian Abo Formation in the Fra Cristobal and Caballo Mountains, Sierra County, New Mexico Spencer G
    New Mexico Geological Society Downloaded from: http://nmgs.nmt.edu/publications/guidebooks/63 The Lower Permian Abo Formation in the Fra Cristobal and Caballo Mountains, Sierra County, New Mexico Spencer G. Lucas, Karl Krainer, Dan S. Chaney, William A. DiMichele, Sebastian Voigt, David S. Berman, and Amy C. Henrici, 2012, pp. 345-376 in: Geology of the Warm Springs Region, Lucas, Spencer G.; McLemore, Virginia T.; Lueth, Virgil W.; Spielmann, Justin A.; Krainer, Karl, New Mexico Geological Society 63rd Annual Fall Field Conference Guidebook, 580 p. This is one of many related papers that were included in the 2012 NMGS Fall Field Conference Guidebook. Annual NMGS Fall Field Conference Guidebooks Every fall since 1950, the New Mexico Geological Society (NMGS) has held an annual Fall Field Conference that explores some region of New Mexico (or surrounding states). Always well attended, these conferences provide a guidebook to participants. Besides detailed road logs, the guidebooks contain many well written, edited, and peer-reviewed geoscience papers. These books have set the national standard for geologic guidebooks and are an essential geologic reference for anyone working in or around New Mexico. Free Downloads NMGS has decided to make peer-reviewed papers from our Fall Field Conference guidebooks available for free download. Non-members will have access to guidebook papers two years after publication. Members have access to all papers. This is in keeping with our mission of promoting interest, research, and cooperation regarding geology in New Mexico. However, guidebook sales represent a significant proportion of our operating budget. Therefore, only research papers are available for download.
    [Show full text]
  • Southwest NM Publication List
    Southwest New Mexico Publication Inventory Draft Source of Document/Search Purchase Topic Category Keywords County Title Author Date Publication/Journal/Publisher Type of Document Method Price Geology 1 Geology geology, seismic Southwestern NM Six regionally extensive upper-crustal Ackermann, H.D., L.W. 1994 U.S. Geological Survey, Open-File Report 94- Electronic file USGS publication search refraction profiles, seismic refraction profiles in Southwest New Pankratz, D.P. Klein 695 (DJVU) http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ southwestern New Mexico ofr/ofr94695 Mexico, 2 Geology Geology, Southwestern NM Magmatism and metamorphism at 1.46 Ga in Amato, J.M., A.O. 2008 In New Mexico Geological Society Fall Field Paper in Book http://nmgs.nmt.edu/publications/g $45.00 magmatism, the Burro Mountains, southwestern New Boullion, and A.E. Conference Guidebook - 59, Geology of the Gila uidebooks/59/ metamorphism, Mexico Sanders Wilderness-Silver City area, 107-116. Burro Mountains, southwestern New Mexico 3 Geology Geology, mineral Catron County Geology and mineral resources of York Anderson, O.J. 1986 New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Electronic file (PDF) NMBGMR search $10.00 for resources, York Ranch SE quadrangle, Cibola and Catron Resources Open File Report 220A, 22 pages. <http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publicatio CD Ranch, Fence Counties, New Mexico ns/openfile/details.cfml?Volume=2 Lake, Catron, 20A> Cibola 4 Geology Geology, Zuni Salt Catron County Geology of the Zuni Salt Lake 7 1/2 Minute Anderson, O.J. 1994 New Mexico Bureau of Mines and
    [Show full text]
  • An Alluvial Fan Model for Mineral Exploration, Report of Investigations No
    Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Compliance Certification Application Reference 428 McGowen, J.H., and Groat, C. G. 1971. Van Horn Sandstone, West Texas: An Alluvial Fan Model for Mineral Exploration, Report of Investigations No. 72. Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, TX. Submitted in accordance with 40 CFR 5194.13, Submission of Reference Materials. - t*- An Allurjial Fan kdel for Mineral Exploration J. H. McGowen and C. G. Groat BUREAU OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGY The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas 78712 W. L. Fisher. Director Report of Investigations-No. 72 Van Horn Sandstone, West Texas: An Alluvial Fan Model for Mineral Exploration BY J. H. McGowen and C. G. Groat 1971 Second Printing, December 1975 Third Printing, October 1982 Abstract . .......... Proximal fan ........ Introduction ........... Mid-fan .......... General description .......... Distal fan ......... Geologic setting ........... Main braided channels .... Van Horn Sandstone: a large alluvial fan system Braided distributaries ..... Sedimrntology ........... Braided interlobe area .... Facies ............. Summary ........... Proximal f'acies......... Compositionandmineralogy ...... Massive l~oulder1. cds ....... Gravel composition ........ iilterriating gravel and thin sand beds . Sandstone petrography ....... Thick sand and muddy sand of the proxi- Quartz ........... mal facics .......... Feldspar ........... Other feat.urcs of the proximal facies . Rock fragments ........ Mid-fan l'acies .......... Hematite .......... F:tcies dcscrlptioli ........ Cement and matrix
