Place of Origin of the Salinian Block, California, as Based on Clast Compositions of Upper Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary Conglomerates U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1526 AVAILABILITY OF BOOKS AND MAPS OF THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Instructions on ordering publications of the U.S. Geological Survey, along with the last offerings, are given in the current-year issues of the monthly catalog "New Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey." Prices of available U.S. Geological Survey publications released prior to the current year are listed in the most recent annual "Price and Availability List" Publications that are listed in various U.S. Geological Survey catalogs (see back inside cover) but not listed in the most recent annual "Price and Availability List" are no longer available. Prices of reports released to the open files are given in the listing "U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Reports," updated monthly, which is for sale in microfiche from U.S. Geological Survey Book and Open-File Report Sales, Box 25425, Denver, CO 80225. Order U.S. Geological Survey publications by mail or over the counter from the offices given below. BY MAIL OVER THE COUNTER Books Books Professional Papers, Bulletins, Water-Supply Papers, Books of the U.S. Geological Survey are available over Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Circulars, pub­ the counter at the following U.S. Geological Survey offices, all lications of general interest (such as leaflets, pamphlets, book­ of which are authorized agents of the Superintendent of Doc­ lets), single copies of periodicals (Earthquakes & Volcanoes, uments. Preliminary Determination of Epicenters), and some miscella­ neous reports, including some of the foregoing series that have - ANCHORAGE, Alaska-4230 University Dr., Rm. 101 gone out of print at the Superintendent of Documents, are obtainable by mail from - ANCHORAGE, Alaska-605 West 4th Ave., Rm G-84 - DENVER, Colorado-Federal Bldg., Rm. 169,1961 Stout U.S. Geological Survey, Book and Open-File Report Sales St. Box 25425 - LAKEWOOD, Colorado- Federal Center, Bldg. 810 Denver, CO 80225 - MENLO PARK, California-Bldg. 3, Rm. 3128,345 Mid- Subscriptions to periodicals (Earthquakes & Volcanoes dlefieldRd. and Preliminary Determination of Epicenters) can be obtained - RESTON, Virginia-National Center, Rm. 1C402,12201 ONLY from Sunrise Valley Dr. Superintendent of Documents - SALT LAKE CITY, Utah-Federal Bldg., Rm. 8105,125 ILS. Government Printing Office South State St. Washington, DC 20402 - SAN FRANCISCO, California-Customhouse, Rm. 504, 555 Battery St. (Check or money order must be payable to Superintendent of Documents.) - SPOKANE, Washington~U.S. Courthouse, Rm. 678, West 920 Riverside Ave. - WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Department of the Interior Maps Bldg., Rm. 2650,1849 C St., NW. For maps, address mail orders to U.S. Geological Survey, Map Sales Maps Box 25286 Maps may be purchased over the counter at the U.S. Denver, CO 80225 Geological Survey offices where books are sold (all addresses in above list) and at the following Geological Survey offices: Residents of Alaska may order maps from ROLL A, Missouri-1400 Independence Rd. U.S. Geological Survey, Map Sales 101 Twelfth Ave. - Box 12 FAIRBANKS, Alaska-New Federal Building, 101 Fairbanks, AK 99701 Twelfth Ave. Place of Origin of the Salinian Block, California, as Based on Clast Compositions of Upper Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary Conglomerates By VICTOR M. SEIDERS and BRETT F. COX U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1526 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1992 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MANUEL LUJAN, JR., Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Seiders, Victor M. Place of origin of the Salinian block, California, as based on clast compositions of Upper Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary conglomerates / by Victor M. Seiders and Brett F. Cox. p. cm. (U.S. Geological Survey professional paper ; 1526) Includes bibliographical references Supt. of Docs, no.: I 19.16:1526 1. Conglomerate California. 2. Conglomerate Mexico Baja California. 3. Conglomerate Arizona. I. Cox, Brett F. II. Title. III. Series. QE471.15.C6S45 1993 5§2'.5 dc20 92-12530 CIP For sale by the Book and Open-File Report Sales, U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Box 25286, Denver, CO 80225 CONTENTS Page Page Conglomerate of the southwestern Transverse Ranges Con. Introduction ............... ..-...-..-.............. ....... ..«-.....--...-..... 2 Paleocene conglomerate 20 Simik.711111 HillsJ..U11D ___-»«-«- «.. - - ____.._._ 20 Methods ................. ................... 