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

Geologic units in Fresno county, California

[Additional scientific data in this geographic area]

Undivided pre-Cenozoic metavolcanic rocks, unit 1 (Southwestern Sierra Nevada) (Ordovician(?) to Permian(?)) at surface, covers 0.8 % of this area

Undivided pre-Cenozoic metavolcanic rocks. Includes latite, dacite, tuff, and greenstone; commonly schistose.

Lithology: basalt; serpentinite; gabbro; chert

Eocene marine rocks (Paleocene to Oligocene) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Shale, sandstone, conglomerate, and minor limestone; in part Oligocene and Paleocene.

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; conglomerate; limestone; siltstone; sedimentary breccia

pre-Cenozoic metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks undivided (Early Proterozoic to Cretaceous) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Undivided pre-Cenozoic metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks of great variety. Mostly slate, quartzite, hornfels, chert, phyllite, mylonite, schist, gneiss, and minor marble.

Lithology: schist; gneiss; quartzite; argillite; phyllite; metavolcanic rock; slate; hornfels; marble; chert; sandstone; mudstone; conglomerate

Mesozoic granitic rocks, unit 1 (Salinian Block) (Early to Late Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Mesozoic granite, quartz monzonite, granodiorite, and quartz diorite

Lithology: granodiorite; quartz monzonite; tonalite; quartz diorite; granite; alkali-granite (alaskite); gabbro

Tertiary volcanic flow rocks, unit 18 (San Joaquin-Kings Canyon) (Tertiary (3-4 Ma)) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Tertiary volcanic flow rocks; minor pyroclastic deposits.

Lithology: tephrite (basanite); trachybasalt; trachyandesite; trachyte

Mesozoic granitic rocks, unit 3 (Sierra Nevada, Death Valley area, Northern Mojave Desert and Transverse Ranges) (Permian to Tertiary; most Mesozoic) at surface, covers 33 % of this area

Mesozoic granite, quartz monzonite, granodiorite, and quartz diorite

Lithology: granodiorite; quartz monzonite; tonalite; quartz diorite; diorite; granite; monzodiorite; quartz syenite; quartz monzodiorite; gabbro; trondhjemite; alkali-granite (alaskite); pegmatite; monzonite; aplite

Quaternary alluvium and marine deposits (Pliocene to Holocene) at surface, covers 42 % of this area

Alluvium, lake, playa, and terrace deposits; unconsolidated and semi-consolidated. Mostly nonmarine, but includes marine deposits near the coast.

Lithology: alluvium; terrace; lake or marine deposit (non-glacial)

Oligocene marine rocks (Eocene to Miocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Sandstone, shale, and conglomerate; in part Miocene and Eocene.

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; siltstone

Mesozoic volcanic rocks, unit 1 (Coast Ranges) (Jurassic to Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Undivided Mesozoic volcanic and metavolcanic rocks. Andesite and rhyolite flow rocks, greenstone, volcanic breccia and other pyroclastic rocks; in part strongly metamorphosed. Includes volcanic rocks of Franciscan Complex: basaltic pillow lava, diabase, greenstone, and minor pyroclastic rocks

Lithology: greenstone; basalt; diabase; blueschist; chert; felsic volcanic rock

Miocene marine rocks (Oligocene to Pliocene) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

Sandstone, shale, siltstone, conglomerate and breccia; in part Pliocene and Oligocene.

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; siltstone; evaporite; conglomerate

Ultramafic rocks, chiefly Mesozoic, unit 3 (Coast Ranges and Western Klamath Mountains) (Middle to Late Jurassic) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Ultramafic rocks, mostly serpentine. Minor peridotite, gabbro, and diabase. Chiefly Mesozoic unit 3

Lithology: serpentinite; peridotite

Permian marine sedimentary rocks, unit 1 (Death Valley and Mojave Desert) (Pennsylvanian to Triassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Shale, conglomerate, limestone and dolomite, sandstone, slate, hornfels, quartzite; minor pyroclastic rocks

Lithology: limestone; sandstone; hornfels; conglomerate; marble; mudstone

Paleozoic marine rocks, undivided, unit 3 (Eastern Sierra Nevada) (Late Proterozoic(?) to Mesozoic(?)) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Undivided Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks. Includes slate, sandstone, shale, chert, conglomerate, limestone, dolomite, marble, phyllite, schist, hornfels, and quartzite

Lithology: hornfels; quartzite; conglomerate; phyllite; schist; marble; chert; argillite; sandstone

Jurassic marine rocks, unit 2 (Coast Ranges) (Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Shale, sandstone, minor conglomerate, chert, slate, limestone; minor pyroclastic rocks

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; conglomerate; pyroclastic

Paleocene marine rocks, unit 1 (Central and Southern California) (Paleocene) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Sandstone, shale, and conglomerate; mostly well consolidated

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; conglomerate

pre-Cenozoic granitic and metamorphic rocks undivided (Early Proterozoic to Late Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

Granitic and metamorphic rocks, mostly gneiss and other metamorphic rocks injected by granitic rocks. Mesozoic to Precambrian.

