Catalog of Principal Sedimentary Formation Names in Southern Arizona and Northern Sonora

CATALOG OF PRINC IPAL SEDIMENTARY FORMAT ION NAMES IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND NORTHERN SONORA

Willard D. Pye

The following list of sedimentary formation names is restricted to those that are currently used in southeastern Arizona or have occurred frequently in geological lit­ erature. Some of this data is al so shown in the nomenclature cha rt, table 1.

The te rms applied to stratig raphic units in Sonora are in flux, and ag e determi­ nations, boundaries, and correlations chang e rapidly as additional work is done. Names identical to tho se used in Arizona have been omitted. In some cases the orig­ inal references have not been available and information ha s been derived from other sources, particularly the 1937 issue of the U. S. Geolog ical Survey Lexicon of Geol­ ogic Names and its 1957 supplement. Special acknowledgment is due to Dr. Carl Fries, Jr., for hi s assistanc e with the Sonoran units both he re and in the nomencla­ ture chart. The presence of unnamed stratig raphic sequenc es of diffe rent ag es is indicated in the correlation chart.

Some igneous rock names In current use ln southern Arizona are shown ln table 6 ( Titl ey, 12).

Abrigo formation (770 feet) Upper Cambrian Barnes conglomerate (10-15 feet) Younger Prec ambrian Type Ar ea: Bl sbe e, Arizona. Ref. : Abrigo limestone, Type Ar ea: Globe, Arizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1903. Ransome, 1904; Abrigo formation, Stoyanow, 1936. Lith. : Well-rounded pebbles of hard white or pink quartzite Lith. : Limestone, cherty limestone to calcareous shale. with some reddish jasper and white vein quartz. Underlain conformably by Bolsa quartzite; overlain discon­ Underlain conformably by Pioneer shale; overlain conform­ formably by Devonian strata. ably by Dripping Spring quartzite. Remarks: Subdivided by Stoyanow, 1936, from top down Remarks: Part of the Apache group. into Copper Queen limestone, Abrigo formation (restrict­ ed), Southern Belle quartzite, Santa Catalina formation, Bisbee formation (variable) Lower Cretaceous and various equivalent s (Peppersauce Canyon sandstone, Type Ar ea: Southe astern Arizona. Ref. : Gilluly, 1956. Rincon limestone, Cochise formation, Pima sandstone); Lith. : Arkose, sandstone, mudstone, conglomerate, some unrestricted, Jones and Bachellor, 1953; current use fol­ thin-bedded limestone. lows original definition as modified by Gilluly, 1956. Underlain unconformably by all older rocks; overlain un­ conformably by Tertiary rocks. Remarks: Near-shore marine deposits; equivalent to Morita and Cintura formations, where Mural limestone Amole arkose (2, 000 feet Upper Cretaceous is absent. l Type Ar ea: Tucson Mt s. ,A+) rizona. Ref. : Brown, 1939. Lith. : Arkose and silt stone. Bisbee group (4, 600 feet at Bisbee) Lower Cretaceous Underlain conformably by Recreation red beds; overlain Type Area: Southeastern Arizona. Ref. : Dumble, 1902; disconformably by Tertiary rocks. designated as group by Ransome, 1904; revised by Remarl{s: Distribution south-central Arizona-variable Stoyanow, 1949. unit, continental fluviatile deposition; suggested redefi­ Lith. : Coarse basal conglomerate, mudstone, sandstone, niti0n by Kinnison, 1958 and 12. arkosic sandstone, and limestone. Underlain unconformably by all older rocks; overlain un ­ conformably by Cenozoic rocks. Remarks: Subdivided in descending order into: Cintura for­ Andrada formation Pennsylvanian and Permian: mation; Mural limestone; Lowell formation; Morita for ­ Virgil to Leonard mation; Glance conglomerate. Basal conglomerate may Type Area: Empire Mt s. , Arizona. Ref. : Wilson, 1951; be continental; other formations are marine. Bryant, 1955. Black Prince limestone Upper Mississippian to lower Correlations: Undifferentiated equivalent of Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian( ?) and Permian Earp, Colina, and Epitaph formations. Remarks: Local use. Type Area: Central Cochise County, Arizona. Ref. : Romslo, 1949, USBM; Gilluly, Cooper, and Williams, l 1954. Lith. : Limestone, with basal pebbly mudstone. Apache group (800-1, 000 feet) Younger Precambrian Underlain disconformably by Escabrosa; overlain disc on- Typ e Ar ea: Globe, Arizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1903; rede­ formably by Horquilla limestone. fined by Ransome, 1915; redefined by Darton, 1932. Correlations: Paradise formation in part. Lith. : Arkosic quartzite; siliceous mudstone; conglomer­ Remarks: Localized distribution. [ at e; limestone. Intruded by diabase in many places. Bliss sandstone (250 feet) Upper Cambrian Underlain unconformably by Pinal schist; overlain uncon­ Type Ar ea: Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. Ref. : formably by Middle Cambrian quartzite. Richardson, 1904. Remarks: Subdivided from top down into Mescal limestone, Lith. : Brownish crossbedded sandstone . Dripping Spring quartzite, Barnes conglomerate, Pioneer Underlain unconformably by granite; overlain unconform­ shale, Scanlan conglomerate. Loc ally basalt overlies the ably by El Paso limestone. Mescal. Correlations: Bolsa, Troy quartzites. l

