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

Geologic units in Sandoval county, New Mexico

[Additional scientific data in this geographic area]

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

Sandia Formation; predominately clastic unit (commonly arkosic) with minor black shales, and limestone in lower part; locally includes Osha Canyon Formation in Nacimiento Mountains

Lithology: sandstone; shale; limestone; conglomerate

Dakota Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Dakota Sandstone; includes Oak Canyon, Cubero, and Paguate Tongues plus Clay Mesa Tongue of Mancos Shale; Cenomanian

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic

undivided, Upper Cretaceous (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

Crevasse Canyon Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area

Crevasse Canyon Formation; coal-bearing units are Dilco and Gibson Coal Members; other members are Bartlett Barren, Dalton Sandstone, and Borrego Pass Sandstone (or Lentil)

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; coal

San Jose Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 11 % of this area

San Jose Formation; Eocene, San Juan Basin

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic

sedimentary and vocaniclastic sedimentary rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.1 % 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 Santa Fe Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary) at surface, covers 5 % 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

silicic volcanic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.9 % of this area

Silicic volcanic rocks

Lithology: volcanic rock (aphanitic)

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

Travertine

Lithology: limestone

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

Satan Tongue of Mancos Shale

Lithology: shale

Mancos Shale, lower part (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Mancos Shale, Lower part

Lithology: shale; fine-grained mixed clastic

La Ventana Tongue (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

La Ventana Tongue of the Cliff House Sandstone

Lithology: sandstone; shale

basalt and andesite flows, Pliocene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Basalt and andesite flows; Pliocene

Lithology: basalt; andesite

intertongued Dakota-Mancos sequence (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 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

landslide deposits and colluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area

Landslide deposits and colluvium

Lithology: landslide; colluvium

Menefee Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Menefee Formation; mudstone, shale, and sandstone; coal-bearing

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; coal; limestone

basaltic volcanics (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

Basaltic volcanics; tuff rings, cinders, and proximal lavas

Lithology: basalt; pyroclastic

piedmont alluvial deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 3 % 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

continental red beds (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Triassic rocks, undivided; continental red beds

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic

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

Tertiary intrusive rocks; undifferentiated

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

Nacimiento Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 6 % of this area

Nacimiento Formation; Paleocene, San Juan Basin

Lithology: sandstone; shale; conglomerate

basalt and andesite flows, Miocene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Basalt and andesite flows; Miocene

Lithology: basalt; andesite

Pictured Cliffs Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

Pictured Cliffs Sandstone; prominent cliff-forming marine sandstone

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone

silicic to intermediate volcanic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.9 % of this area

Silicic to intermediate volcanic rocks; mainly quartz latite and rhyolite Neogene; may locally include flows interbedded with Santa Fe Group

Lithology: felsic volcanic rock; intermediate volcanic rock

Gallup Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area

Gallup Sandstone; generally regressive marine sandstone; Turonian

Lithology: sandstone

Lewis Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Lewis Shale; marine shale and mudstone

Lithology: shale; fine-grained mixed clastic; limestone

plutonic rocks, middle Proterozoic (Proterozoic | Mesoproterozoic) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Middle Proterozoic plutonic rocks (younger than 1600 Ma)

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

alluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 9 % of this area

Alluvium; upper and middle Quaternary

Lithology: alluvium

Bandelier Tuff (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 6 % of this area

Bandelier Tuff; Jemez Mountains area only

Lithology: rhyolite; tuff; pumice

Morrison Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

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

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; limestone

Point Lookout Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area

Point Lookout Sandstone; regressive marine sandstone in McKinley and Sandoval Counties. The lower, Hosta Tongue, of Point Lookout is transgressive and is separated from main body by the Satan Tongue of Mancos Shale; Santonian - Campanian

Lithology: sandstone; arkose

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

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

Lithology: basalt; andesite

Kirtland and Fruitland Formations (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Kirtland and Fruitland Formations; coal-bearing, coal primarily in the Fruitland; Campanian to Maastrichtian

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; coal

Lower and Middle Santa Fe Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area

Lower and Middle Santa Fe Group. Includes Hayner Ranch, Rincon Valley, Popotosa, Cochiti, Tesuque, Chamita, Abiquiu, and other Formations; Miocene and uppermost Oligocene

Lithology: coarse-grained mixed clastic; unconsolidated deposit; tuff; chert

middle and upper Jurassic rocks, unidivided (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Jurassic rocks, Middle and Upper, undivided

Lithology: clastic; sedimentary rock

Santa Fe Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary) at surface, covers 8 % of this area

Santa Fe Group, undivided. Basin fill of Rio Grande rift region; middle Pleistocene to uppermost Oligocene

Lithology: clastic; carbonate; lava flow; andesite

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

Madera Formation (Limestone, or Group); in Manzano Mountains includes Los Moyos Limestone and Wild Cow Formation; in Lucero Mesa includes Gray Mesa, Atrasdo, and Red Tanks Members; in Sacramento Mountains includes Beeman and Holder Formations; may include strata lumped as Magdalena Group in a few areas

Lithology: limestone; fine-grained mixed clastic

San Rafael Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

San Rafael Group; consists of Entrada Sandstone, Todilto and Summerville Formations, Bluff Sandstone, and locally Zuni Sandstone (or only Acoma Tongue of Zuni)

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

Ojo Alamo Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Ojo Alamo Formation; Paleocene, San Juan Basin

Lithology: sandstone; shale; conglomerate

sedimentary units, Palogene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.3 % 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

metamorphic rocks (Proterozoic | Paleoproterozoic) at surface, covers 0.2 % 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

plutonic rocks, Lower Proterozoic (Proterozoic | Paleoproterozoic) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Lower Proterozoic plutonic rocks (older than 1600 Ma)

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

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

Lower Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks (1650-1700 Ma). Essentially equivalent to Hondo Group; locally includes high-grade quartzite-pelitic schist of unknown age

Lithology: metasedimentary rock

Mulatto Tongue of Mancos Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Mulatto Tongue of Mancos Shale

Lithology: shale; sandstone

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

Cutler Formation; used in northern areas and Chama embayment only

Lithology: sandstone; medium-grained mixed clastic; limestone

Permian Rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

Permian rocks, undivided

Lithology: sedimentary rock

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

Yesa Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

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

Lithology: sandstone; limestone; mudstone; evaporite

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

Abo Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 2 % 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

Chinle Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 2 % 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

Hosta Tongue of Point Lookout Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

Hosta Tongue of Point Lookout Sandstone; transgressive marine sandstone

Lithology: sandstone

Mancos Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

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

Lithology: shale; fine-grained mixed clastic

Cliff House Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.9 % of this area

Cliff House Sandstone; transgressive marine sandstone; Campanian

Lithology: sandstone; shale

volcanic rocks, Neogene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Neogene volcanic rocks; primarily in Jemez Mountains

Lithology: volcanic rock (aphanitic)

older alluvial deposits of upland plains and piedmont areas (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.5 % 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

San Andres Limestone and Glorieta Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

San Andres Limestone and Glorieta Sandstone; Guadalupian and Leonardian

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; carbonate; evaporite

Valles Rhyolite (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Valles Rhyolite; Jemez Mountains area only

Lithology: rhyolite; felsic volcanic rock