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

Geologic units in Hidalgo county, New Mexico

basalt and andesite flows, Pliocene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Basalt and andesite flows; Pliocene

Lithology: basalt; andesite

intrusive rocks, Paleogene and Upper Cretatceous (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic Cenozoic | Cretaceous Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

Paleogene and Upper Cretaceous intrusive rocks; includes Hanover, Fierro, Tyrone, and Lordsburg granodiorite-quartz monzonite porphyries

Lithology: granodiorite; granitoid

Paleozoic rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Paleozoic rocks, undivided

Lithology: sedimentary rock

Quaternary surficial deposits, undivided (Quaternary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

Silurian through Cambrian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Cambrian Ordovician(?) Silurian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Silurian through Cambrian rocks, undivided

Lithology: sedimentary rock

silicic flows and massess and associated pyroclastic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Upper Oligocene silicic (or felsic) flows and masses and associated pyroclastic rocks; includes Taylor Creek, Fanney, and Rocky Canyon Rhyolites

Lithology: felsic volcanic rock; pyroclastic; rhyolite

volcanic rocks, lower Oligocene and Eocene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Lower Oligocene and Eocene volcanic rocks, undifferentiated; dominantly intermediate composition, with interbedded volcaniclastic rocks; (31-44 Ma)

Lithology: volcanic rock (aphanitic); intermediate volcanic rock; mixed clastic/volcanic

older piedmont alluvial deposits and shallow basin fill (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Older piedmont alluvial deposits and shallow basin fill; includes Quemado Formation and in northeast, high level pediment gravels

Lithology: alluvium; unconsolidated deposit

sedimentary and vocaniclastic sedimentary rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Mostly Oligocene and upper Eocene sedimentary and volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks with local andesitic to intermediate volcanics; includes Espinaso, Spears, Bell Top, and Palm Park Formations

Lithology: clastic; mixed clastic/volcanic; volcanic rock (aphanitic); unconsolidated deposit

upper Tertiary sedimentary units (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.9 % of this area

Upper Tertiary sedimentary units; includes Bidahochi Formation, the Picuris Formation, and Las Feveras Formation, and locally fanglomerates; Pliocene to upper Miocene

Lithology: clastic; mixed clastic/volcanic; volcanic rock (aphanitic); unconsolidated deposit

Permain and Pennsylvanian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian Permian) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Permian and Pennsylvanian rocks, undivided; includes Horquilla Limestone, Earp Formation, Epitaph and Scherrer Formations, and Concha Limestone

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; carbonate

Late and middle Pleistocene surficial deposits (Middle to Late Pleistocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Unconsolidated to weakly consolidated alluvial fan, terrace, and basin-floor deposits with moderate to strong soil development. Fan and terrace deposits are primarily poorly sorted, moderately bedded gravel and sand, and basin-floor deposits are primarily sand, silt, and clay. (10-750 ka)

Lithology: gravel; sand; mud; silt

Gila Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary) at surface, covers 6 % of this area

Gila Group. Includes Mimbres Formation and several informal units in southwestern basins; Middle Pleistocene to uppermost Oligocene

Lithology: conglomerate; sandstone; basalt

Mancos Formation and Beartooth Quartzite (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Mancos Formation and Beartooth Quartzite (and Sarten Sandstone); Mancos includes what was formerly referred to as Colorado Shale which in turn may include equivalents of Tres Hermanos Formation

Lithology: shale; sandstone; medium-grained mixed clastic

undivided, Upper Cretaceous (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Upper Cretaceous, undivided. Includes Virden Formation in northern Hidalgo County, Ringbone Formation in Hidalgo and Luna and Grant Counties, and locally Beartooth and Sarten, Mancos in Silver City area; Cenomanian - Maastrichtian for most part, although Beartooth is pre-Cenomanian

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; volcanic rock (aphanitic); limestone

Mississippian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Mississippian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Mississippian rocks, undivided; Arroyo Penasco Group in Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Sierra Nacimiento, San Pedro Mountain, and Sandia Mountains; Lake Valley Limestone in south-central New Mexico

Lithology: limestone; medium-grained mixed clastic

andesitic volcanics (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic Cenozoic | Cretaceous Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.9 % of this area

Andesitic volcanics

Lithology: andesite; intermediate volcanic rock

basaltic andesites (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Lower Miocene and uppermost Oligocene basaltic andesites (22-26 Ma). Includes Bearwallow Mountain Andesite and basaltic andesite of Mangas Mountain

Lithology: andesite; basalt; intermediate volcanic rock; mafic volcanic rock

Missippian through Cambrian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Cambrian Ordovician(?) Silurian(?) Devonian(?) Carboniferous Mississippian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Mississippian through Cambrian rocks, undivided; includes Lake Valley Limestone; Mississippian; Devonian rocks, undivided; El Paso Formation and Montoya Group (or Formation); Ordovician; and Bliss Sandstone; Cambrian and Ordovician

Lithology: carbonate; clastic

intrusive rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Tertiary intrusive rocks; undifferentiated

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

Ordovician and Cambrian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Cambrian Ordovician) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Ordovician and Cambrian rocks, undivided; includes Bliss Sandstone, El Paso Formation, and Montoya Formation (or Group)

Lithology: sedimentary rock

piedmont alluvial deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 42 % of this area

Piedmont alluvial deposits: upper and middle Quaternary; includes deposits of higher gradient tributaries bordering major stream valleys, alluvial veneers of the piedmont slope, and alluvial fans

Lithology: alluvium

metamorphic rocks (Proterozoic | Paleoproterozoic) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

