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,