274 Bolsa quartzite (450 feet) Middle Cambrian Earp formation (600 feet Pennsylvanian: Vir gilian Type Area: Bisbee, Arizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1904. +) and Permian: Wolfcamp Lith. : Quartzite, coarse grained, resistant, crossbedded; Type Area: Tombstone Hills, Arizona. Ref. : Gilluly, locally conglomeratic; purple to brown. Cooper, and Williams, 1954. Underlain unconformably by Pinal schist; overlain conform­ Lith. : Limestone with shale, some sandstone; in upper part ably by Abrigo formation. orange-weathering dolomite. Correlations: Troy and Bliss formations. Underlain conformably by Horquilla limestone; overlain Remarks: Troy is used if sandstone lies on Apache group . conformably by Colina limestone. Bolsa is used if sandstone lies on Pinal schist . Remarks: Part of Naco group. Basal part is upper Penn­ sylvanian and upper part is lower Permian in age; no Canelo red beds (1, 360 feet) Lower Cretaceous lithologic break between them. Type Area: Canelo Hills, southern Arizona. Ref. : Feth, 1948. EI Paso limestone (750-1, 600 feet) Lower Ordovician Lith. : Red clastic s and a few thin limestone beds. Ty pe Ar ea: Fra:I1klin and Hueco Mts., Texas. Ref. : Underlain unconformably by Paleozoic rocks; overlain un- Richardson, 1904. conformably by Cenozoic rocks. Lith. : Massive dolomitic limestone with sandy zones, Correlations: Bisbee formation( ?). especially near base. Remarks: Local usage. Underlain unconformably by Bliss sandstone or Precam­ Cintura formation (1, 400 feet) Lower Cretaceous brian; overlain conformably by Upper Ordovician Montoya Ty pe Ar ea: Cmtura Hills, Bisbee, Arizona. Ref. : limestone. Ransome, 1904. Remarks: Originally included all Ordovician limestone be­ Lith. : Bottom up: Quartzite; red shale and sandstone, nod­ tween Cambrian and Silurian; restricted (Richardson, ular limestone; nodular shale and flaggy crossbedded 1908) to Lower Ordovician; redesignated EI Paso forma­ san·dstone. tion (Sabins, 1957a). See discussion by Dickenson (�). Underlain conformably by Mural limestone; overlain un­ conformably by Quaternary. Epitaph dolomite (800 feet) Permian: Leonard Remarks: Top fo.rmation of Bisbee group. Type Area: Tomb stone Hills, Arizona. Ref. : Gilluly, Cooper, and Williams, 1954. Cochise formation (311 feet) Middle Cambrian Lith. : Dolomite, red and maroon shale, limy sandstone and Type Ar ea: Whetstone Mts. , Arizona. Ref. : Stoyanow, red sandstone. 1936. Underlain conformably by Colina limestone; overlain con­ Lith. : Blue to brown mottled limestone, alternating with formably by Scherrer quartzite. shale; overlying yellow to red shale; basal reddish sand­ Remarks: Restricted in ext ent ; possibly in part equivalent stone. to Colina; see discussion by Bryant (10). Underlain conformably by Bolsa quartzite; overlain con­ formably by Abrigo (restricted of Stoyanow). Escabrosa limestone (50-700 feet) Lower Mississippian: Correlations: Southern Belle quartzite and Santa Catalina Kinderhook and Osage formation, in part. Type Area: Bisbee, Arizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1904. Remarks: Local usage; part of Abrigo formation as sub­ Lith. : Light -gray limestone, thick bedded, some fossils, divided by Stoyanow. generally non-magnesian but locally dolomitic ; cliff former. Colina limestone (600 feet Permian: Wolfc amp­ Underlain conformably by Martin limestone; overlain di s­ +) Leonard( ?) conformably by Horquilla, Black Prince, and Paradise. Type Area: Gunnison Hills, Arizona. Ref. : Gilluly, Cooper, and Williams, 1954. Lith. : Black, thick- to medium-bedded limestone with a few clastic beds near base. Fort Buchanan formation (2, 000 feet) Upper Cretaceous Underlain conformably by Earp formation; overlain con­ Type Area: East SIde Sant a Rita Mt s. Ref. : Stoyanow, formably by Epitaph dolomite. 1937 and 1949. Remarks: Part of Naco group. Lith. : Basal conglomerate with alternating gray sandstone and red shale. Concha formation Permian: Leonard( ?) Underlain conformably by andesitic lavas; overlain con­ Type Area: Gu nrnson Hills, Arizona. Ref. : Gilluly, formably by Fort Crittenden formation. Cooper, and Williams, 1954; Bryant, 1955. Remarks: Lower part of Sonoita group (Stoyanow, 1937). Lith. : Limestone, light gray, cherty, fossiliferous, with Contains fossil plants and dinosaurs. some sand layers at base. Underlain conformably by Scherrer formation; overlain un­ conformably by Glanc e conglomerate. Remarks: Part of Naco group. Fort Crittenden formation (2, 500 feet Upper +) Cretaceous Copper Queen limestone (81 feet) Upper Cambrian Type Area: East side Santa Rita Mts., Arizona. Ref. : Type Ar ea: BIsbe e, An zona. Ref. : Stoyanow, 1936. Stoyanow, 1937 and 1949. Lith. : White to gray cliff-forming algal limestone. Lith. : Conglomerate, alternating yellow shale and lime­ Underlain conformably by Abrigo formation as restricted stone, shale and sandstone. by Stoyanow, 1936; overlain disconformably by Martin Underlain conformably by Fort Buchanan formation; top limestone. faulted off or overlain unconformably by alluvium. Correlations: Rincon limestone, Peppersauce Canyon Remarks: Upper part of Sonoita group (Stoyanow, 1937); sandstone. top of unit may be in part early Tertiary. Remarks: Faunal zone of Abrigo formation.

Coronado quartzite (100-250 feet) Upper Cambrian Fusselman limestone (1, 000 feet ) Lower and Middle Type Area: Clifton-Morenci area, Arizona. Ref. : Silurian Lindgren, 1905a; age discussed by Stoyanow, 1936. Type Area: Franklin Mt s. , EI Paso, Texas. Ref. : Lith. : Heavy-bedded quartzitic sandstone; locally includes Richardson, 1908; Kelley and Silver, 1952; Pray, 1953. thick basal conglomerate. Lith. : Massive dolomitic limestone. Underlain unconformably by granite; overlain unconform­ Underlain disconformably by Montoya limestone or Cutter ably by Longfellow limestone . formation; overlain unconformably by Hueco limestone Correlations: Probably correlates with Bolsa, Troy, and (Permian) at type locality. Bliss formations. Remarks: Fusselman dolomite (Dunham, 1935).