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic); gneiss; metasedimentary rock; metavolcanic rock

Quaternary volcanic flow rocks, unit 6 (Sierra Nevada) (Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Quaternary volcanic flow rocks; minor pyroclastic deposits; in part Pliocene and Miocene.

Lithology: basalt; andesite

Limestone of probable Paleozoic or Mesozoic age (Paleozoic to Mesozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Limestone, dolomite, and marble whose age is uncertain but probably Paleozoic or Mesozoic

Lithology: limestone; marble; dolostone (dolomite)

Miocene nonmarine rocks (Oligocene to Pleistocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Sandstone, shale, conglomerate, and fanglomerate; in part Pliocene and Oligocene.

Lithology: sandstone; conglomerate; siltstone; mudstone; sedimentary breccia; limestone; dolostone (dolomite); chert; felsic volcanic rock (aphanitic); basalt

Ultramafic rocks, chiefly Mesozoic, unit 2 (Western Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains) (Late Proterozoic(?) to Early Jurassic) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

Ultramafic rocks, mostly serpentine. Minor peridotite, gabbro, and diabase. Chiefly Mesozoic unit 2

Lithology: peridotite; serpentinite; pyroxenite

Mesozoic gabbroic rocks, unit 2 (undivided) (Triassic to Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.9 % of this area

Gabbro and dark dioritic rocks; chiefly Mesozoic

Lithology: gabbro; diorite

Pliocene marine rocks (Miocene to Pleistocene) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Sandstone, siltstone, shale, and conglomerate; in part Pleistocene and Miocene.

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; siltstone; claystone; conglomerate

Plio-Pleistocene and Pliocene loosely consolidated deposits (Miocene to Pleistocene) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Pliocene and/or Pleistocene sandstone, shale, and gravel deposits; in part Miocene.

Lithology: sandstone; conglomerate; claystone; shale; siltstone; limestone; evaporite; coal; sedimentary breccia

Upper Cretaceous marine rocks, unit 1 (Upper Great Valley Sequence) (Late Cretaceous) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Upper Cretaceous sandstone, shale, and conglomerate

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; conglomerate

Franciscan Complex, unit 1 (Coast Ranges) (Jurassic to Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

Franciscan complex: Cretaceous and Jurassic sandstone with smaller amounts of shale, chert, limestone, and conglomerate. Includes Franciscan melange, except where separated--see KJfm.

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; chert; limestone; conglomerate; greenstone; serpentinite; gabbro; amphibolite; schist; felsic volcanic rock

Quaternary volcanic flow rocks, unit 2 (Long Valley Caldera) (Quaternary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Quaternary volcanic flow rocks; minor pyroclastic deposits; in part Pliocene and Miocene.

Lithology: rhyolite; andesite; basalt

Tertiary nonmarine rocks, undivided (Paleocene to Pliocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Undivided Tertiary sandstone, shale, conglomerate, breccia, and ancient lake deposits.

Lithology: conglomerate; sandstone; sedimentary breccia; volcanic rock (aphanitic); mudstone; limestone; siltstone

Mesozoic volcanic rocks, unit 3 (Mojave Desert, Death Valley area, and Eastern Sierra Nevada) (Triassic to Cretaceous) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Undivided Mesozoic volcanic and metavolcanic rocks. Andesite and rhyolite flow rocks, greenstone, volcanic breccia and other pyroclastic rocks; in part strongly metamorphosed. Includes volcanic rocks of Franciscan Complex: basaltic pillow lava, diabase, greenstone, and minor pyroclastic rocks

Lithology: felsic volcanic rock; intermediate volcanic rock; basalt; clastic; limestone

Quaternary glacial deposits (Pleistocene) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Glacial till and moraines. Found at high elevations mostly in the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains.

Lithology: glacial drift

Lower Cretaceous marine rocks (Early Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

Lower Cretaceous sandstone, shale, and conglomerate

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; conglomerate