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Mineral Resources > Online Spatial Data > Geology > by state > New Mexico Geology

Geologic units in Harding county, New Mexico

Dakota Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 13 % of this area

Dakota Group of east-central and northeast New Mexico; in ascending order, Mesa Rica Sandstone, Pajarito Shale, and Romeroville Sandstone; includes the underlying Tucumcari Shale in Tucumcari area and Glencairn Formation in Union County. Encompasses both Upper and Lower Cretaceous rocks

Lithology: sandstone; medium-grained mixed clastic

Bull Canyon Formation of Chinle Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Bull Canyon Formation; Norian

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; conglomerate

Entrada Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 9 % of this area

Entrada Sandstone, Middle Jurassic; Callovian

Lithology: sandstone

Ogallala Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 31 % of this area

Ogallala Formation, alluvial and eolian deposits, and petrocalcic soils of the southern High Plains; Lower Pliocene to middle Miocene (locally includes unit Qoa)

Lithology: alluvium; eolian; carbonate

Morrison Formation and upper San Rafael Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 8 % of this area

Morrison Formation and upper San Rafael Group

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; sedimentary rock; limestone

landslide deposits and colluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Landslide deposits and colluvium

Lithology: landslide; colluvium

Graneros Shale and Greenhorn Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Graneros Shale and Greenhorn Formation; limited to northeastern area; lower Turonian and Cenomanian

Lithology: shale; limestone

Morrison Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Morrison Formation; Upper Jurassic nonmarine rocks present only in northern one-third of state

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; limestone

basalt and andesite flows, Neogene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Basalt and andesite flows; Neogene. Includes flows interbedded with Santa Fe and Gila Groups

Lithology: basalt; andesite

Redonda Formation of Chinle Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

Redonda Formation

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; limestone

alluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 12 % of this area

Alluvium; upper and middle Quaternary

Lithology: alluvium

middle and upper Jurassic rocks, unidivided (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Jurassic rocks, Middle and Upper, undivided

Lithology: clastic; sedimentary rock

upper Chinle Group (Garita Creek, Trujillo, Bull Canyon, and Redonda Formations) (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Upper Chinle Group, Garita Creek through Redonda Formations, undivided

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; fine-grained mixed clastic; limestone

Greenhorn Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Greenhorn Formation; limited to northeastern area. The Upper member (Bridge Creek Limestone) can be traced into western area where it is commonly shown as a bed-rank unit in Mancos Shale on detailed maps

Lithology: shale; limestone

Graneros Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Graneros Shale; limited to northeastern area; Cenomanian

Lithology: shale; fine-grained mixed clastic

Carlile Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Carlile Shale; limited to northeastern area; Turonian-Coniacian

Lithology: shale; fine-grained mixed clastic; mixed clastic/carbonate

eolian deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 8 % of this area

Eolian deposits

Lithology: eolian

older alluvial deposits of upland plains and piedmont areas (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Older alluvial deposits of upland plains and piedmont areas, and calcic soils and eolian cover sediments of High Plains region; includes scattered lacustrine, playa, and alluvial deposits of the Tahoka, Double Tanks, Tule, Blanco, Blackwater Draw, and Gatuna Formations, the latter of which may be Pliocene at base; outcrops, however, are basically of Quaternary deposits; upper Quaternary to uppermost Pliocene(?)

Lithology: alluvium

lacustrine and playa-lake deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lacustrine and playa-lake deposits; includes associated alluvial and eolian deposits of major lake basins; upper Quaternary

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

Chinle Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 1.0 % of this area

Chinle Group; Upper Triassic; includes Moenkopi Formation (Middle Triassic) at base in many areas; in eastern part of state the following five formations are mapped:

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; fine-grained mixed clastic; limestone; chert; evaporite