275 Gila conglomerate (0-1, 000 feet) Pliocene and Mineta formation (3, 000 feet Lower Miocene Pleistocene, in part Ty pe Ar ea: VI cmity of Redington,+) Arizona. Ref. : Chew, Type Area: Southeastern Arizona and southwestern New 1952a and 1952b. Mexico, in four separate valleys along Gila River east of Lith. : Conglomerate, mudstone, siltstone, algal lime- Safford, Arizona. Ref. : Gilbert, 1875; Heindl, 1954 and stone. 1958. Lower and upper contacts faulted in type area. Lith. : Conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, local limestone, Correlations: Pantano formation (Brennan, 1957). and local tuffs, basalt flows and volcanic sediments. Remarks : Contains fossil jaw of Diceratherium sp. in Remarks: Generally unconformable on older consolidated upper part of sequence. rocks. Used as a non-specific synonym for valley fill, which is the preferable term. See Whitetail conglomer­ at e. Modoc limestone (170 feet Lower MiSSissippian Glance conglomerate (0 -6, 000 feet) Lower Cretaceous( ?) Type Area: Chfton -Morencl,+) Arizona. Ref. : Lindgren, Type Area: BIsbe e, Arizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1904; 1905a. Gilluly, 1956. Lith. : Coarse blue-gray lime stone. Lith. : Brown, bedded conglomerate. Underlain conformably by Morenci shale; overlain uncon ­ Underlain unconformably by all older rocks; overlain con­ formably by Pinkard formation. formably by Morita formation. Correlations : Escabrosa limestone. Remarks: Basal member Bisbee group (Ransome, 1904). Remarks: Local name.

Horquilla limestone (1, 000 feet Pennsylvanian: +) DesMoines, or possibly Molly Gibson formation (1, 000 feet Lower Cretaceous earlier, and Missourian Type Ar ea: Patagoma Mts. , Arizona.+) Ref. : Stoyanow, Type Area: Tombstone Hills, Arizona. Ref. : Gilluly, 1937 and 1949. Cooper, and Williams, 1954. Lith. : Shale and blue to gray limestone. Lith. : Gray limestone with shaley limestone. Correlations: Underlain by shales of the Patagonia group Underlain disconformably by Escabrosa limestone; over­ and overlam by hornstone and siliceous shale. lain conformably by Earp formation. Re�arks: Part of Patagonia group (Stoyanow, 1949); con­ Remarks: Includes most of earlier Naco limestone tams Stollcskaia, Aptian guide fossil. (Ransome, 1904). In extreme eastern Arizona may be as early as Morrowan or Atokan. Morenci shale (175 feet Upper Devonian Longfellow limestone (400 feet Lower Ordovician: Typ e Area: Clifton -More+)nci, Arizona. Ref. : Lindgren, +) Beekmantown and Upper 1905a. Cambrian( ? ) Lith. : Clay, shale, and argillaceous limestone. Type Area: Clifton-Morenci area, Arizona. Ref. : Underlain unconformably by Longfellow limestone; overlain Lindgren, 1905a. conformably by Modoc limestone. Lith. : Limestone, siliceous and shaley at base; dolomitic Correlations: Martin limestone, Percha formation. and cliff forming at top. Remarks: Local name. Underlain disconformably by Coronado quartzite; overlain conformably by Morenci shale. Morita formation (1, 800 feet) Lower Cretaceous Lower Cretaceous Lowell formation Type Ar ea: BIsbe e, Arizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1904. Type Area: VIcmity of Bisbee, Arizona. Ref. : Stoyanow, Lith. : Alt ernating red and yellow shale, sandstone, and 1949. limestone; shale red and more calcareous at top. Lith. : Alternating sandstone and limestone. Underlam conformably by Glance conglomerate; overlain Underlain conformably by Morita formation; overlain con­ conformably by Mural lime stone . formably by Mural limestone, as restricted by Stoyanow, Correlations: Part of Bisbee group. 1949. Remarks: Local unit (Gilluly, 1956). Lower Ouray formation (150 feet ) Upper Devonian Mural limestone (675 feet Lower Cretaceous Type Ar ea: Santa CatalIna Mt s., Arizona. Ref. : Type Area: Bisbee, Arizon+)a. Ref. : Ransome, 1904; Stoyanow, 1936. Stoyanow, 1949; Gilluly, 1956. Lith. : Thin-bedded limestone, sandstone and calcareous Lith. : Thick-bedded sandstone overlying thin -bedded impure shale. sandstone. Underlain conformably by Martin limestone, as restricted Underlain conformably by Morita formation; overlain con­ by Stoyanow, 1936; overlain conformably by Escabrosa formably by Cintura formation. limestone. Correlations: Part of Bisbee group. Remarks: Faunal zone of Martin limestone .

o (2, 000 feet Upper Pennsylvanian Martin limestone (50-350 feet ) Middle and Upper Nac limestone :!:) and Permian Devonian Type Area: Naco Hills, Bisbee, Ariz ona. Ref. : Ransome, Type Area: Mt. Martin, Bisbee, Arizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1904. 1904 (Naco limestone); Gilluly, Cooper, and Williams, 1954 (Naco group); Bryant, 1955. Lith. : Hard, dark-gray limestone and some calcareous Underlain disconformably by Escabrosa; overlain uncon­ shale. formably by Mesozoic and younger deposits. Underlain unconformably by Abrigo limestone; overlain Remarks: "Naco" previously was used for the Pennsylva­ conformably by Escabrosa limestone. nian and Permian beds in southeastern Arizona; Naco Correlations: Morenci shale, Percha formation. limestone, sensu stricto (Stoyanow, 1936) restricted Naco Remarks: Locally subdivided by Stoyanow, 1936; locally to Pennsylvanian beds; Gilluly, Cooper, and Williams called Martin formation, Huddle and Dobrovolny, 1952. (1954) raised to group status and subdivided it from bot ­ tom up into Pennsylvanian Horquilla limestone; Pennsyl ­ Mescal limestone (250 feet ) Younger Prec ambrian vanian and Permian Earp formation; and Permian Colina Type Ar ea: area, Arizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1915. limestone, Epitaph dolomite, Scherrer formation, and Lith. : ChertyGlobe limestone. Concha limestone. Bryant (1955) distinguishes the Rain­ Underlain conformably by Dripping Spring quartzite; over­ valley formation as forming the uppermost unit of his lain disconformably by Troy quartzite or basalt flows. Remarks: Part of Apache group. Naco group.

