USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

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

Geologic units in Otero county, New Mexico

Abo Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Abo Formation; red beds, arkosic at base, finer and more mature above; Wolfcampian; may include limestone beds of Pennsylvanian age (Virgilian) in Zuni Mountains. In Robledo Mountains the Abo may be considered a member of the Hueco Formation

Lithology: sandstone; shale; conglomerate; limestone

Mesaverde Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Mesaverde Group includes the Gallup Sandstone, Crevasse Canyon Formation, Point Lookout Sandstone, Menefee Formation, and Cliff House Sandstone

Lithology: sandstone; fine-grained mixed clastic; conglomerate; coal

lacustrine and playa-lake deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 2 % 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

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

Mancos Shale; divided into Upper and Lower parts by Gallup Sandstone

Lithology: shale; fine-grained mixed clastic

Hueco Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Hueco Formation; limestone unit restricted to south-central area; Pendejo Tongue divides Abo Formation into upper and lower parts; Wolfcampian

Lithology: limestone; shale; conglomerate

Chinle Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

alluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Holocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

alluvium

Lithology: sand; silt; clay or mud; gravel

eolian deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Eolian deposits

Lithology: eolian

Abo Formation, lower part (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Lower part of Abo Formation; Wolfcampian, and in part Virgilian ?

Lithology: sandstone; shale; conglomerate

San Andres Limestone and Glorieta Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

San Andres Limestone and Glorieta Sandstone; Guadalupian and Leonardian

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; carbonate; evaporite

Mississippian and Devonain rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Devonian Carboniferous Mississippian) at surface, covers 0.2 % 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

Abo Formation, upper part (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Upper part of Abo Formation; Wolfcampian

Lithology: sandstone; shale

Pennsylvanian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Pennsylvanian rocks, undivided; in Sangre de Cristo Mountains may include Sandia Formation, Madera Limestone, La Pasada, Alamitos, and Flechado Formations; elsewhere may include Bar-B, Nakaye, Red House, Oswaldo, and Syrena Formations

Lithology: sedimentary rock; medium-grained mixed clastic; carbonate

Lower Cretaceous, unidivided (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

Yesa Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 12 % of this area

Yeso Formation; sandstones, siltstones, anhydrite, gypsum, halite, and dolomite; Leonardian

Lithology: sandstone; limestone; mudstone; evaporite

Panther Seep Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Panther Seep Formation; Organ, Franklin, and San Andres Mountains

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; limestone; evaporite

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

plutonic rocks, middle Proterozoic (Proterozoic | Mesoproterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Middle Proterozoic plutonic rocks (younger than 1600 Ma)

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

alluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 10 % of this area

Alluvium; upper and middle Quaternary

Lithology: alluvium

quartz monzonites, intermediate intrusives, and other intermediate felsic dikes and plugs (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.2 % 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

Artesia Group (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Artesia Group; shelf facies forming broad south-southeast trending outcrop from Glorieta to Artesia area; includes Grayburg, Queen, Seven Rivers, Yates, and Tansill Formations; Guadalupian. May locally include Moenkopi Formation (Triassic) at top

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; dolostone (dolomite); evaporite

Yeso, Glorieta, and San Andres Formations, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Yeso, Glorieta and San Andres Formations, undivided

Lithology: sandstone; carbonate; fine-grained mixed clastic; evaporite

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

Bursum Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Bursum Formation; shale, arkose, and limestone; earliest Permian

Lithology: shale; sandstone; conglomerate; limestone

gypsiferous eolian deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Gypsiferous eolian deposits

Lithology: eolian

Mingus Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian [Des Moines]) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Mingus Formation

Lithology: shale; sandstone; limestone; coal

alluvial fan deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene Holocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

alluvial fan deposits

Lithology: alluvial fan

piedmont alluvial deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 10 % 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

sedimentary rocks of the Sacramento Mountains (Proterozoic | Mesoproterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Middle Proterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Sacramento Mountains

Lithology: metasedimentary rock

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

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

Lithology: sedimentary rock

silicic to intermediate intrusive rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Miocene to Oligocene silicic to intermediate intrusive rocks; dikes, stocks, plugs, and diatremes

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

Victoria Peak Limestone (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Victorio Peak Limestone; in Brokeoff Mountains only

Lithology: limestone

San Andres Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 34 % of this area

San Andres Formation; limestone and dolomite with minor shale; Guadalupian in south, in part Leonardian to north

Lithology: carbonate; fine-grained mixed clastic; evaporite

intrusive rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Tertiary intrusive rocks; undifferentiated

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

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

Moenkopi Formation; Middle Triassic

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; conglomerate

Cutoff Shale (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Cutoff Shale; in Brokeoff Mountains only

Lithology: shale

Grayburg and Queen Fromations (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 1.0 % of this area

Grayburg and Queen Formations; sandstone, gypsum, anhydrite, dolomite, and red mudstone; Guadalupian

Lithology: carbonate; sandstone; evaporite; shale; bentonite; mudstone

silicic flows and massess and associated pyroclastic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.4 % 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

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

Silurian through Cambrian rocks, undivided

Lithology: sedimentary rock

Seven Rivers Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Seven Rivers Formation; gypsum, anhydrite, salt, dolomite, and siltstone; Guadalupian

Lithology: evaporite; fine-grained mixed clastic; dolostone (dolomite)

Cherry Canyon Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

Cherry Canyon Formation; basin facies-sandstone, limestone, and shale

Lithology: sandstone; limestone; shale

intertongued Dakota-Mancos sequence (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Intertongued Dakota-Mancos sequence of west-central New Mexico; includes the Whitewater Arroyo Tongue of Mancos Shale and the Twowells Tongue of the Dakota

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

Hueco Limestone (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian [Wolfcamp]) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Hueco Limestone

Lithology: limestone; dolostone (dolomite); sandstone; shale; mudstone; conglomerate

Permain and Pennsylvanian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

bolson deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Pleistocene Holocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

bolson deposits

Lithology: clay or mud; silt; sand; evaporite

Dakota Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.2 % 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

sand sheet deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary | Holocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

sand sheet deposits

Lithology: sand; silt

Upper Santa Fe Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary) at surface, covers 11 % of this area

Upper Santa Fe Group. Includes Camp Rice, Fort Hancock, Palomas, Sierra Ladrones, Ancha, Puye, and Alamosa Formations; middle Pleistocene to uppermost Miocene

Lithology: clastic; unconsolidated deposit; mixed clastic/volcanic