Lower Proterozoic metamorphic rocks, dominantly felsic volcanic, volcaniclastic and plutonic rocks (1650-1700+ Ma); includes Vadito Group; locally includes high-grade felsic gneisses of unknown age

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

sedimentary units, Palogene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

Paleogene sedimentary units; includes Baca, Galisteo, El Rito, Blanco Basin, Love Ranch, Lobo, Sanders Canyon, Skunk Ranch, Timberlake, and Cub Mountain Formations

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; tuff; limestone; sand; clay or mud

basalt and andesite flows and vent deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area

Basalt and andesite flows and locally vent deposits

Lithology: andesite; basalt

Middle Miocene to Oligocene volcanic rocks (Oligocene to Middle Miocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

basalt and andesite flows, Neogene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

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

Lithology: basalt; andesite

plutonic rocks, middle Proterozoic (Proterozoic | Mesoproterozoic) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

Middle Proterozoic plutonic rocks (younger than 1600 Ma)

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

quartz monzonites, intermediate intrusives, and other intermediate felsic dikes and plugs (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

Quartz monzonites (Eocene) in the Silver City and Los Pinos Range, intermediate intrusives of the Cooke's Range (Oligocene), and other intermediate to felsic dikes and plugs of Oligocene and Eocene age

Lithology: quartz monzonite; granitoid

andesites and basaltic andesites (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Upper Oligocene andesites and basaltic andesites (26-29 Ma); includes La Jara Peak Basaltic Andesite, Uvas Basalt, the basaltic andesite of Poverty Creek, and Squirrel Springs Andesite, the Razorback, Bear Springs Canyon, Salt Creek, Gila Flat, and Middle Mountain Formations, and the Alum Mountain Group; locally includes more silicic flows

Lithology: andesite; basalt; intermediate volcanic rock; mafic volcanic rock; felsic volcanic rock; rhyolite

alluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 13 % of this area

Alluvium; upper and middle Quaternary

Lithology: alluvium

eolian deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Eolian deposits

Lithology: eolian

Mississippian and Devonain rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Devonian Carboniferous Mississippian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Mississippian and Devonian rocks, undivided; includes the Lake Valley Limestone, Caballero, Las Cruces, Rancheria, and Helms Formations and Escabrosa Group; Mississippian; the Onate, Sly Gap, Contadero Formations, and Percha Shale of south-central New Mexico, and Canutillo Formation of Northern Franklin Mountains and Bishops Cap area; Devonian

Lithology: carbonate; medium-grained mixed clastic

rhyolitic pyroclastic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Upper Oligocene rhyolitic pyroclastic rocks (ash-flow tuffs); includes Davis Canyon Tuff, South Crosby Peak Formation, La Jencia, Vick's Peak, Lemitar, South Canyon, Bloodgood Canyon, Shelley Peak Tuffs, tuff of Horseshoe Canyon, Park Tuff, Rhyolite Canyon Tuff, Apache Springs Tuff, Diamond Creek, Jordan Canyon, Garcia Camp Tuffs, the Turkey Springs Tuff, the tuff of Little Mineral Creek, the Amalia Tuff, and others. Some contain volcaniclastic and reworked volcaniclastic rocks, and eolian sandstone; (24-29 Ma)

Lithology: tuff; pyroclastic; rhyolite; andesite; mixed clastic/volcanic; eolian

lacustrine and playa-lake deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 5 % 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

silicic pyroclastic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 10 % of this area

Lower Oligocene silicic pyroclastic rocks (ash-flow tuffs); includes Hell's Mesa, Kneeling Nun, lower part of Bell Top Formation, Caballo Blanco, Datil Well, Leyba Well, Rock House Canyon, Blue Canyon, Sugarlump and Tadpole Ridge Tuffs, the tuffs of the Organ cauldron, Treasure Mountain Tuff (now known as Chiquito Peak Tuff), Bluff Creek Tuff, Oak Creek Tuff, tuff of Steins Mountain, tuff of Black Bill Canyon, tuff of Farr Ranch, Woodhaul Canyon, Gillespie and Box Canyon Tuffs, Cooney Tuff, and other volcanic and interbedded fluvial and pumiceous units; (31-36.5 Ma)

Lithology: pyroclastic; tuff; felsic volcanic rock; volcanic rock (aphanitic); mixed clastic/volcanic

Lower Cretaceous, unidivided (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Lower Cretaceous, undivided; in northern Lea and Roosevelt Counties includes equivalents of Tucumcari Shale. In Cornudas Mountains includes Campogrande, Cox and other Washita Group formations, and the Boquillas Formation; Cenomanian. In the southwest includes Hell-To-Finish, U-Bar, and Mojado Formations which are equivalent to Bisbee Group of Arizona

Lithology: clastic; mixed clastic/carbonate

Permian Rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

Permian rocks, undivided

Lithology: sedimentary rock

silicic flows, domes, and associated pyroclastic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Lower Oligocene silicic (or felsic) flows, domes, and associated pyroclastic rocks and intrusions; includes Mimbres Peak Formation

Lithology: lava flow; tuff; felsic volcanic rock; conglomerate; pyroclastic

volcanic and some volcaniclastic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Volcanic and some volcaniclastic rocks, undifferentiated; lower Miocene and Upper Oligocene (younger than 29 Ma)

Lithology: volcanic rock (aphanitic); mixed clastic/volcanic

andesite and basaltic andesite flows and associated volcaniclastic units (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Lower Tertiary, (Lower Oligocene and Eocene) andesite and basaltic andesite flows, and associated volcaniclastic units. Includes Rubio Peak Formation, and andesite of Dry Leggett Canyon

Lithology: andesite; basalt; intermediate volcanic rock; mafic volcanic rock; mixed clastic/volcanic