276 l Pantano formation (13, 000 feet Miocene( ?) Pinkard formation (500 feet) Upper Cretaceous Type Ar ea: Vl clmty of Tucson, Arizona.+) Ref. : Brennan, Type Ar ea: Chfton -Morenci, Arizona. Ref. : Lindgren, 1957. 1905a; Pike, 1947. Lith. : Gray, lavender to maroon conglomerate, some Lith. : Black shales and yellowish-gray sandstone; locally sandstone, mudstone, and intercalated volcanic rocks, calcareous; some conglomerate; near -shore marine. particularly a coarsely porphyritic andesite. Underlain unconformably by Modoc limestone; overlain with Upper and lower contacts faulted. angular disconformity by all younger rocks. Correlations: Pos sibly Mineta formation, San Xavier con­ Correlati ons: May be equivalent to Upper Cretaceous de­ glomerate bed, Helmet fanglomerate beds. posit along Deer Creek (Ross, 1925). Remarks: Continental deposits of alluvial, lake, and flood­ Remarks: Local name. plain origin. Pioneer shale (200 feet Younger Precambrian Paradise formation (134 feet) Upper Mississippian: Type Ar ea: Globe area, -A+) rizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1903. Chester Lith. : Red-brown arenaceous shales. Type Area: Chiricahua Mts. , Arizona. Ref. : Stoyanow, Underlain conformably by Scanlan conglomerate; overlain 1926; Hernon, 1935. conformably by Barnes conglomerate. Lith. : Black and gray crystalline limestone with sandstone Remarks: Part of Apache group. and shale. Underlain disconformably by Escabrosa limestone; over­ Portal formation (342 feet) lain conformably by Naco limestone. Upper Devonian Type Area: Portal, Arizona. Ref. : Sabins, 1957a. Correlations: Black Prince limestone in part. Remarks: Local extent. Lith. : Siliceous and calcareous black shale, fine silt and nodular limestone. Patagonia group (5, 850 feet) Lower Cretaceous Underlain unconformably by El Paso formation; overlain Type Area: Patagonia and southern Santa Rit a Mountains. conformably by Escabrosa limestone. Ref. : Stoyanow, 1937 and 1949. Remarks: Local facies of Percha formation. Lith. : Predominantly continental near -shore shale and Rainvalley formation (400 feet) Permian: Guadalupe sandstone; several sequences of volcanic rocks are not Type Area: Mu stang Mt s. , Arizona. Ref. : Bryant, 1955. included in the thickness listed ab ove. Lith. : Gray, brown, red and black limestone and dolomite Base unknown, includes Molly Gibson formation and over­ with some sandstone. lying Cretaceous beds; relationships to Sonoita group un ­ Underlain conformably by Concha formation; overlain un­ known. conformably by Cretaceous or Cenozoic rocks. Correlations: Possibly Bisbee formation, in part. Remarks: Limestone and dolomite in Waterman Mountains probably equivalent to Rainvalley; absent due to erosion Peppersauce Canyon sandstone (21 feet ) Upper Cambrian in many places. Type Area: Santa Catalm a Mts. , Arizona. Ref. : Stoyanow, 1936. Recreation red beds (2, 300 feet) Upper(?) Cretaceous Lith. : Siliceous sandstone and pink quartzite. Type Ar ea: Tucson Mts. , Arizona. Ref. : Brown, 1939. Correlation: Rincon limestone, Copper Queen limestone. Lith. : Red non-marine sandstone and silt with some con- Remarks: Part of Abrigo formation, local use. glomerates and volcanic rocks. Underlain conformably by volcanic rocks; overlain con­ Percha shale (200 feet Middle and Upper Devonian formably by Amole arkose. Type Ar ea: Si erra County,+) New Mexico. Ref. : Gordon, 1907. Rincon limestone (15-90 feet) Upper Cambrian Lith. : Calcareous and non-calcareous black shales with Type Area: Rmcon and Whetstone Mts. , Arizona. Ref. : limestone nodules. Stoyanow, 1936. Underlain disconformably by Fusselman or El Paso or Lith. : Pink, coarsely crystalline limestone. Abrigo formations; overlain conformably by Escabrosa or Underlain conformably by restricted Abrigo formation of Lake Valley limestone. Stoyanow; overlain disconformably by Martin limestone. Correlations: Martin limestone; Morenci shale. Correlations: Copper Queen and Peppersauce Canyon units. Remarks: Restricted to uppermost formation of Percha Remarks: Faunal zone of Abrigo formation. (Stevenson, 1942 and 1945); subdivided into Box Canyon Santa Catalina formation (400 feet) Middle Cambrian and Ready Pay members (Stevenson, 1945); subdivided Type Ar ea: Santa CataIma Mt s. Ref. : Stoyanow, 1936. into Canutillo (now the Onate), Sly Gap, Contadero and Lith. : Thin-bedded mudstone and shale. Percha (Stevenson, 1942 and 1945); given formation status Underlain conformably by Troy quartzite; overlain con­ (Kelley and Silver, 1952). formably by Southern Belle quartzite. Correlations: Cochise formation, in part. Picacho de Calera formation (73 feet) Upper Devonian Remarks: Part of Abrigo formation. Type Ar ea: Tucson area, Ari zona. Ref. : Stoyanow, 1936. Lith. : Sandstone and limesto,le. Scanlan conglomerate (0-20 feet) Younger Precambrian Underlain disconformably by Abrigo (Rincon) formation; Type Area: Globe area, Arizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1903. faunal zone in Martin formation. Lith. : Quartz -pebble conglomerate. Underlain unconformably by Pinal schist; overlain con- Pima sandstone (4 feet) Middle Cambrian formably by Pioneer shale. Type Ar ea: Tucson area, Arizona. Ref. : Stoyanow, 1936. Remarks: Basal formation of Apache group. Lith. : Hard, buff sandstone. Scherrer formation (680 feet) Permian: Leonard Underlain conformably by Bolsa quartzite; part of Abrigo Type Ar ea: Gu nm son Hills, Arizona. Ref. : Gilluly, formation ? Cooper, and Williams, 1954. Remarks: Obsolete. Lith. : Two massive white sandstone units, separated by dolomitic limestone; basal red silt stone. Pinal schist (20, 000 feet Older Precambrian Underlain conformably by Epitaph dolomite; overlain con­ Type Ar ea: Pinal Mts., Ar+) izona. Ref. : Ransome, 1903; formably by Concha limestone. Cooper and Silver, 1954. Lith. : Quartz-sericite and quartz-muscovite schist, in­ Snyder Hill formation (1, 200 feet) Permian: Leonard truded by granites and other igneous rocks. Type Ar ea: Snyde r Hill, Tucson, Arizona. Ref. : Overlain unconformably by Apache group, Bolsa quartzite Stoyanow, 1936. or younger rocks. Lith. : Gray to black limestone, fine sandstone in lower Correlations: In part equivalent to Yavapai and Vishnu part, dolomite in upper part . schists in central and northern Arizona; may be equiva­ Remarks: Replaced by upper Permian units of Naco group; lent to Altar schist in Sonora, Mexico. obsolete. l 277 Sonoita group (4, 000 feet) Late Upper Cretaceous Troy quartzite (400 feet) Middle and Upper Cambrian Type Area: Sonoita area, Patagonia, Arizona. Ref. : Type Area: Ray area, Ariz ona. Ref. : Ransome, 1915. Stoyanow, 1937 and 1949. Lith. : Pink to brown, medium- to coarse-grained quartz- Lith. : Conglomerate, sandstones, red and yellow shales; ite; crossbedded in part. volcanics( ? ). Underlain disconformably by Mescal lime stone; overlain Remarks: Subdivided into Fort Crittenden and Fort conformably by Abrigo formation. Buchanan formations . Correlations: Bolsa quartzite( ?). Remarks: Basal quartzite of Paleozoic section where it Southern Belle quartzite (26 feet) Middle Cambrian ov erlies Apache group. Type Area: Santa Catalm a Mt s. , Arizona. Ref. : Stoyanow, 1936. Lith. : Massive white quartzite. Underlain conformably by Sant a Catalina formation; over ­ Mississippian and lain conformably by restricted Abrigo formation of Tule Springs formation (500 feet) Pennsylvanian Stoyanow. Ref. : Lindgren, Correlations: Cochise formation, in part. Type Area: Clifton-Morenci, Arizona. Remarks: Part of Ab rigo formation. 1905a and 1905b. Lith. : Heavy-bedded gray limestone. Swisshelm formation (615 feet) Upper Devonian Underlain conformably by Morenci shale or Longfellow Type Area: SW Isshelm, Arizona. Ref. : Epis, Gilbert, and limestone; overlain disconformably by Pinkard formation. Logenheim, 1957. Correlations: May be equivalent to parts of Escabrosa and Lith. : Sandstone, calcarenite and siltstone with impure Horquilla limestones. limestone and shale. Remarks: Local name. Underlain unc onformably by EI Paso formation; overlain conformably by Escabrosa limestone. Remarks: Grades laterally into Percha and Martin forma­ tions. Whitetail conglomerate (1, 000 feet) Tertiary Type Ar ea: Globe area, Arizona. Ref. : Ransome, 1903 Tornado limestone (1, 000 feet Early Mississippian and 1919; Heindl, 1958. +) and Early Pennsylvanian Lith. : Alluvial conglomerate, composed principally of dia­ Type Area: Dripping Springs Mt s. , Ar izona. Ref. : base and limestone fragments. Ransome, 1915. Underlain unconformably by all older rocks; overlain by Lith. : Gray limestone with shale. dacite flow . Underlain unconformably by Devonian. Correlations: Older than upper part of Gila conglomerate Remarks: Subdivided into Escabrosa and Horquilla forma­ and probably equivalent, in part, to lower unit s of Gila tions; obsolete. conglomerate.

