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Mineral Resources > Online Spatial Data > Geology > by state > Arizona Geology

Geologic units in Navajo county, Arizona

[Additional scientific data in this geographic area]

Triassic and Jurassic sedimentary rocks in southeastern Utah (Early Jurassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; limestone

Cretaceous sedimentary rocks (Cretaceous) at surface, covers 8 % of this area

Tan sandstone (Dakota Sandstone) overlain by gray shale (Mancos Shale); deposited in beach, river delta, and shallow sea settings. The Mancos Shale is overlain by the Mesaverde Group (map unit Kmv). This unit includes related sandstone and shale exposed near Show Low, Morenci (Pinkard Formation), and around Deer Creek south of Globe. (about 88-97 Ma)

Lithology: sandstone; shale; arenite; bentonite; claystone; mudstone; siltstone; andesite; coal; conglomerate; gypsum

Early Pleistocene to latest Pliocene surficial deposits (Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

Coarse relict alluvial fan deposits that form rounded ridges or flat, isolated surfaces that are moderately to deeply incised by streams. These deposits are generally topographically high and have undergone substantial erosion. Deposits are moderately to strongly consolidated, and commonly contain coarser grained sediment than younger deposits in the same area. (0.75-3 Ma)

Lithology: gravel; sand; mud; silt

Pliocene to middle Miocene deposits (Middle Miocene to Pliocene) at surface, covers 7 % of this area

Moderately to strongly consolidated conglomerate and sandstone deposited in basins during and after late Tertiary faulting. Includes lesser amounts of mudstone, siltstone, limestone, and gypsum. These deposits are generally light gray or tan. They commonly form high rounded hills and ridges in modern basins, and locally form prominent bluffs. Deposits of this unit are widely exposed in the dissected basins of southeastern and central Arizona. (2-16 Ma)

Lithology: conglomerate; sandstone; gravel; sand; gypsum; limestone; mudstone; siltstone

Triassic (1) sedimentary rocks in Salt southeastern Utah (Early Triassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; siltstone; limestone; evaporite; conglomerate

Sedimentary rocks of the Late Cretaceous Mesaverde Group (Late Cretaceous) at surface, covers 18 % of this area

Gray to buff sandstone with interbedded shale and coal. These rocks, which are similar to slightly younger rocks that form Mesa Verde in southwestern Colorado, were deposited on the margin of a shallow sea. Rocks of this map unit host the only large coal deposits in Arizona. (84-88 Ma)

Lithology: sandstone; shale; black shale; coal; arkose; quartz sandstone; siltstone; gypsum

Glen Canyon Group (Early Jurassic) at surface, covers 12 % of this area

Conspicuous red, cross-bedded Wingate Sandstone and the conspicuously cross-bedded, eolian, red to buff Navajo Sandstone form prominent cliffs in northern Arizona. These two sandstone units are separated by variably colored siltstone, silty sandstone, and sandstone of the Kayenta and Moenave Formations. (180-210 Ma)

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; mudstone; siltstone; orthoquartzite; sandstone

Oligocene to Paleocene[?] sedimentary rocks (Paleocene(?) to Oligocene) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Light colored, weakly to moderately consolidated conglomerate and sandstone deposited largely or entirely before mid-Tertiary volcanism and extensional faulting. Most sediment was deposited by early Cenozoic streams that flowed northeastward onto the Colorado Plateau from areas to the southwest that are now lower in elevation than the Plateau. Sediments of this map unit, other than the Chuska Sandstone in northeasternmost Arizona, are commonly referred to as "rim gravels" because they now rest on or near the Mogollon Rim, which is the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau. (30-65 Ma)

Lithology: conglomerate; sandstone; siltstone; limestone; mudstone; basalt

San Rafael Group (Middle to Late Jurassic) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Commonly cross-bedded, ledge-forming sandstone and slope-forming siltstone. Rock typically has a striped red and white aspect. The Carmel Formation and Entrada Sandstone are prominent members of this group. (Late to Middle Jurassic, about 160-180 Ma)

Lithology: sandstone; siltstone; bentonite; mudstone; conglomerate; limestone; dolostone (dolomite); orthoquartzite; gypsum

Permian (1) sedimentary rocks in southeastern Utah (Pennsylvanian to Early Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lithology: sandstone; fine-grained mixed clastic; limestone

