GEOLOGY of the MOUNT TAYLOR AREA N M New Mexico Geological Society G S Special Publication 14 Ii I GEOLOGY of the MOUNT TAYLOR AREA
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i THE GEOLOGY OF THE MOUNT TAYLOR AREA N M New Mexico Geological Society G S Special Publication 14 ii i GEOLOGY OF THE MOUNT TAYLOR AREA , N M G S ii Copyright © 2020 by the New Mexico Geological Society, Inc. The articles in this book were originally prepared for the 71st Annual Field Confer- ence of the New Mexico Geological Society. No part of this publication may be repro- duced, stored in a retrival system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the New Mexico Geological Society, Inc. The New Mexico Geological Society is a tax-exempt corporation registered in the State of New Mexico that promotes interest in geology and associated sciences, fosters scientific research and publications, encourages cooperation among its members, and stimulates inter- est in New Mexico geology. These goals are met through annual fall field conferences held in different locations in New Mexico or adjoining states and annual spring meetings, generally held in Socorro, New Mexico, where oral and poster presentations on different aspects of New Mexico geology are given. NEW MEXICO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC. 801 LEROY PLACE SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO 87801 https://nmgs.nmt.edu Managing Editor: Dana S. Ulmer-Scholle Design & Layout: Dana S. Ulmer-Scholle Front Cover: Bonnie A. Frey Title Page: Bonnie A. Frey Back Cover: Bonnie A. Frey Inside Back Cover: Kate E. Zeigler ISBN NO. 1-58546-012-5 978-1-58546-012-0 SPECIAL PUBLICATION 14 FIRST EDITION 2020 iii EDITORS' MESSAGE We hope you will find New Mexico Geological Society Special Publication 14, which summarizes recent research in the Mount Taylor region, to be a useful re- source. This publication was inspired by the 2019 publication of the geologic map of the Mount Taylor volcano by Fraser Goff and others and by recently completed investigations associated with “Energize New Mexico,” a five-year, NSF-funded program that supported research in non-carbon emitting energy resources, including uranium resources. The year 2020 has certainly been an interesting one. When the global coronavi- rus pandemic spread to the United States back in the spring, we were well along in the preparation of the 2020 NMGS Fall Field Conference road logs and guidebook papers. In June, we worked with the Executive Committee to make the decision to cancel the NMGS FFC for the first time in our organization’s 71-year history. The decision was a hard one because of the uncertainty about how long the pandemic might last, but by June it was clear that the pandemic might linger into 2021. A virtu- al field trip was not really feasible. In the end, concern for the safety and health of our members guided us to postpone the field conference to September 2021. Since the guidebook papers had already been written, reviewed, and edited, and because many new thought-provoking data sets and ideas are presented in the papers, we decided to proceed with the publication of the technical papers as a digital special volume. Next year, the technical papers will be bundled with the road logs to be published as a paper guidebook, as usual. Within this publication you will find papers about: • the Mount Taylor volcano • investigations regarding the ongoing impact of uranium mines • historic reviews of uranium mining and milling activities in the Grants mining district • discussions of regional stratigraphy and sedimentary provenance • a review of Jemez lineament hypotheses • the formation and geology of the Zuni Mountains • and so much more! Please join us in the exploration of the Mount Taylor region in 2021 year when our annual fall field conference returns. iv DEDICATION We gratefully dedicate this special publication about the geology of the Mount Tay- lor area to the Pueblo of Laguna. The Pueblo has supported and participated in both geologic and environmental research in and around Mount Taylor and Jackpile Mine. Mount Taylor is an important cultural site to the Laguna community. In addition, the Pueblo has been impacted by mining activities associated with uranium extraction in the area, including at Jackpile Mine. The Pueblo of Laguna has been working with the New Mexico Bureau of Geolo- gy and Mineral Resources’ mapping program for over a decade. Pueblo approval to access Laguna lands has facilitated the production of six STATEMAP geologic quad- rangle maps. These maps were used to compile a geologic map of the Mount Taylor volcano, one of the featured works of the 2021 field conference. The Laguna Environmental & Natural Resources Department (ENRD) also worked closely with several undergraduate and graduate students from New Mexico universi- ties, whose studies focused on uranium mobility and the impact of mining activities at sites such as the Jackpile Mine in northern Laguna Pueblo. ENRD provided escorts, logistics, and site assistance to more than 10 university students and professionals who were participating