Catalog of Principal Sedimentary Formation Names in Northern Sonora

Alt ar schist (3, 000 feet Lower Precambrian Barranca formation (4, 900 feet Middle and Upper Type Area: Altar district,+) northwestern Sonora. Ref. : Triassic+) and Lower Jurassic Baker, 1925, in Schuchert, 1935; Stoyanow, 1942; Cooper Type Area: Yaqui River basin, east -central Sonora. Ref. : and Arellano, "TIl46. Dumble, 1900; King, 1934 and 1939. Lith. : Fine�grained schist, limestone lenses, gneissic Lith. : Shale, sandstone, conglomerate, minor limestone, quartzite, gneissic granite. coal and graphite; partly marine and partly continental. Overlain unconformably by Gamuza beds(?). Underlain disconformably by Permian or older rocks; Correlations: Pinal schist( ?). overlain unconformably by Lista Blanca formation, Remarks: Considered to be "Older Paleozoic " by Baker Tarahumara formation. (1925); considered to be Older Precambrian by St oyanow Remarks: Dumble (1900) assigned an Upper Triassic age; (1942); described by Cooper and Arellano (1946) as Pre­ King (1934 and 1939) assigned an Upper Triassic and cambrian. Probably Lower Precambrian, but possibly Lower Jurassic age; basal part is probably Middle Upper Precambrian. Triassic in type area. Subdivided by Wilson and Rocha (1946).