    [Show full text]
  • United States
    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES ISTo. 146 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT Pit IN TING OFFICE 189C UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHAKLES D. WALCOTT, DI11ECTOK BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INDEX NORTH AMEEICAN GEOLOGY, PALEONTOLOGY, PETEOLOGT, AND MINERALOGY THE YEA.R 1895 FEED BOUGHTON WEEKS WASHINGTON Cr O V E U N M K N T P K 1 N T I N G OFFICE 1890 CONTENTS. Page. Letter of trail smittal...... ....................... .......................... 7 Introduction.............'................................................... 9 List of publications examined............................................... 11 Classified key to tlio index .......................................... ........ 15 Bibliography ............................................................... 21 Index....................................................................... 89 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL DEPARTMENT OF THE INTEEIOE, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DIVISION OF GEOLOGY, Washington, D. 0., June 23, 1896. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith the manuscript of a Bibliography and Index of North American Geology, Paleontology, Petrology, and Mineralogy for the year 1895, and to request that it be published as a bulletin of the Survey. Very respectfully, F. B. WEEKS. Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Director United States Geological Survey. 1 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INDEX OF NORTH AMERICAN GEOLOGY, PALEONTOLOGY, PETROLOGY, AND MINER­ ALOGY FOR THE YEAR 1895. By FRED BOUGHTON WEEKS. INTRODUCTION. The present work comprises a record of publications on North Ameri­ can geology, paleontology, petrology, and mineralogy for the year 1895. It is planned on the same lines as the previous bulletins (Nos. 130 and 135), excepting that abstracts appearing in regular periodicals have been omitted in this volume. Bibliography. The bibliography consists of full titles of separate papers, classified by authors, an abbreviated reference to the publica­ tion in which the paper is printed, and a brief summary of the con­ tents, each paper being numbered for index reference.
    [Show full text]
  • Cenozoic Thermal, Mechanical and Tectonic Evolution of the Rio Grande Rift
    JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 91, NO. B6, PAGES 6263-6276, MAY 10, 1986 Cenozoic Thermal, Mechanical and Tectonic Evolution of the Rio Grande Rift PAUL MORGAN1 Departmentof Geosciences,Purdue University,West Lafayette, Indiana WILLIAM R. SEAGER Departmentof Earth Sciences,New Mexico State University,Las Cruces MATTHEW P. GOLOMBEK Jet PropulsionLaboratory, CaliforniaInstitute of Technology,Pasadena Careful documentationof the Cenozoicgeologic history of the Rio Grande rift in New Mexico reveals a complexsequence of events.At least two phasesof extensionhave been identified.An early phase of extensionbegan in the mid-Oligocene(about 30 Ma) and may have continuedto the early Miocene (about 18 Ma). This phaseof extensionwas characterizedby local high-strainextension events (locally, 50-100%,regionally, 30-50%), low-anglefaulting, and the developmentof broad, relativelyshallow basins, all indicatingan approximatelyNE-SW •-25ø extensiondirection, consistent with the regionalstress field at that time.Extension events were not synchronousduring early phase extension and were often temporally and spatiallyassociated with major magmatism.A late phaseof extensionoccurred primarily in the late Miocene(10-5 Ma) with minor extensioncontinuing to the present.It was characterizedby apparently synchronous,high-angle faulting givinglarge verticalstrains with relativelyminor lateral strain (5-20%) whichproduced the moderuRio Granderift morphology.Extension direction was approximatelyE-W, consistentwith the contemporaryregional stress field. Late phasegraben or half-grabenbasins cut and often obscureearly phasebroad basins.Early phase extensionalstyle and basin formation indicate a ductilelithosphere, and this extensionoccurred during the climax of Paleogenemagmatic activity in this zone.Late phaseextensional style indicates a more brittle lithosphere,and this extensionfollowed a middle Miocenelull in volcanism.Regional uplift of about1 km appearsto haveaccompanied late phase extension, andrelatively minor volcanism has continued to thepresent.
    [Show full text]