Quaternary surficial deposits, undivided (Quaternary) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Unconsolidated to strongly consolidated alluvial and eolian deposits. This unit includes: coarse, poorly sorted alluvial fan and terrace deposits on middle and upper piedmonts and along large drainages; sand, silt and clay on alluvial plains and playas; and wind-blown sand deposits. (0-2 Ma)

Lithology: sand; gravel; mud; silt

Permian to Pennsylvanian sedimentary rocks (Pennsylvanian to Permian) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Interbedded sandstone, shale, and limestone usually characterized by ledgy outcrops. Orange to reddish sandstone forms cliffs near Sedona. This unit includes Supai Group and Hermit Shale in northern Arizona and Naco Group in southern Arizona. It was deposited in coastal-plain to shallow-marine settings during time of variable and changing sea level. Rocks of this map unit in southern Arizona may be in part equivalent to Permian rocks of map unit P in central and northern Arizona. (280-310 Ma)

Lithology: sandstone; siltstone; gypsum; mudstone; orthoquartzite; siltstone; sedimentary breccia; dolostone (dolomite); limestone; conglomerate; shale; calcarenite; evaporite

Triassic (1) sedimentary rocks in Salt southwestern Utah (Early Triassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lithology: mudstone; siltstone; limestone; sandstone; conglomerate; evaporite

Triassic (2) sedimentary rocks in southeastern Utah (Late Triassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; siltstone; conglomerate; limestone

Holocene surficial deposits (Holocene) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Unconsolidated deposits associated with modern fluvial systems. This unit consists primarily of fine-grained, well-sorted sediment on alluvial plains, but also includes gravelly channel, terrace, and alluvial fan deposits on middle and upper piedmonts. (0-10 ka)

Lithology: sand; gravel; mud; silt

Middle Proterozoic sedimentary rocks (Middle Proterozoic) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Red-brown shale and sandstone, buff to orange quartzite, limestone, basalt, black shale, and sparse conglomerate. This unit includes the Grand Canyon Supergroup, Apache Group, and Troy Quartzite. These rocks were deposited in shallow marine, coastal nonmarine, and fluvial settings. (700-1300)

Lithology: sandstone; limestone; arenite; argillite; arkose; basalt; chert; dolostone (dolomite); claystone; conglomerate; diabase; sedimentary breccia; arkose; mudstone; orthoquartzite; shale; siltstone; tholeiite; meta-conglomerate; phyllite; quartzite; schist

Morrison Formation (Late Jurassic) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Commonly cliff-forming, cross-bedded sandstone lenses alternating with slope-forming siltstone, mudstone and shale. Colors are highly variable, and include greenish gray, reddish brown, pink, white, and purple. Sands were deposited by braided streams with finer sediment representing overbank or lacustrine deposits. (145-160 Ma)

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; siltstone; conglomerate

Late to middle Miocene basaltic rocks (Middle to Late Miocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Mostly dark, mesa-forming basalt deposited as lava flows. Rocks of this unit are widely exposed south of Camp Verde (Hickey Formation basalts), in the Mohon Mountains north of Bagdad, "The Mesa" east of Parker, and at other scattered locations in western Arizona. Rocks of this unit were not tilted by middle-Tertiary normal faulting except in a narrow belt from north of Phoenix to the northwest corner of the state. (8-16 Ma)

Lithology: basalt; alkaline basalt; hawaiite; tholeiite; andesite; dacite; rhyolite; trachyandesite; trachybasalt; conglomerate; sandstone; sedimentary breccia

Quaternary eolian deposits (Quaternary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lithology: eolian

Middle Proterozoic diabase (Middle Proterozoic) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

Dark gray to black sills (intrusions mostly parallel to bedding) in strata of the Apache Group and irregular to sheet-like intrusions in other rocks. Present in east-central and southeastern Arizona. Some sills are more than 100 m thick. Exposures are extensive north of Globe. (1050-1150 Ma)

Lithology: diabase; anorthosite; aplite; troctolite; pegmatite; syenite

Mississippian, Devonian, and Cambrian sedimentary rocks (Cambrian, Devonian, and Mississippian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Brown to dark gray sandstone grades upward into green and gray shale, overlain by light to medium gray or tan limestone and dolostone. This unit includes the Tapeats Sandstone, Bright Angel Shale, Muav Limestone, Temple Butte Formation and Redwall Limestone in northern Arizona, and the Bolsa Quartzite, Abrigo Formation, Martin Formation, and Escabrosa Limestone in southern Arizona. These rocks record intermittent sea-level rise and inundation in early Paleozoic time. (330-540 Ma)