a B ucari division = Bauc arit formation Arrojos formation (1, 012 feet Middle Cambrian Ref. : Dumble, 1900. Type Ar ea: Caborca area, northwestern Sonora. Ref. : +) Remarks: Redefined. Stoyanow, 1942; Cooper and Arellano in Cooper et al. , 1952. - B{ucarit formation (500 feet Upper Tertiary Lith. : Limestone with interbedded shale. Type Area: Cedr os River basin,+) central Sonora. Ref. : Underlain conformably by Cerro Prieto formation; overlain Dumble, 1900; King, 1934 and 1939. conformably by Tren formation. Lith. : Clay, sand, conglomerate, breccia, volc anic inter­ beds. Continental beds in intermontane valleys. Atil sandstone Lower Paleozoic(?) or Cretaceous( ?) Underlain by earlier Tertiary rocks, Mesozoic or Pale­ Type Area: Alt ar district, northw estern Sonora. Ref. : ozoic rocks; overlain by Pleistocene clastic beds. Correlations: Equivalent in a broad way to the so-called Baker, 1925, -in Schuchert, 1935; Maldonado-Koerdell, 1954. Gila conglomerate. Lith. : Sandstone and conglomerate. Remarks: Originally called Bauc/ ari division by Dumble Remarks: Baker (1925) considered it to be "Older Paleo­ (1900) and thought to be underlain by the Nogales division, zoic;" Maldonado�Koerdell (1954) considers it to be also of Tertiary age. Name was corrected to Bauc arit uppermost Precambrian and lowermost Cambrian. Re ­ formation by King (1934 and 1939). Poorly defined and gional evidence suggests an Early Cretaceous age. probably includes rocks of different Tertiary ages locally. l

278 l Buelna formation (398 feet ) Lower Cambrian Elenita formation (6, 000 feet) Lower Tertiary( ?) Type Area: Cabo rca area, northwestern Sonora. Ref. : or Upper Cretaceous(?) Lochman, 1948; Cooper and Arellano, 1952. Type Area: Cananea district, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : Lith. : Lime stone. Valentine, 1936; Mulchay and Velasco, 1954. Underlain conformably by Proveedora formation; overlain Lith. : Trachyte, rhyolite flow s, agglomerate with some conformably by Cerro Prieto formation. interbedded waterlaid clastic s. Remarks: Near top of Lower Cambrian. Underlain by or equivalent to top of Cabullona group; over­ lain unconformably by Henrietta formation.

Caborca division = Monos formation Gamuza beds Correlations: May correlate with top of Cabullona group. Type Ar ea: Caborca area, northwestern+ Sonora. Ref. : Remarks: In fault contact with Henrietta group, but prob­ Keller, 1928. ably older (Velasco, 1956). Earlier was assigned an Remarks: Obsolete. Named by Keller (1928) who included early and middle Mesozoic age and mapped as part of the Monos beds at the top and the Gamuz a beds below. LaMesa formation. Cooper (in Cooper, et al. , 1952) shows Monos beds to be Middle Permian and Gamuza beds to be Upper Precam­ brian. Esperanza limestone (300 feet Upper Cambrian

Caborca series = Caborca division Monos formation Type Area: Cananea district, northeastern+) Sonora. Ref. : = Ga muza beds . + Mulchay and Velasco, 1954; Ordonez and Ulloa, 1956. Ref. : Baker, 1925, in Schuchert, 1935. Lith. : Li mestone. Remarks: Obsolete.- Underlain conformably by Capote quart zite; overlain dis­ conformably by Lower Crystalline limestone. Cabullona group (8, 000 feet Upper Cretaceous Correlations: Abrigo limestone. Type Area: Cabullona area, northeastern+) Sonora. Ref. : Remarks: Thought formerly to be of Devonian age (Mulchay Talliaferro, 1933. and Velasco, 1954). Lith. : Sandstone, shale, carbonaceous beds, limestone, conglomerate, and tuffaceous beds. Underlain disconformably by Lower Cretaceous Bisbee group; overlain unconformably by Tertiary volcanic and Gamuza beds (5, 500 feet Upper Precambrian clastic rocks. Type Area: Alt ar district,+) northw estern Sonora. Ref. : Correlations: Sonoita group. Baker, 1925, in Schuchert, 1935; Keller, 1928; Cooper Remarks: Subdivided in descending order into rhyolite tuff, and Arellano, 19 46; Cooper and Arellano in Cooper et al., - upper red beds, Packard shale, Camas sandstone, and 1952; Cooper in Cooper et al. , 1953. Snake Ridge formation; fault ed at base. Lith. : Shale, limestone, sands tone, quartzite, dolomite. Underlain unconformably by Altar schist(?); overlain un ­ conformably by Puerto Blanco formation. Correlations: Apache group. Camas sandstone (1, 220 feet ) Upper Cretaceous Remarks: Name was used by Baker (1925) for supposed Type Area: CabUllona area, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : Pennsylvanian beds now called Proveedora, Buelna, and Taliaferro, 1933. Cerro Prieto formations by Cooper and Arellano (in Lith. : Crossbedded, tuffaceous sandstone with some red Cooper et al., 1952), of Lower Cambrian age. Name is and green shale. restricted by Cooper to Precambrian rocks (in Cooper Underlain conformably by Snake Ridge formation; overlain et al . , 1953), which were desc ribed by Cooper and conformably by Packard shale. Arellano (1946). Also spelled "Gamusa. " Remarks: Part of Cabullona group; silicified tree trunks are common. Henrietta formation (5, 500 feet Lower Tertiary Capote limestone Lower Crystalline limestone = Type Area: Cananea district, northeastern+) Sonora. Ref. : Devonian( ?) Valentine, 1936; Mulchay and Velasco, 1954; Velasco, Ref.: Blake, 1904; Mulchay and Velasco, 1954. 1956. Remarks: Obsolete. Lith. : Fine-grained tuffs, agglomerate, rhyolite, dacite and andesite flows. Capote quartzite (several hundred feet) Middle Cambrian Underlain unconformably by Elenita formation; overlain un ­ Type Area: Cananea district, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : conformably by LaMesa formation. Emmons, 1910; Mulchay and Velasco, 1954. Remarks: fault contact with Elenita formation, but prob ­ Lith. : Arkosic, conglomeratic quartzite. ably youngerIn (Velasco, 1956) and probably lower Tertiary. Underlain unconformably by Lower Frecambrian Pinal Earlier assigned a middle or upper Mesozoic age . schist; overlain conformably by Esperanza J.!.mestone. Correlations: Bolsa quartzite, Troy quartzite. Remarks: Capote quartzite and overlying Esperanza lime­ stone total 700 feet in thickness. Emmons assigned Pre­ Jojoba formation Cerro Prieto formation cambrian age. f = et al . , 1952. Re .: St oyanow, 1942, and -in Cooper Remarks: Obsolete. Cedros River division B uc arit formation Upper = � Tertiary Type Area: Cedros River valley, central Sonora. Ref. : Dumble, 1900. LaMesa formation (5, 000 feet Lower Tertiary Remarks: Obsolete. Ty pe Ar ea: Cananea district, northeastern+) Sonora. Ref. : Valentine, 1936; Mulchay and Velasco, 1954; Velasco, 1956. Lith. : Mostly tuffs and agglomerates; near base several Chivatera zone Pennsylvanian interbedded lenticular flow s of rhyolite, dacite and andes­ Type Ar ea: Cananea district, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : ite; higher is a thick flow called San Pedro andesite. Mulchay and Velasco, 1954. Underlain unconformably by Henrietta; overlain unc onform­ Lith. : Limestone. ably by upper Tertiary clastic deposits. Underlain disconformably by Upper Crystalline limestone; Remarks: Age is not proven, and although thought to be overlain conformably by Puertecitos limestone . lower Tertiary, it may be younger or older; earlier was Correlations: Naco limestone, Nacozari limestone. assigned an upper Mesozoic or lower Tertiary age. Remarks: Lower part of Puertecitos limestone. Also referred to as Mesa formation.