2 Santa Monica Mountains and Gold Creek 20 Eocene conglomerate 21 Conglomerate from the Salinian and Nacimiento blocks 5 OcLULcL iH6Z~~ ~ ~~~~~~~""~~~~~~"~~~""~~~~~~~"""~~"'"~*"""~'""" "'"" ~ ~""~~~" 21 ^ San Marcos Pass 21 Point San Pedro 7 Simi Valley 21 Santa Cruz Mountains 7 21 Point Reyes 8 Conglomerate in and near the Mojave block 21 Carmel ______________________________ 8 Southern end of the Sierra Nevada 21 Piggon Point . .. « _ .- _ ... 9 IGJOU 21 Biff Sur coast -- . _ ..... .« Q 22 ^Vrrovo Seco .......... .............. .................-............... Q J? Ol*lkl£LLlOH -«-- » » '" - » - «-» " "" « "" " 22 The Indians Ranch 9 Eastern Transverse Ranges 23 Central Santa Lucia Range 10 \_/£yon A £LSS «« " «" « « " " " " «" " """"""" 23 1 1 Liebre Mountain block 23 Cuyama River gorge 11 Pinyon Ridge block 23 Caliente Range 12 Orocopia Mountains 24 Stanley Mountain area 12 Southeastern California and adjacent Arizona 24 Central San Rafael Mountains 12 McCoy Mountains Formation 24 Frazier Mountain block 12 Winterhaven Formation 26 Conglomerate from the Golden Gate - Gilroy block 13 Conglomerate comparisons across faults 26 Conglomerate from the Diablo and Temblor Ranges 13 San Gregorio fault 26 Cretaceous conglomerate 13 27 Paleocene conglomerate 13 San Andreas fault, northern part 28 Eocene conglomerate 14 San Andreas and related faults, southern California 29 Cantua Sandstone Member 14 Liebre Mountain block 30 Shallow-water marine deposits 14 32 Point of Rocks Sandstone Member of the \JL OCOpl£L JVLOXlTlLcLlIlS "» «« " «" «»» "« » " "" " « " "" 32 Kreyenhagen Formation 14 Place of origin of the Salinian block and related terrane 33 Conglomerate of the Peninsular Ranges 15 33 Northern Santa Ana Mountains 15 Regional conglomerate comparisons 34 San Diego 16 Cretaceous conglomerate 34 Upper Cretaceous conglomerate in Baja California 16 Paleocene conglomerate 35 Baja California north of Ensenada 17 Eocene conglomerate 35 Punta Banda and Punta Santo Tomas 17 Summary and interpretation 35 Punta Camalu 17 Salinian block relationships 35 Punta Baja 17 Southwestern Transverse Ranges and Peninsular Cabo Vizcaino 17 Ranges relationships 37 Paleocene conglomerate in Baja California 18 Golden Gate-Gilroy block relationships 38 Eocene conglomerate in Baja California- 18 \_/onciu.sion ««-- .. .. «» »»» »»«. ..«««».. ». » « -«« «« 39 Conglomerate of the southwestern Transverse Ranges 18 40 Cretaceous conglomerate 18 40 Supplemental information. Locations of sampled Simi Hills . ................. ...... 19 Santa Monica Mountains 19 in IV CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS Page FIGURE 1. Map of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico showing geologic provinces and some major faults 3 2. Pre-late Cenozoic palinspastic reconstruction of western California (after Powell, in press) showing areas where /»nTicr1mncki*Q4*cfc\t\jiif2±\juj.d. CLvc U/QCw CLO cairmlo/lotimjjjmu __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ - ._ . .__ . .____ _____________________ ._«_ ._ . ._ . ._ . ._ , .____ _________».»__-.»__ ._ ._ , . _ __-_ __-_ «____ __-_-__-_ __« ««« A._. 3. Pre-late Cenozoic palinspastic reconstruction of western California (after Powell, in press) showing generalized Late Cretaceous paleocurrent directions 5 4. Pre-late Cenozoic palinspastic reconstruction of western California (after Powell, in press) showing generalized Paleocene pcU.Goci.irrGUI curecuons « ---- -----«- ----------- - --»- ----------- - »---------«« '"« -"»« --« - '-"»» » """ """' """"' " """"»"" "" " o 5. Pre-late Cenozoic palinspastic reconstruction of western California (after Powell, in press) showing generalized Eocene Y\olcfcrWJJCUCUVflU.vl'IT*1*CfcTl4* L Cllli f^UJJ. 1 T*C»/*f"l dflnlUllD rtTI C ----------""_ -- ---------» ---- ------------" ---------------------_______ - --"___ _ "«" _______""" "" <""-"" * .** "" _*__._._.__ " "" »""" » * -_- " 7| 6. QVG diagram showing the compositions of Upper Cretaceous conglomerate suites from the Salinian, Nacimiento, and Golden Gate-Gilroy blocks 54 7. QIC diagram showing the compositions of Upper Cretaceous conglomerate suites from the Diablo and Transverse Ranjzes " -- --" - - ---- -- .. ........................................................................................................ 53 8. QVG diagram showing the compositions of Upper Cretaceous conglomerate suites from the Diablo and Transverse Ran£fes -- -- - .... ... ._......................................................................................................... 58 9. QIC diagram showing the compositions of Upper Cretaceous conglomerate suites from the Peninsular Ranges 59 10. QVG diagram showing the compositions of Upper Cretaceous conglomerate suites from the Peninsular Ranges 59 11. QIC diagram showing the compositions of JurassicC?) and Cretaceous conglomerate