in “Energize New Mexico,” an NSF program dedicated to investi- gating energy industries that are not carbon emitters. This group of studies, which will also be featured during the 2021 field conference, was preceded by NMT soil and plant studies in the early 2000s and will continue with UNM and NMT health studies. This research direction is indicative of the change in perspective toward mining that Laguna Pueblo has seen in the last one hundred years, from the 1950s “uranium capital of the world” to the modern focus on identifying hazards, remediating sites, and miti- gating health effects, a focus described in McLemore et al. (this volume). Mining pro- vided jobs for thousands in McKinley and Cibola counties, including members of the Laguna tribe. Mining also affected the health of citizens within the local communities. The people of Laguna Pueblo have occupied the area since they migrated from Mesa Verde around 1300 A.D. or earlier. Their strong affinity with Mount Taylor, located only about 20 miles from the pueblo, is shared with many indigenous cultures, serving as a spiritual site and for hunting, grazing, farming, and collecting resources. Laguna Pueblo supported what became the successful 2008 designation of Mount Taylor as a Traditional Cultural Property, when the mountain became eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks to the Pueblo of Laguna for its dedication to this landscape and for their partnerships with the many groups working in the area. The editors v PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE What a year, huh? Normally, the NMGS president would begin an annual guidebook message by welcoming you to the 71st Fall Field Conference of the New Mexico Geologi- cal Society. But this is not a normal year. Instead, I am pleased to welcome you to Special Publication 14. The 71st Fall Field Conference will be the first field conference to focus solely on the Mount Taylor area. Some particularly compelling research on the impact of the uranium industry and the volcanic history of Mount Taylor is presented in the technical portion of the guidebook. Despite the delay of the field portion, we, the conference organizers and executive com- mittee, felt that the technical material still needed to be published at this time, rather than waiting another year. The desire to release the current research has led to Special Publica- tion 14, The Geology of the Mount Taylor Area. As so many of you know, the goal of the Society is to promote interest in geology and foster scientific research in New Mexico. One of the primary ways the Society meets this objective is through the awarding of grants and scholarships. Despite not being able to meet face to face in 2020, the Scholarship Committee has been busy awarding the de- serving and hardworking students of New Mexico colleges and universities with scholar- ships. This year the Society has awarded approximately $35,000 in scholarships to over 50 students. Awarding student scholarships is arguably the most rewarding component of Society involvement; none of which would be possible without the generous contributions of all of our members. I will greatly miss seeing everyone this year and feeling the camaraderie that happens on the outcrop. While we wait another year to shake hands and share beers, I hope you will reach out to members you would normally only see once or twice a year and reconnect with them again this year, even if through a phone call or email. I am so proud to be part of this Society; a Society that produces extensive and impactful research for the state of New Mexico, and a Society with the most extraordinary members. Until next time, Shannon Williams vi NEW MEXICO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION The New Mexico Geological Society (NMGS) Foundation was established in 2003 with the mission of providing a source of funding for educational, and scientific objectives, which benefit the geologic profession in New Mexico and the general public. The NMGS has a distinguished history as one of the premier state geologic organizations in the coun- try, dating to its founding 73 years ago in 1947. One of the primary attributes, that differ- entiates the NMGS from many state geological societies, is the ready access to world-class geologic outcrops and the effort to get young geoscience students out of the classroom and into this natural laboratory to gain hands-on experience during the annual Fall Field Conferences. NMGS Fall Field Conference organizers and presenters are at the forefront of their geoscience fields and use the latest technologies and applications that optimize students learning experiences and broaden their educational experience. The NMGS Foundation was created as a Non Profit Organization (501(c)(3) Corpo- ration) whose revenues are responsible for supporting activities that include the annual NMGS Fall Field Trip, NMGS Spring Meeting, numerous NMGS Grants-in-Aid to stu- dents undertaking geological research in the state of New Mexico, and scholarships to students attending 4-year colleges and research universities throughout New Mexico.