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I l 279 Lista Blanca formation (3, 250 feet) Upper Cretaceous Packard shale (1, 800-2, 500 feet) Upper Cretaceous Ty pe Ar ea: San MarcIaJ area, central Sonora. Ref. : Type Ar ea: Cabullona area, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : Dumble, 1900; King, 1934 and 1939. Taliaferro, 1933. Lith. : Andesitic tuff, breccia, flows; some sandstone, Lith. : Dark to black marine shale; thin sandstone and conglomerate, rare limestone. bentonite beds. Underlain unconformably by Barranca formation and Pale­ Underlain conformably by Camas sandstone; overlain con­ ozoic rocks; overlain by Tertiary volcanic and clastic formably by Upper Red beds. rocks. Correlations : Sonoita group. Correlations: Cabullona group; Tarahumara formation. Remarks: Part of Cabullona group. Remarks: Dumble (1900) named the Lista Blanca division and thought it to be Upper Triassic; King (1934 and 1939) Palmar formation (4, 000 feet Lower Cretaceous considered the Lista Blanca formation to be Upper Type Ar ea: Ea st-central Sonora.+) Ref. : King, 1939. Cretaceous. Lith. : Coarse conglomerate at base; alternating limestone, shale and sandstone followed by massive limestone with Lower Crystalline limestone Middle( ?) and Upper interbedded quartzite. Devonian Overlain conformably by Potrero formation. Type Area: Cananea district, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : Correlations: Bisbee group. Mulchay and Velasco, 1954. Remarks: Formerly considered Triassic in age. Lith. : Limestone. Underlain disconformably by Esperanza limestone; over­ Potrero formation (5, 200 feet) Lower Cretaceous lain disconformably by Upper Crystalline limestone. Type Ar ea: Ranch EI Potrero east of Cerro el Palmar, Correlations: Martin limestone east-central Sonora. Ref. : King, 1939. Remarks: The Capote limestone of Blake (1904) is probably Lith. : Shale, locally fossiliferous; thin-bedded brown lime­ a part of the Lower Crystalline limestone. stone, sandstone and conglomerate, with contemporaneous flows of andesite. Underlain conformably by Palmar formation. Correlations: Bisbee group. Monos formation (2, 200 feet Permian: Guadalupe Remarks: Formerly considered to be Triassic. Type Area: EI Antimonio district+) , northwestern Sonor a. Ref. : Baker, 1925, in Schuchert, 1935; Keller, 1928; Proveedora formation (732 feet) Lower Cambrian Stoyanow, 1942; Cooper in Cooper et al. , 1953. Type Ar ea: Caborca area, northwestern Sonora. Ref. : Lith. : Marine limestone, Shale, sandstone, chert. Cooper and Arellano in Cooper et al. , 1952. Underlain by ?; overlain unconformably by Upper Triassic Lith. : White quartzite and dark slaty shale. marine rocks. Underlain conformably by Puerto Blanco formation; over­ Correlations: Scherrer formation. lain conformably by Buelna formation. Remarks: Baker (1925) originally calledthis formation the Monos beds and thought it to be Upper Pennsylvanian. Keller (1928) called it the upper part of the Coborca Puertecitos limestone (2, 650 feet Upper Pennsylvanian division and also Pennsylvanian. Stoyanow (1942) assign­ +) and Lower Permian ed a Permian age to fossils from the formation. The Type Area: Cananea district, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : MiddJe Permian (Word) age of the whole formation was Emmons, 1910; Lee, 1912; Mitchell, 1928; Mulchay and confirmed by Cooper et al. (1953). Velasco, 1954; Velasco, 1956. Lith. : Dense, black, thin bedded, cherty; marmorized and Nabosaigame conglomerate (3, 000 feet Lower Tertiary may look like an argillite. Type Ar 2a: Eastern Sonora and west-central+) Chihuahua. Underlain di sconformably by Upper Crystalline limestone; Ref. : Hovey and Hill, 1905; King, 1939. overlain unconformably by Cretaceous and Tertiary Lith. : Conglomerate and sandstone, mostly of andesitic rocks. composition. Correlations: Naco formation, Nacozari limestone. Underlain with angular unconformity by ?; overlain with Remarks: Originally thought to be Cambrian and equivalent angular unconformity by Late Tertiary volcanic and clastic to Abrigo. Mitchell (1928) found upper Carboniferous rocks. fossils. Correlations: Elenita, Henrietta, and LaMesa formations( ?) Remarks: No fossils have been found in the formation. Puerto Blanco limestone (961 feet Lower Cambrian Whether it includes Cretaceous rocks is uncertain. Type Ar ea: Caborca area, northwestern+) Sonora. Ref. : Cooper and Arellano in Cooper et al. , 1952. Lith. : Slate, limestone-;- shale, quartzite, marble. Nacozari limestone (1, 000 feet Upper Pennsylvanian( ?) Underlain by Upper Precamb rian beds; overlain conform ­ +) and Lower Permian ably by Proveedora formation. Type Area: Nac ozari district, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : Remarks: Actual base of the formation has not been seen Wade and Wandke, 1920; Imlay, 1939. and full thickness is thus greater. Lith. : Limestone. Underlain unconformably by ?; overlain conformably by Permian limestone. Represo beds (124 feet Mississippian: Kinderhook- Correlations : Naco limestone. +) Osage Remarks: Originally assigned Late Pennsylvanian age; Type Area: Caborca area, northwestern Sonora. Ref. : probably includes Pennsylvanian and Permian beds througr Arellano in Weller et al. , 1948; Easton et al. , 1958. Guadalupian age. Lith. : Limestone, much chert . Underlain disconformably( ?) by Devonian limestone; over­ Nogales formation (1, 000 feet Middle Tertiary lain conformably by Venada beds. Type Ar ea: Nogale s area, north-c+) entral Sonora. Ref. : Correlations : Escabrosa limestone . Dumble, 1900; King, 1934 and 1939. Remarks: Lower contact is covered. Lith. : Rhyolitic lavas, agglomerates, conglomerates, some andesitic lavas and tuffs . Rhyolite tuff (800 feet) Upper Cretaceous Underlain unconformably by Trincheras formation; overlain Type Area: Cabullona area, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : unconformably by Bauc arit formation. Talliaferro, 1933. Hemarks: Originally called Nogales division by Dumble Lith. : Crystalline vitric rhyolite tuff. (1900) and assigned "Late Tertiary" age. U. S. Geolog­ Underlain conformably by Upper Red beds; overlain disc on­ ical Survey Lexicon (1937) indic ates Cretaceous or formably by Elenita formation. Tertiary. Remarks: Top part of Cabullona group.