Lithology: sandstone; siltstone; mudstone; shale; chert; dolostone (dolomite); limestone; conglomerate; arkose; orthoquartzite

Quaternary alluvium and colluvium (Quaternary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lithology: alluvium; colluvium

Holocene to middle Pliocene basaltic rocks (Middle Pliocene to Holocene) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Mostly dark-colored basaltic lava and cinders young enough that some original volcanic landforms are still apparent. Includes a small amount of andesite, dacite, and rhyolite. Rocks of this map unit are largely restricted to six areas widely distributed in Arizona: San Francisco and Uinkaret volcanic fields in northern Arizona (0-4 Ma); Springerville (0-4 Ma) and San Carlos (0-2 Ma) volcanic fields in east-central Arizona; and San Bernardino (0-1 Ma) and Sentinel (1-4 Ma) volcanic fields in southern Arizona. Rocks of this unit are also present in the extreme southwestern part of Arizona where they were erupted at the edge of the Pinacate volcanic field (0-2 Ma) in northwestern Sonora. (0-4 Ma)

Lithology: alkaline basalt; basalt; andesite; hawaiite; trachyte; alkali rhyolite; dacite; latite; rhyolite; tholeiite; trachyandesite; conglomerate; sandstone; sedimentary breccia

Pliocene to late Miocene basaltic rocks (Late Miocene to Pliocene) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Mostly dark, inconspicuously flat, low-lying or mesa-forming basalt deposited as lava flows. Rocks included in this unit are located almost entirely in the large volcanic fields south and west of Flagstaff, in smaller fields in northwesternmost Arizona, and in the Hopi Buttes volcanic field on the Navajo and Hopi Indian Reservations north of Holbrook. Original volcanic landforms have been obscured by erosion. (4-8 Ma)

Lithology: basalt; alkaline basalt; tholeiite; claystone; conglomerate; limestone; sandstone; sedimentary breccia; siltstone; tuff; chert; gypsum

Shinarump Conglomerate Member, Chinle Formation (Late Triassic) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

Basal conglomerate and pebbly sandstone of the Chinle Formation is relatively resistant to erosion and forms extensive benches in some parts of the Colorado Plateau. (210-230 Ma)

Lithology: conglomerate; sandstone; siltstone; claystone

Permian sedimentary rocks (Permian) at surface, covers 10 % of this area

Gray to tan, cherty limestone of Kaibab and Toroweap Formations, and underlying white to tan, fine-grained Coconino Sandstone. Limestone was deposited in a shallow sea, and sandstone was deposited in near-shore dunes and beach settings. (270-280 Ma)

Lithology: limestone; sandstone; gypsum; mudstone; dolostone (dolomite); orthoquartzite

Middle Miocene to Oligocene volcanic rocks (Oligocene to Middle Miocene) at surface, covers 0.8 % of this area

Lava, tuff, fine-grained intrusive rock, and diverse pyroclastic rocks. These compositionally variable volcanic rocks include basalt, andesite, dacite, and rhyolite. Thick felsic volcanic sequences form prominent cliffs and range fronts in the Black (Mohave County), Superstition, Kofa, Eagletail, Galiuro, and Chiricahua Mountains. This unit includes regionally extensive ash-flow tuffs, such as the Peach Springs tuff of northwestern Arizona and the Apache Leap tuff east of Phoenix. Most volcanic rocks are 20-30 Ma in southeastern Arizona and 15 to 25 Ma in central and western Arizona, but this unit includes some late Eocene rocks near the New Mexico border in east-central Arizona. (11-38 Ma)

Lithology: dacite; rhyolite; andesite; basalt; porphyry; diorite; granite; granodiorite; latite; trachybasalt; trachyte; conglomerate; sandstone; sedimentary breccia; serpentinite

Moenkopi Formation (Early and Middle(?) Triassic) at surface, covers 9 % of this area

Dark red sandstone and mudstone; includes gypsum beds in northwestern Arizona; deposited on a low-relief coastal plain. (230-245 Ma)

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; orthoquartzite; siltstone; arenite; claystone; conglomerate; dolostone (dolomite); gypsum; limestone; sedimentary breccia

Chinle Formation (Late Triassic) at surface, covers 12 % of this area

Colorful mudstone, such as in the Painted Desert, and less abundant lenses of sandstone and conglomerate, deposited by a large river system. This unit typically is eroded into badlands topography and contains clays that are prone to shrinking and swelling. (210-230 Ma)

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; calcarenite; conglomerate; limestone; siltstone