280 l Snake Ridge formation (2, 000 feet Upper Cretaceous Trincheras formation (2, 600 feet Lower Tertiary Type Ar ea: Cabullo na area, northeastern+) Sonora. Ref. : Type Ar ea: Tnnche ras Creek, nor+)th-c entral and northeast­ Taliaferro, 1933. ern Sonora. Ref. : Dumble, 1900. Lith. : Brackish and continental limestone, conglomerate, Lith. : Conglomerate, sandstone and andesitic flows. sandstone and carbonaceous shale. Underlain unconformably by Cretaceous rocks; overlain un­ Underlain unconformably by Bisbee group; overlain con­ conformably by Nogales formation. formably by Camas sandstone . Remarks: Dumble assigns it a "Late Tertiary" age; U. S. Cor relations: Sonoita group. Geological Survey Lexicon (1937) indicates Cretaceous or Remarks: Lowest formation of Cabullona group; faulted at Tertiary age. base; duck-billed dinosaurs. Upper Crystalline limestone (Several hundred feet ) Lower Tarahumara formation (650 feet Upper Cretaceous M1SSlssippian: Kinderhook and Osage Type Area: YaqUl Rlver basin, east+) -central Sonora. Ref. : Type Area: Cananea district, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : Wilson and Rocha, 1946. Mulchay and Velasco, 1954. Lith. : Andesitic to latitic tuff, breccia, and flow s. Lith. : Limestone. Underlain unconformably by Barranca formation; overlain Underlain conformably( ?) by Lower Crystalline limestone; unconformably by Tertiary volcanic and clastic rocks. overlain disconformably by Chivatera zone of Puertecitos Correlations: Lista Blanca formation Cabullona group, in limestone. part. = Correlations: Escabrosa limestone. Remarks: Top of formation is eroded. Upper Red beds (2, 000 feet) Upper Cretaceous Tigre formation Permian: Leonard( ?) Type Area: Cabullona area, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : ype Ar ea: Nac ozari district, northeastern Sonora. Ref. : Taliaferro, 1933. I Imlay, 1939; Alvarez, 1949. Lith. : Red shale and whit e sandstone. Lith. : Limestone. Underlain conformably by Packard shale; overlain conform­ Underlain conformably by Nacozari limestone. ably by Rhyolite tuff. Remarks: Not included in a recent list of Mexican forma­ Correlations: Sonoita group. tions. Although Imlay (1939) described this formation, Remarks: Part of Cabullona group; capped by 800 feet of the name was first given by Alvarez (1949). Rhyolite tuff of Cabullona group. Venada beds (40 feet Mississippian: Meramec Middle Cambrian Tren formation (1, 600 feet Type Area: Caborca area,+) northwestern Sonora. Ref. : Type Area: Caborca area, northw+) estern Sonora. Ref. : Arellano in Weller et al., 1948; Easton et al. , 1958. Cooper and Arellano in Cooper et al. , 1952. Lith. : Limestone, a little chert. Lith. : Dark dolomite. - Underlain conformably by Represo beds; overlain uncon­ Underlain conformably by Arrojos formation. formably by Permian( ?). Cor relations: Abrigo formation. Correlations: Escabrosa limestone. Remarks: Top of section covered. Remarks: Upper contact is covered.

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